The Great Sage Naruto
by Thousandson
Summary: This is set 3 year after the war with the Atatsuki and Naruto is about to get a surprising new teammate to take the Chunin exams finally . NaruxIno ,NaruxHinata , NaruxSaku , NaruxHanabi ....NOT a harem.
1. Chapter 1 Meat Your New Teammate

**Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Meat Your New Teammate**

Authors note's

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Reviews/questions

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I write at a fairly high screen resolution. 1280 by 1024. So if you're read this story at a low screen resolution it's going to totally fubar the formatting of the story. If you can't get you screen

resolution up that high then just turn it up to as high as you can or as high as you can and it still looks good.

**Warning: **

**First off, my grammar and spelling aren't the greatest, so if you see something misspelled or see a character not using the element they are supposed to or something that **

**shouldn't be in Naruto (i.e. like comparing the size of a fire ball to a car, as there is no cars in Naruto) just tell me in a review so I know to fix it.**

**Please be respectful. **

**I've never claimed to be god's gift to story writing and I will ignore all arrogant and downright flaming reviews.**

**This story is a work in progress and I do go back and keep fixing typos and sentence structure.**

**New note: Rejoice I've got Microsoft word professional. My bad grammar will be a lot better now.**

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A few things you will NOT see in this fan fic (and things that turn me off when I reading other peoples fan fics)

1. Naruto getting scars (kind of a pet peeve), It's has been said and shown so many times in the anime and manga that it's not even funny.

A Chidori through the chest, four tail Kyuubi form burning off almost all of his skin, etc. etc. Not one mark on him after he heals.

2. Naruto getting mobbed by his own village people (not as a child, but as a teen or adult).

I've just seen WAY too many others use this plot and in all honesty it doesn't fit the manga, unless you go nearly back before the manga started into the early years of Naruto.

I'm limiting myself to two of these for this chapter.

I'll probably add a few before most of the first few chapters so you all can get a feel for how I write.

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I'm going to write this story mainly from the manga not the anime, but that doesn't mean that I might not use a character that's in the anime and not in the manga later.

439 is the latest chapter of Naruto out when I started this. Currently there are some characters in the manga that may or may not be dead, so I'm going on what I think will happen.

FYI most of the romance pairings I write probably will not happen in the manga.

Why I'm writing this: Mainly because I've read most of the longer, mature romance fanfics with the characters I like getting together and just wanted to try my hand at it.

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I plan on this story to be mainly Romance/Drama/Humor and yes its rated Mature, but that doesn't mean it's going to be hentai writing.

So don't expect a lemon anytime soon. It's going to be very silly/slice of life at first then gets more romantic/drama later.

Characters thoughts will be in Italics.

_Note all editing done by my wife Rachel._

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Timeline/History

This is set three years after the war with the Akatsuki... You didn't think I was going to tell you how it played out here did you?

Ha, that material is way too useful for character interaction later.

Naruto is currently twenty years old and is still a Genin as they haven't had the Chunin exams because they were rebuilding the village.

It's a time of relative peace between the hidden villages.

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Chapter 1: Meet Your New Teammate

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It was a clear warm spring morning without a cloud in the sky.

Naruto was sleeping in his small bed at his home when several loud bangs on his front door tried wake him.

Naruto groaned slightly and tried to go back to sleep.

The banging came again but more forceful then before.

He covered his head with the pillow trying to ignore the sound.

"NARUTO GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE AND OPEN THIS DOOR BEFORE I BREAK IT DOWN!" An aggravated female voice yelled at him from outside.

"Oh great Sakura-chan…" He mumbled to himself unenthusiastically as he blinked sleepily a few times while he held his pillow.

"Guess I'd better get up before she knocks it down...again." He got out of bed and yawned while stretching his ribs.

"COMING SAKURA-CHAN!" He yelled while scratching his butt before putting on his Tsunade and Jiraiya house slippers.

His slippers had big stuffed heads over the toes of Jiraiya on the left and Tsunade on the right.

He thought they were the weirdest gift ever when he got them from Shikamaru for his twentieth Birthday, until he showed him how they worked.

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_Flashback_

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Naruto picked up small box wrapped in red wrapping paper. "Ewe?" He said excitedly as he shook the box and it made no sound.

He looked at the tag. "From Shikamaru."

He ripped the paper off the box in typical Naruto fashion and pulled out a pair of Jiraiya and Tsunade bed slippers.

"Hmm." He said as he eyed them for a second.

He giggled a bit. "I kinda like them, but what's with Tsunade's face? She's never smiling."

He said pointing to the big smile on one of the slippers.

"She looks more like this." He took his palms and vigorously rubbed his cheeks until they were red and put on his best grumpy Tsunade look.

Everyone laughed, but Sakura who had a vein in her head bulging and gridded her teeth. "Naruuto..." She said soaked in venom as a warning.

Shikamaru seeing things might get out of hand jumped in and said.

"Hey Naruto put them on and follow me to the hall. I'll show you how the work." Shikamaru said.

"Hey I might not have an I.Q. of two-hundred, but I know what slippers are for!" Naruto said in offense.

Shikamaru sighed and scratched the back of his head. "What a pain. They are not just slippers, just come on."

Naruto followed him to the much darker hallway and put on the slippers.

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"Ok now just run a little bit of chakra into your feet." Shikamaru said.

Naruto didn't see the point, but did as he was asked.

He gathered a bit of chakra in his feet and watched the eyes of the slippers dimly light up.

He could see about eight feet in front of him.

"I don't get it." He said at first...then. "OHHHH...I still don't get it".

Shikamaru sweat dropped.

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"Well, have you ever got up in the night to go to the bathroom and stubbed your toe on something in the dark..." He said.

Naruto blinked again ...The gears in his head finally click. "WOW, this is the best-non ramen gift I've ever gotten!"

Shikamaru snickered softly. "Yeah, Choji is always getting up in the night to go to the bathroom and stubbing his foot on something.

So I made him some like these for his birthday, he really liked them too."

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_End of flashback_

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Naruto made it down the stairs to the living room and was just about to start unlocking the door when he heard.

"THAT'S IT!" There was an earth shattering sound as the door splintered in on him, flying in all directions.

Wood showered him at point blank range and bounced off of him.

Naruto was clearly used to this by now as he always kept himself charged with a small amount of Sage chakra to deflect the debris.

"Morning Sakura-chan." He said in a zombified manner as he turned around to head to the kitchen for some breakfast.

"NARUTO UZ..." She yelled until Sakura finally saw what he was wearing.

He was in his child like panda night cap, Sannin slippers and heart boxers...

The problem was that he had morning wood and his girth was so big it was giving him a VERY uncomfortable looking wedgie that he didn't seem to notice.

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Sakura got the nose bleed that looked like a fountain.

Naruto was already eating his morning ramen when Sakura came to her senses and walked into the kitchen blushing.

Naruto was sitting on his knees at plain small wooded square table that could set four on the floor.

There was a steaming bowl of ramen in front of him that he was string to cool it off.

"Naruto...how come you didn't have your robe on when you answered the door?" Sakura asked with an annoyed look while blushing.

"Well, it's not like I had time to get it on before you demolished my front door." He said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes and then lifted his chop stick full on noodles to his mouth.

"Grrr still..." She said in playful manor while glaring at him as she walked over to the table.

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"There's cereal in the cupboard if you're hungry, I know you hate ramen in the morning." Naruto said while looking up at Sakura.

"I still don't see how you can eat something so heavy for breakfast." She replied.

"Hmmm?" He looked up from his ramen and said. "You know I'll always have this first thing in the morning."

She sighed. "You know it's almost 11:30 AM right?"

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"Oh shit! It's time for Konohamaru training! I've got to go Sakura-Chan." He panicked.

He tried to run off, but was stuck running in place as Sakura was holding his wrist to the table to keep him from getting away.

"Tsunade wants to see you A.S.A.P! That's what I came to tell you." She said with a huff.

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"Urgha?" He moaned curiously. "What about...did she lose her sake again?

You know there hasn't been any S ranked mission since the Akatsuki was defeated."

He said as he struggled to get free.

"I'm not sure what it is, but do you really want to piss her off?" She replied.

He thought about it for a moment_..."Not if my life is at stake, which it normally seems to be." _

"Ok ok I'm going!" He poofed into smoke and was gone.

"Grrr, I think he likes to make me think he's sleeping in with his clones." Sakura growled as her eyes narrowed the place he had just been.

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Mean while at Training ground thirty-six near the Hyuuga compound the real Naruto and four-hundred clones had been working on a new more cost effective jutsu most of the morning

while Konohamaru had himself and four Shadow Clones on a small fish pond trying to walk on water without disturbing the fish in the pond.

The training ground was in a wooded area in a opened clearing. A small stream in the back of the area gurgled with the sound of flowing water.

Naruto was wearing his sage outfit that consisted of a white long sleeve shirt with black sleeves,

a white trench coat with black flames embroidered at the bottom and his signature swirl symbol on the back.

He also was wearing white pants and black ninja sandals.

Naruto had just devised this training a few days ago to help him with his stealth and his chakra control.

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"Ugh, this is impossible!" Konohamaru yelled in frustration as he threw his arms down.

"What's the point of a training method that all it does is keep my feet from getting wet when I walk on water." He said in frustration.

Naruto sighed; it looked like he'd have to explain it again.

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"This isn't about keeping your feet from getting wet.

It's about you having your chakra control honed to such a level that you aren't wasting any of it.

For example, right now you can only do two Rasengans before you almost can't stand anymore.

After you master this you should be able to do three and still be standing." Naruto said in a frustrated manner.

"When you do this right your feet will not be lightly in the water when you're standing on it, you will be moving in sync with every ripple and motion.

When you're doing that then the fish under you will not jump and move every time you take a step." Naruto said bluntly.

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"Aww, but it's still boring. Why don't you teach me how to do the Rasenshuriken instead?" He said hopefully.

Naruto rolled his eyes because he had been pestering him to teach him how to do it for eight months.

"That again...fine, I'll remind you once more.

One, you don't have enough chakra for it.

Two, your body isn't tough enough to handle the training for it, as part of the damage it does will come back on you until you learn how to throw it.

So it would probably kill you before you learned to throw it.

Three, it's a SS level forbidden jutsu that Tsunade would personally would kill me for teaching you.

Besides you'd need to be at Sage level to handle it." Naruto said sympathetically as his eyes glazed over for a few seconds.

"Crap speaking of Tsunade she wants to talk to me and she doesn't seem happy." Naruto frowned.

"Errgh! How am I supposed to get this when you're not even here to tell me what I'm doing wrong?

It's been forever since you taught me any new jutsu!

How am I going to make it to Sage level like this! Let alone Hokage level!" Konohamaru said irritatedly.

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And Naruto thought HE was impatient, Konohamaru had only been at this for three days.

"Well, have you ever thought that all this training is for something?" Naruto said flatly.

The teen blinked a few times a bit dumbfounded. Naruto sighed again and said.

"You DO know that the first step to becoming a Sage is summoning right? In which you need a lot of chakra control... Here let me show you something."

Naruto reached into his pouch and pulled out a small purple scroll that he laid out on the grassy ground.

He put up the seal of the tiger and shouted. "UNSEAL".

After the puff of smoke cleared there was a giant three feet tall purple scroll.

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"Dispel your clones and come over here Konohamaru." He said with a wave of his hand.

Konohamaru dispelled his clones with a loud pop and walked off the pond over to where Naruto was sitting on the ground cross legged with the scroll ready to open it.

Naruto turned the scroll around and opened about four feet of it to reveal the names Jiraiya, Namikaze Minato and Naruto Uzumaki.

Under each name was a hand print in blood.

"Do you know what this is?" Naruto asked.

"Isn't that the scroll master Jiraiya used to carry on his back?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah, but do you know WHAT it is?" Naruto asked looking at the dumbfound teen.

Konohamaru just gave him a blank look.

Naruto just looked up and groaned while thinking to himself.

_"No wonder my teachers were always calling me dumb...Teaching is a lot of work...Seriously, what has Ebisu even been teaching his squad?"_

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"It's a summoning contract..." Naruto said and paused for a long moment for effect.

Suddenly Konohamaru's dumbfounded look turned to a smile.

Konohamaru was clearly shocked before saying. "Wow this is the same scroll the fourth Hokage use to make his summoning contract with the Toads Sages?"

He said in awe looking at the name Namikaze Minato.

Naruto smiled and said. "Yes, it's the very one."

After his initial excitement was over his face went blank as he seem to finally realize something.

"You mean...you mean that you'll make me your apprentice?" He stammered.

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Naruto chuckled a bit before saying.

"Yeah, that's the idea. Now you know why I'm putting you through all this training, but before I teach you the Summoning Jutsu you're going to have to have a lot better chakra control".

Konohamaru jumped up and down in excitement.

"Anyway guess I need to see what Tsunade wants.

So training is over for today seeing as how you need to get lunch before you start your squad training this afternoon." The young Sage said as he got up and resealed the scroll.

Konohamaru beamed and said. "Ok Naruto, I'll see you later."

Naruto dispelled his clones and set off for the Hokage's office.

Konohamaru headed off to Ichiraku's Ramen stand for lunch.

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Hanabi Hyuuga mentally cursed to herself as they were leaving.

The young Hyuuga had just turned fifteen years old. She was just over five feet three inches tall and one hundred and twenty pounds.

She had a very petite figure with curvy hips and a breast size of a full C cup and still growing.

She wore gray pants and a gray vest with a fishnet undershirt and had the trademark milky white eyes that everyone in the Hyuuga Clan had.

The young girl was named the Hyuuga Heiress after her father decided that she was a better match for job then her older sister Hinata.

She was also blossoming into a very beautiful young woman and had taken to spying at their new guests at training ground thirty-six.

She was at the far end of the training ground half way up a tree using her Byakugan to watch them whenever she could get away.

The young Heiress had taken an interest in just how powerful the so-called _'Hero of the village'_ was.

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She was rather intrigued to find out that her father let him use one of their clan training grounds.

She had over heard her father and her cousin Neji talking a few weeks ago and didn't mean to ease drop, but just couldn't help over hearing about the arrangement.

But so far after two weeks of watching she was disappointed.

She hadn't seen any amazing jutsu and the details to the fight between Naruto and the Akatsuki were a closely guarded secret.

All Naruto did was the Mass Shadow Clone Jutsu and practice Taijutsu, walking up and down trees or water, setting meditating and many other boring things.

The only one that was even remotely interesting to watch was when one of his clones would be doing this weird Hold-Your-Kunai-in-front-you and appear fifty meters away,

but even this got boring after a few minutes of watching.

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Then there were the most boring of all the clones to watch, the few that just read books or scrolls all day or the ones that just slept on the ground.

She rolled her eyes at the thought of it.

She sighed at another day without anything interesting happening as she jumped down from the tree she was in.

She turned around and ran into something hard which caused her to falling on her back side.

The young Hyuuga rubbed her head and looked up to see what she had been so careless to run into.

She saw a figure standing before her with near perfect chakra coils that were overflowing with power that could only came from a life time of training.

The young woman grimaced as she deactivated her Byakugan to see her father standing over her with a very stern look of his face.

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"HANABI!" The clan leader said in a non to happy tone.

"The whole compound has been looking for you for an hour!

How many times have I told you never leave the main compound without an escort or telling me personally?" He said sternly.

She meekly replied while he dragged her away by her wrist. "Yes father."

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Hanabi noticed they were going the opposite direction from the compound.

"Uumm father aren't we going the wrong direction?" She asked as Hiashi was dragging her through the woods of the training grounds.

"The compound is the other way." She said carefully.

Hiashi replied. "No we aren't, the Hokage has summoned you and I've been looking high and low for you!"

Hanabi's mind started racing. She mentally thought. _"Why would the Hokage be summoning me?"_

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She was technically a Genin, even though she had been home schooled for her ninja training as she was the Heiress to the Hyuuga Clan.

She needed more training then the academy taught, like how to act with nobles and how to deal with Clan problems.

As they were racing through an area of small willows trees that were too small to leap through.

Hiashi swiped limbs out of the way as they passed and one of the thin sharp limbs smacked back in to Hanabi's face leaving a small cut on her left cheek.

She winced at the sudden sting, but she didn't dare complain.

A few minutes later there were standing outside the Hokage's office and they could clearly hear Naruto and Tsunade arguing quite loudly.

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An annoyed voice, obviously Naruto's said.

"This is totally stupid. Why do you want me to take part in the Chunin exams?

I've already completed my Sage training for crying out loud. It just feels wrong for me to take part in this."

Tsunade sighed. "Why would you feel that way Naruto? This is nothing more than a formality for you."

Naruto was clearly irritated. "Well, look at it this way.

Imagine you're a Genin and you're taking the Chunin exam at the age of thirteen and Jiraiya in his prime shows up.

If you were him it would just be a 'formality', but for the Genin that he took the scroll from on the second part of the test it would just be overkill...

Sure they have got time to get another set, but someone that powerfully shouldn't be there in the first place!

It's the Chunin exams not the Hokage exams!"

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Tsunade sighed. He had a very valid point, but...

"I know... I know Naruto, but the second part of the test you took seven years ago was meant to test the ninja's in a real life scenario

and in a real life you're likely to come up against more powerful Shinobi when you're just a Genin.

They need to know how to handle that situation." She said emphatically with a sigh.

"Besides we are still one hidden village among five. To raise through the ranks the villages we have set up the Exams so no one village becomes too powerful over the others.

Please understand. It may be a formality, but it's one you'll have to deal with." The Hokage said firmly.

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"Yeah I know...I was fighting a losing battle the moment we started this...I'm not a fool anymore.

I knew it would turn out this way." He said with a huff. "But still... By the way even if I am a Sage, am I doing this exam solo?

I thought you had to be a three man team to even sign up...So are Hiashi and Hanabi my team mates?" He said with a curious look as he looked over at the closed door of her office.

Both Hyuuga's gave a start listening at the door.

Hiashi thought to himself. "_Can all Sages do that? Knowing when others are near and knowing who they are? I never saw or heard of Jiraiya do that."_

Lady Tsunade gave him a questioning look tilting her head to one side. "Hiashi Hyuuga? Why would I send the Hyuuga Clan head to..."

She stopped in mid sentence and shook her head in confusion. "Why on earth would you ask that?" She asked with a puzzled look.

Naruto flatly stated. "Because they are right outside the door."

Tsunade had forgotten that her little drinking binge with her new assistant had left her with alcohol poisoning and she had even forgotten to put up the sound proof seal for privacy.

Mentally cursed herself and thought_. "Great! Half the town has probably heard us arguing." _

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The Hyuuga head saw what position they were in and clear his throat loudly and knocked on the door. "Hokage-sama we are here as you requested."

He stated awkwardly.

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Tsunade put her head in her hands and sighed...It was definitely going to be a long day. "Come in Hiashi."

The door opened and the two Hyuuga's filed in while taking a look at her office. The Hokage was sitting at her desk still holding her head.

She had a foot and a half tall stack of paper work on her desk and another stack that seem to have fallen off her desk while arguing with Naruto was in a messy pile beside the desk.

On the other side was a much smaller stack of papers that was probably the 'Done' side.

Right in front of her desk was an unhappy and slightly frustrated Naruto.

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He turned and smiled. "Oh hello Hiashi and Hanabi-Chan." He said cheerfully.

They returned the greeting with a slight bow. Hanabi was a bit surprised at Naruto's greeting.

_"One minute he was yelling so loud the whole village could hear him, whether they wanted to or not, and the next he was smiling like nothing had ever happened. _

_He certainly is strange."_ She thought.

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"Sooo, Tsunade are you going tell me what this is about or do I guess again?" He asked intently.

The Hokage took her head out of her hands and said.

"Your right, you have to have a three man team to participate in the exams. Meet Hanabi Hyuuga...Your new teammate." Hiashi's eyes went wide.

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He had asked the Hokage to place Hanabi with a powerful and competent Genin.

He had practically begged the Hokage stressing that she was the Hyuuga Heiress and he wanted to make sure she wasn't with someone that was unsuited for being a ninja.

Like Shikamaru, the lazy Jonin or some nut job like Sasuke.

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_"Well." _He thought as he scratched his chin_. "There was no question Naruto is powerful...but competent... eehh yes and no._

_I doubt they would run into anything Naruto himself couldn't handle and come back unscathed._

_I am more worried about him using one of his Ninjutsu that could level a mountain and my daughter getting caught in the blast..._

_Naruto has two speeds when it comes to anything...over board full throttle and fast asleep._

_To everyone that actually knew him this is obvious. _

_Well, it could be worst I guess. I'll get Naruto's Team seven file to see what kind of team work I should work with Hanabi on." _He thought.

_._

Hanabi was a shocked; she knew she was going to be put into a Genin squad soon.

She thought she would be the oldest in her team seeing as how she had to wait two extra years before entering school because of her Clan and heiress training,

but to be almost six years his Jr.? She clearly didn't see that coming.

She had to admit she was very curious about Naruto.

This would give her the chance to see if he really was befitting the name of 'Sage.' She thought it was unlikely that this goofball was a real sage.

Naruto seeing the stunned look on the two Hyuuga's faces wasted no time after Tsunade told him she would be his new team mate.

He walked up to the young Hyuuga girl who was still deep in thought.

He looked her over from a few different angels until she seemed to remember where she was and snapped out of daze with an uncomfortable look on her face.

Naruto gave the Hokage a questioning look and she returned it.

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He looked back at Hanabi and said. "Ya know you're kinda cute." Naruto said with a big flirtatious smile.

She blinked a few times. _"WHAT?"_ She thought in shock.

She went slightly pink in the cheeks and looked away clearly irritated.

_"The nerve of this guy! Hitting on me in front of the Hokage AND MY FATHER!"_

Naruto gave a sigh of relief and draped his wrist over the young girl's shoulders while looking at the floor.

"Thank Kami you didn't turn red and faint.

I was beginning to wonder if all Hyuuga girls went through that phase.

At least you're not like Sakura-Chan at that age... She would have hauled off and hit me." He said clearly relived.

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The Hokage started laughing hard as she threw her head back.

Hiashi went pink with embarrassment for his eldest daughter and Hanabi's face was showing that she was a bit mad and didn't quite get everything being said.

She obviously hated feeling like a kid at the grownups table.

After the Hokage finally managed to stop laughing she said while still giggling a bit.

"You two have a lot to learn about each other!"

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The Hokage then reached into her desk and pulled out two slips of paper and walked over to Naruto.

"Here these are free VIP passes to the new sushi and steak house that opened up on the east side of the river.

They are about to expire and I don't feel like eating there today.

You two go grab lunch and get better acquainted.

The exams are next month after all." She said with a smile.

Naruto took the passes and looked directly over at Hiashi. "Ok Hiashi-san lets go get lunch!" He said jokingly with a wave of his hand.

Everyone sweat dropped. "What?" He said questioningly.

He said looking at everyone then chuckled. "You didn't honestly think I was serious did you?"

The room seemed to relax a bit.

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He then looked at Tsunade. "Thank you." He said in earnest and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

He walked back over to Hanabi and said. "Ok let's go Hanabi-Chan, but we are going to need to take a bit of a hmmm... unconventional way there."

Hanabi was off in dazed shock at what Naruto had just done to the Hokage.

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_"OH MY GOD! DID HE JUST KISS THE HOKAGE! How the hell does he still have a pulse! _

_I heard she almost killed a temple guard from the rain county for telling her that her shirt was coming undone and their celibate monks!"_

Naruto said. "Hanabi -Chan. Hanabi-Chan!" He said waving his hand in front of her eyes.

He sighed. "Oh well, my stomach is growling. So I'll guess I'll have to use my _'other'_ way to get us there." He stated.

He got behind a very shocked Hanabi and wrapped his arms around her before drawing a kunai in front of them.

There was no smoke, no flash...nothing... One second they were there and the next they were gone.

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Hiashi look around in shock before finally speaking. "Was that...?"

She sighed. "Yes it was THAT jutsu. He learned it, yes, but he's still not as good as the fourth was with it... yet.

He's only been practicing it for eight months and he's almost ready to try visiting the Kazekage with it."

Hiashi thought. "_Wow I knew he was powerful, but to learn that Jutsu to that degree in such a short time. _

_I'm starting to wonder if anyone in history will be a match for him by the time he's thirty."_

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Tsunade gave him a tired look and said. "Something else you wanted Hiashi?"

He straitened himself up and presented himself respectfully.

"Yes, I am not so sure making them teammates is such a wise decision Hokage." Hiashi replied choosing his words carefully.

She rolled her eyes. "Oookkaayy" She said as she slammed her hands down on her desk. She was clearly getting down right irate with him.

"First off I'm late for lunch, second I'm out of sake, third my assistant is out sick and I've got a ton of paper work to do by myself...

Besides you practically begged me to put her on a team with _'The Best'_... You know the old saying be careful what you wish for."

"But." Hiashi said before Tsunade cut him off.

"Look I already said both of them have a lot to learn from each other." She stated.

Hiashi went wide eyes. "You don't mean...well you know...I've heard Naruto has been quite the playboy in recent years...Ino, Hinata and Sakura..."

He paused for a moment. "And it looks like you just set them up on a cute date!" He snapped. "For Kami's sake, she is only fifteen!"

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Tsunade rolled her eyes. "I guess I'll have to skip lunch. Put the privacy seal on the door, I'll get the window." She said flatly as she got up.

After the seals where in place the sat down. "What I tell you in this room never leave it tell I declassified it got it!" She said threateningly while pointing at him.

"Yes Hokage sama." He said respectfully, he wasn't use to getting near killing intent from Tsunade.

"Ok..." She took in a deep breath and released it.

"I'll just put it bluntly as it saves the most time...Before I even took the job of Hokage I named Naruto as being worthy of being my successor.

Jiraiya always told me _"He's young"_ or _"He's not ready yet"_, but you know what Hiashi...

I've always felt I had a better understanding of Naruto then anyone else and you know what?

.

I've always felt I was standing in HIS shadow." She stated while her shoulders slumped with a sad look on her face.

"If it wasn't for Naruto and his ideals of becoming Hokage, I would have never taken the job.

Everyone thinks it was the first Hokage's or the third Hokage's Idea's I follow ...but in reality, since I decided to take the job it's always been his ideals.

If it's his shadow I'm standing in then it's like the night sky and the stars are the few glimmering hopes that I've actually done right, but most of it is covered in the darkness of failure."

.

She stood up and turned to look out the window at the Hokage monument while crossing her arms.

"When news of Jiraiya's passing was first told to him, his first reaction wasn't to feel sad or lonely...He was furious, mainly at me for letting him go!

He was probably the only one in the village to would tell me straight to my face that I messed up.

It hurt a lot at first, but after someone told me what everyone was avoiding telling me I felt a bit better.

Then when Pain attack the village and no one could even come close to being that psycho's equal in battle...

I don't even think I would have been able to put up much of a fight against him even if I did have all my chakra at the time.

Naruto showed up and practically shooed me away like I was some child on the battle field and took Pain head on.

Destroying all seven paths of Pain by himself even when Pain was so powerful he'd already leveled the village with a single jutsu.

When Pain got the upper hand at one point and it looked like he was going to capture Naruto he messed up.

He nearly killed Hinata which forced out the Kyuubi's chakra.

.

Yamoto even told me for a few seconds he brought out all nine tails to bare before mastering himself again in his Sage form.

He bared chakra so powerful it's like standing in a incinerator in its four tail form.

He bared the pain of being in that form while fighting that demon for control and all to crushed Pain and save the village.

It nearly cost him his life...

I'm sure you've read the report on his final fight with Sasuke, you know the one that left the Uchiha blind."

She was still looking out the window at the Hokage monument.

.

Hiashi stunned at the Hokage's words.

He felt a bit awkward before he spoke. "Ummm yes Tsunade, but what does all that have to do with pairing him with Hanabi?"

He cringed at the thought waking of the Hokage up out of her ramblings.

Tsunade was still mostly lost in her thoughts but replied.

"That's simple. Have you ever seen Naruto eat? Imagine the Hokage sitting at The Fire Lord's personal dining table eating like that…"

.

Hiashi looked up thoughtfully and brought up an image of Naruto in the formal Hokage garb sitting next to The Fire Lord inhaling ramen.

"Hahaha hmmph...hahahahaha." Hiashi laughed for a few minutes before mastering himself again and wiping a tear out of his eye.

"Yes, yes I see your point Lady Tsunade-sama." He said with a rare smile still on his face.

She turned from the window to see the normally stern man smiling in front of her desk.

His laughter had helped bring her back from the sad depths of her own mind.

She was in a noticeably better mood.

"Yes I figured that if anyone could teach the knucklehead something about manners, grace, and nobility it would be the Hyuuga Heiress.

Besides you wanted to make sure Hanabi was relatively safe.

So it was a no brainier when I thought of it.

Killing two birds with one stone as the old saying goes." She stated with a slight grin_. _

_"Yeah Hiashi be careful what you wish for you just might get it. Just like this time. _She thought silently.

.

Hiashi said. "Well, then what would Naruto need to teach my Hanabi?"

.

_"Guts!... I can't believe I thought that...It's like Jiraiya is in my head for some reason. Aww what the hell..."._

She stood up and looked at him sternly and stuck out her arm closed fist like Naruto did when he was younger and said. "GUTZ!"

Hiashi was speechless at the Hokage's strange gesture and stared at her blankly.

In the corner of her office laughter erupted.

Tsunade looked over to see Kakashi doubled over his hands on his knees, his book from the make out series was on the floor and he was having a laughing fit.

"HATAKE! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE?" She yelled angrily.

.

When Kakashi finally mastered himself a few minutes later he said. "Long enough to see..."

Kakashi steeled himself with a stern look and punched his fist out in front of him and said. "GUTZ!" He entered another laughing fit.

Tsunade was grinding her teeth in anger while charging her fist up with chakra before charging the laughing Jonin.

When she was three feet from blasting him out of her office his look suddenly changed to his normal unreadable face and he was holding up an official Kage scroll.

She stopped less than an inch from smashing his face through her office wall. Her arm was still quivering with rage.

She snatched the scroll from his hands and said. "Don't think this is over Hatake..."

Her words dripped with venom.

She angrily went back to her desk and opened the scroll.

.

_"Dear Hokage_

_Thank you for your incredible advice. I'm sure you helped avoid open war with the Village Hidden in the Mist, The Village Hidden in the Waves, The Village Hidden in the Rain,_

_and the Land of rice patties. How did you even come up with such an ingenuous plan? After six months, all of their nations are thriving._

_Sincerely_

_Kazekage Gaara."_

.

_Flashback_

* * *

_._

Nineteen year old Naruto was sitting behind the Hokage's desk going through stacks paper work.

An Anbu in a cat mask had just come in to the office and he didn't seem to be feeling too well.

He was leaning on the wall just inside the office for support while holding his stomach.

A familiar voice spoke. "Naruto, What are you doing? When the Hokage sees this she's going send you flying across town again."

.

"Hey!" He said in an offended manner. "Tsunade had her birthday last night and you know how that ends up Kakashi."

Kakashi knew this ALL too well.

She would be forced to greet tons of high ranking ninja's, Nobles and Lords until she was blue in the face.

She would get fed up with it and grab anyone that was nearby and drag them to the bar to get drunk.

Kakashi was the unlucky person near her when she decided to go to the bar last night.

.

"That still doesn't expl..." Kakashi suddenly went green and he ran for the bathroom on the other side of the office.

Naruto went back to sorting paper work into twenty to thirty smaller piles, but it was hard to work with his former sensei in the bathroom making the most horrible heaving sounds.

.

After ten minutes of this Naruto gave up sorting...The noise was just too distracting.

He crossed his arms and waited for the noise to stop. Another five minutes passed and it was finally quite.

He had just picked up the next paper in the stack when Kakashi came out of the bathroom looking like hell holding his cat mask in his hand.

"That still doesn't explain what you're doing Naruto?" He said shakily.

.

Naruto sighed. His cheerful face was replaced with a very sad one. "You know I've been dating Sakura-Chan lately...

Well, I was so caught up with doing things with her that I totally forgot about Lady Tsunade's Birthday.

When Sakura-Chan took me to the celebration I didn't even have a gift to give her." He said sadly as he looked down.

Kakashi eyed him as carefully as he could with a stomach that wouldn't sit still.

"I thought about it and if I was Hokage the best gift I could receive would probably be a day off from all the paper work, but it's been pretty hard to do.

A lot of this stuff I just don't understand who to put on the missions. Like that stack."

He pointed at the largest stack that stood almost three feet high next to the desk. It accounted for about half of the total paper work.

.

Kakashi was starting to feel that his own gift of socks was seriously beginning to pale in comparison to Naruto's thoughtful gift.

He sighed. "_At least I should make sure he doesn't make a mess of things."_ He thought.

He began going through the three feet tall stack of papers...

_"No wonder Naruto didn't know who to put on these missions._

_They are all recon and information gathering missions for Anbu level ninja's and he doesn't know who all the Anbu ninja's are._"

He started going through the stack putting down Anbu teams for missions almost without thinking about it.

Kakashi realized another of the problems Naruto was having…There was almost a month's worth of missions here

and he was trying to assign them to everyone in a day instead of spreading them out over a month's time...

_"The Hokage has been being quite the lay about recently."_ He thought sourly while eyeing one of the missions.

They worked through the morning until Kakashi went to grab the next stack absentmindedly.

"Hey Sensei, those are the Genin missions I've already assigned. You don't need to do those."

.

Kakashi eyed his work and grimaced. "Naruto you have totally messed up on which teams to assign for these missions.

If these had been Chunin rank or higher missions this would have been a disaster.

You sent the Taijutsu type team to do negotiation missions, the Genjutsu type teams to manual labor on the docks and the Ninjutsu type team use to entertain young children...

What possible reason could you have for handing out missions this way?

Are you trying to intentionally assign missions to the wrong people?"

.

Naruto scratched the back of his head vigorously. "Kami and I thought I was dumb. No I set out the missions for the Genin right.

The Genjutsu users are physically weak so I sent them to the dock for manual labor so they will get stronger.

I sent the Taijutsu users into a mission were they need to use their head instead of their muscles so they got smarter.

Lastly I sent the Ninjutsu users to entertain kids because it takes a lot of social control and restraint using Ninjutsu to entertain them.

But I set a few of the Hyuuga medics in training to watch the Ninjutsu users just in case it got out of hand.

They need to learn NOT to depend on one form of jutsu all the time...or at least that's what I learned." He replied frustratedly.

.

Kakashi thought to himself. "_He's using the missions just like training. It's actually ingenious at the Genin level, but it would have been a disaster at the Chunin level."_

"Well what are you going to do when they all come back and have failed because there not suited for their missions?

That will hurt our reputation and our future job offers." He stated knowingly.

"Grrr that's why I gave them missions inside the village at a discounted rate and told the employers they would probably take a few days to get their work down." Naruto said irritatedly.

.

Kakashi thought._" He certainly covers all his bases. If he had understood who all the Anbu black ops were, then he probably wouldn't have needed my help much at all."_

Almost all the paper work was done, but a very small stack of papers not seven sheets high.

A very hung over Tsunade dragged herself through the door of the office.

"What the hell are you two doing here? I didn't summon you for any missions today." She stated half asleep and the other half hung over.

"It's ok Tsunade-chan, I decided to do your paper work for you so you could take a day off." Naruto said happily.

Tsunade replied half asleep. "Oh thank you Naruto that's so sweet of you."

She said while climbing onto the green sofa in her office to go back to sleep... "YOU WHAT?" She yelled as she snapped back awake and stood up.

.

Kakashi raise his hand to calm her and said. "Calm down Tsunade. Believe it or not he actually had all the missions sectioned out into types when I got here.

The only missions he handed out were a few D ranked ones to a few Genin teams.

Though I didn't agree with his choices of Genin to send on the missions at first. I do now that he's explained why he sent them on those specific missions."

She fell back down on sofa and held her head in her hands.

"Why am I dreading tomorrow when all this comes back to haunt me?

At least show me what that small stack that's left is." She asked half asleep half dreading the answer.

Kakashi stammered. "I...I don't really know to be honest.

He will not let me have that stack and tells me those are the ones he understands best and they are the easiest to do of all the paper work."

.

The Hokage groaned as she got up off the sofa and walked over to her desk and slid the papers out from under Naruto's fingers.

"They're just economic reports from the Mist, Rain and Mountain countries and two requests for loans from the swamp and rice patty countries.

Which we will decline and a mission from the land of the waves complaining about a over abundance of oxen in the southern part of the Land of Waves aanndd?"

She looked at Naruto clearly unimpressed.

.

Naruto said while frustratedly scratching the back of his head. "Well all their problems are economic, mainly stemming from food shortages in the long run.

The Mountain country doesn't have a lot of land to grow food on. So they depend on selling their ore to make weapon and tools for income.

Then they use it to buy food from other nations.

The Mist Village hasn't recovered from losing so many Ninja eight years ago when Orochimaru got a lot of them to join him in making the Village Hidden in the Sound.

It seems they have a stock of seeds just nowhere to grow them.

The Swamp Country has almost nothing. So it's really poor because the swamp lands are too watery to support any staple food for its people.

Even though the soil under the water of the swamps is ideal for growing crops.

The Land of Rice Patty's is also a poor country too, but it has a lot of man power.

They have a lot of flat land, but it's only good for growing prairie grass.

They depend on shipping imports for food, but with the shortages in other nations it's becoming too expensive for their people."

.

"I still don't get where this is going." She stated in a dangerous warning manner.

.

Naruto continued. "Well, the way I see it, if the Hidden Mist Village sells the Land of Rice Patties their seeds in exchange for food later they are set.

If the Rain country unblocks the two rivers they dammed up then The Rice Country will have all the water they need for growing crops.

If the Swamp Country digs out its swamp marsh soil and takes it to the Rice country in exchange for food later they are set.

We wouldn't even need to protect the shipments...Hell whose gonna steal dirt!

If The Mountain country provided the farming tools they need then everyone will have plenty of food later." He said.

.

Tsunade was starting to see what he meant and nodded. "So where does this C ranked Wave mission come in at?" She asked curiously.

He smiled and said. "They are going to need a way to transport all that stuff from one nation to the other...especially the Swamp Nation at the beginning...

Oxen are perfect for pulling a wagon or dragging a plow."

It seems Naruto did find a solution to all their problems. "Well… I do see one problem...

The Fire lord had a standing trade embargo order with the Mountain Country not to sell large quantities of ore or metal of any kind to the Rice Patty Nation.

They tried to attack the Fire Nation almost forty years ago and that's one of the reasons they are such a poor country today." She said.

She sighed. "The Fire Lord probably will not lift that agreement without a good reason Naruto."

.

He looked at her. "Well an economically stable country doesn't need to start a war to get the things it's people needs to survive and no country is going to willingly starve to death.

They will steal from another country to survive which will start a war.

Besides it couldn't hurt to give them the idea and ask the Fire Lord to adjust his trade embargo so it excludes farming tools." He said with a smile.

.

* * *

_End of Flashback_

_._

Tsunade fell onto her desk depressed. Kakashi was looking over her shoulder reading the scroll.

"Why are you all depressed looking? This looks like good news." He asked with a smile.

.

"Because it was Naruto's idea.

He may have caused me more trouble than help with that birthday gift, but he did find the most important papers that I would have over looked

and solved problems of four Countries in a matter of twenty minutes.

I'm starting to worry if I'm even cut out to be Hokage anymore." She stated with a depressed look on her face.

.

Kakashi got a slight worried expression. "Don't say that Tsunade.

If I hadn't been there to help him he would have given all the missions he didn't understand to Shikamaru's squad...

We probably wouldn't have seen them for five years!" He said with a laugh.

.

The Hokage laughed as well. "You're probably right."

"Hmm Hokage-sama if I might ask, whose the third member of Naruto's team?" Hiashi asked.

She looked up at him and gave him a disregarding look. "Oh that... Sasuke Uchiha." She said absentmindedly.

Hiashi started with horror. "You can't mean that Hokage! Not with my daughter on that team!"

"Relax Hiashi; Sasuke isn't in any shape to take the exams.

This is still Squad Seven though and Sai and Sakura have already completed the exam. So the only other Genin on Squad seven has to be on the sign up form.

Sasuke is the only choice I can make."

She stated trying to reason with him.

.

"Naruto would have given me a lot of trouble if I removed Sasuke from the team officially.

So he'll just be on the paper as part of the team, not actual participating." She said.

.

* * *

.

Naruto was standing just outside Ichiraku's Ramen stand after using the Yellow Flash jutsu with a Very shocked and speechless Hanabi Hyuuga.

Everyone seemed to be staring at them...Especially Gai sensei and Rock Lee...

.

NARUTO"S MENTAL CHECK LIST!

_"Ok I'm standing out in the open with one arm around a very cute younger girl's neck and the other wrapped around her waist...umm check that looks bad. _

_I'm holding a kunai in a menacing type manner in front of her...umm check...that looks even worst._

_There are rumors going around about me being a playboy...sigh...check._

_She's total speechless and shocked at the moment...oh big check...that makes all the rest look even more bad. _

_The last two people on the planet that I would not want to be seen like this are in front of me...sigh check again._

_Conclusion... Oh shit this isn't gonna end well!_

_._

Gai finally came out of his shock and took a slow timid step back.

Then faster than Naruto thought was humanly possible he turned around and ran away leaving a huge dust trail behind him yelling in a pleading voice at the top of his lungs "HOKAGE!"

.

Lee's shocked look quickly turned to anger then to resolve before saying.

"NAURTO! YOU REALLY HAVE TURNED INTO A PLAYBOY. FIRST INO,

THEN HINATA, THEN SAKURA-CHAN AND NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO MOLEST THIS LITTLE GIRL!" He said dramatically.

"I MAY DIE TRYING TO STOP YOU FOR THE ERROR OF YOUR WAYS, BUT I CAN'T LET YOU DO THIS!" He said sounding like a total drama queen.

_"Oh shit!", _Was all Naruto could think as Rock Lee charged.

.

* * *

.

End of Chapter one

Will Naruto survive Rock Lee's assault? Will he make it to the restaurant before those free tickets expire?

And what will happen when Guy Sensei tells the Hokage about how Naruto looked like he was assaulting Hanabi Hyuuga?

That and much more is in the next chapter : Getting to know each other.

.

It will probably be a few weeks before I get the next chapter out. I've already got about 1000 words written. It only takes me about 10 hours to

do a chapter ,but my grammar and sentence structure is sooo bad it take me and my wife like 3 times that amount of time to make it readable lol.

That and I've have to research the jutsu, names to make sure they're right.

.

* * *

.

After Notes:

Hope you liked it so far. I tried to not to get the first chapter bogged down in describing every little thing, as I personally hated reading a

paragraph of describing to one sentence of dialog, but as this was the first chapter it was kinda hard to do.

I've tried to be as factually correct as I could be with everything, I admit though I hated the description of the Yellow Flash or the Flying Thunder God ( which ever you prefer).

I wanted to write it like others have, where Naruto would disappear in a blinding yellow flash, but the web site I use for my research had it described differently so wrote it the way they

said it worked.

Seeing as how they have more about Naruto then I think I'll ever want/need to know.


	2. Chapter 2: Getting to Know Each Other

**Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Getting to Know Each Other**

**.**

**Authors notes:**

* * *

**.**

**Questions reviews.**

.

* * *

**.**

**Fearlessmind** wrote

_**You have an interesting premise here, I can overlook the grammatical errors here, however, I can't overlook the fact that you are going **_

_**to have Konohamaru sign the toad contract when his grandfather had the monkey contract which he would obviously inherit. I think it **_

_**seems more realistic because of how much he looked up to his grandfather and would want to honor his memory.**_

_**.**_

You have a good point here and I thought about that before deciding on this plot. I'd like Konohamaru to learn the money style instead of toad. It

would save me some trouble later on in the story but, with Asuma and the third Hokage dead there's no one to teach him. His only other relative is

Asuma unborn child, that the manga has named anyway. From the two scene's were they show Sarutobi graveyard and how big it is, I'd guess that

their clan is pretty big, but they don't really name anyone else in the clan for me to use for that. Konohamaru idolizes Naruto too much to use that

plot line even if there was a character for me to use. All of his jutsu were taught to him by Naruto. I could just invent a character,

but that's not something I want to do. I want to use the characters that are already there.

**Rawrmander** wrote ( Spoiler in this one for those that haven't read up chapter 440)

_**Decent story writing; Tsunade is pretty out of character though, too emo in my opinion.**_

_**And Kakashi's alive? All good though.**_

_**.**_

Yes she was, but that was a moment of weakness on her part and if anything I felt I was too poetic with her dialogue. Her acting like that will not

happen often, if ever again.

Yes I do think Kakashi is alive. For other characters when they died they get the flashback of their life.

Kakashi did get that but it was very half-assed IMO. It didn't wrap up his character like the others IMO.

That and Pain is WAY too overpowered in the manga right now (chapter 440 is current when I wrote this) to the point of his whole character doesn't make sense.

I mean what the heck does he need a super weapon for when he just leveled the most powerful ninja village with one jutsu.

.

**the DragonBard** wrote

_**If Naruto is with all those girls, how is it not a harem? Or is it he only ends up with one of those girls?**_

I wasn't going to answer this one, but in the interest of not misleading the readers I will to some extent.

If you pay attention to the first chapter it says he's BEEN in relationships with Ino, Hinata, and Sakura.

It doesn't say he was with any of them at the same time though.

I will not lie, in description for this story the main reason Ino, Hinata and Sakura were labeled was because of their past relationships with him.

Not necessarily they're future relationships. There will be flashbacks about them to show how and why characters feel the way they do from time to time.

Another reason is Naruto is just meeting Hanabi and isn't romantically interested in her. She's curious about him.

Remember that she is the heir to the Hyuuga house and not Hinata. So because of her father is being overly protective of her, she likely hasn't had many

chances ( If any) to develop feeling like that for anyone and she is a 15 year old with raging hormones that all teens deal with.

The story at the beginning will mainly focus on Naruto and Hanabi as they just got put on the same team, but that doesn't mean they will end up being together at the end.

.

I don't actually plan out the story to that degree. It's more of I know the history of the manga and what I think will happen in the manga so I just

put characters in situations and it plays out like I'm watching the anime in my head, then I try my best to write what I saw. This can be very

frustrating at times though especially for a character like Guy sensei, who will use a lot of wacky body language in sync with his talking when he gets excited.

If I write out everything I saw it takes 500 words to write something that took like 3 seconds to play out in my head.

Then the description becomes so long that it's frustrating to read. So I'm forced to give a general feel for his mood and body language and hope the readers have

watched enough of the anime to know how he's acting. Err I think I'm rambling. Any who, even I don't know who's going to hook up till my ( for lack

of better words) " Inner anime" shows me. I pretty much just edit what I see when it feel it doesn't fit...like something another review posted

about Tsunade being too Emo...it was a lot worst in my head trust me.

.

Recommended author's/stories

Figured I would mention that my favorite fanfic ATM for Naruto is a NaruxTsun story called "Finding Forever" by Gray Goose 74.

It's one of the very few of that pairing that isn't Hentai writing or a harem, It's actually what I'd call romance.

**WARNING **it's not complete (as of the time I post this) so don't blame me if you get left hanging as he's not done with it yet. And if you do...you

know what to do...Bombard him with reviews just like any other writer so he'll write the next chapter faster =p. You can click on my name beside

this story (Thousandson) and click on my favorite Author's or Stories to find it or you can just put Mature in the ratings box and select Naruto U.

and Tsunade for the character's under romance. Pretty sure it will be on the first page for awhile. If not dig for it's worth it IMO.

Hell there was only like 1 page of stories when I read it ( note: over 10,000 words).

I brought that up because of a misunderstanding between Hanabi and Naruto early on in this chapter and it reminded me to look for the next chapter of " Finding Forever".

**.**

Last chapter (Recap)

* * *

.

Naruto was standing just outside Ichiraku's Ramen stand after using the Yellow Flash jutsu with a very shocked and speechless Hanabi Hyuuga.

Everyone seemed to be starting at them...Especially Gai sensei and Rock Lee...

_._

_NARUTO"S MENTAL CHECK LIST! _

_Ok I'm standing out in the open with one arm around a very cute younger girl's neck and the other wrapped around her waist...umm check that looks bad. _

_I'm holding a kunai in a menacing type manor in front of her...umm check...that looks even worst. _

_There are rumors going around about me being a playboy...sigh...check. _

_She total speechless and shocked at the moment...check...that makes all the rest look even worse. _

_The last two people on the planet that I would not want to be seen like this are here...big check there. _

_Conclusion...oh shit this isn't going end well!"_

.

Gai finally came out of his shock and took a slow timid step back then faster than Naruto thought was humanly possible he turned around and ran away leaving a huge dust trail

behind him yelling in a pleading voice at the top of his lungs. "HOKAGE!"

.

Lee's shocked look quickly turn to anger, then to resolve before saying.

"NAURTO! YOU REALLY HAVE TURNED INTO A PLAYBOY.

FIRST INO THEN HINATA THEN SAKURA-CHAN AND NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO MOLEST THIS LITTLE GIRL."

He said dramatically.

"I MAY DIE TRYING TO STOP YOU FOR THE ERROR OF YOUR WAYS, BUT I CANT LET YOU DO THIS!" He said like a total drama queen.

_"Oh shit!",_ was all Naruto could think as Rock Lee charged him.

**.**

Chapter 2: Getting to know each other

* * *

.

Naruto was trying to disperse his Sage chakra so that when Lee hit him it wouldn't reflect the damage and add even more of it back at him.

The Sage did the only thing he could do... He quickly turned around while holding her so Rock Lee's assault wouldn't hit Hanabi and waited for Lee's to start beating on him.

Just as Lee was about to send Naruto flying with a charging jump kick is when a very outraged Hanabi regained her thoughts.

She grabbed Naruto by his trench coat and slammed him up against a nearby wall.

"YOU KISSED THE HOKAGE!" She screamed.

.

Rock Lee flew right by them at an amazing speed and crashed into a thick wall with his flying kick leading the way. He crumbed the wall right on top of himself.

Naruto blinked a few times before forgetting about Lee and said. "Ummm Yeah... so what?" He asked in a confused manner.

The young Hyuuga yelled. "YOU KISSED THE HOKAGE! HOW COULD YOU KISS HER?

SHE'S THREE TIMES YOUR AGE! THAT'S SOO EWWEEE!"

She said grossing herself out with a mental picture of Naruto and the Hokage together intimately.

.

Naruto blinked a few times clearly not sure why she was making a big deal out of this before finally telling her flatly.

"She's like the mother I never had... of course I love her.

What's wrong with giving someone you love like family a kiss on the cheek?

Is the Hyuuga family so cold to each other that you show no signs of affection toward each other at all?"

.

Lee had just picked himself up out of the wall he smashed and was totally confused as he dizzily swayed back and forth.

"W_ow Naruto's victim is yelling at him for kissing another woman...and the Hokage at that..., but it was just on the cheek and he said_ _she was like a mother to him... _

_Well there is nothing wrong with kissing a mother figure on the cheek... but his victim, that he seemed about to molest, is chewing him out and he is not smacking her around or anything_..."

Lee was lost in his thoughts for some time.

.

Hanabi was shocked again, but this time she blushed a dark shade red when she realized her mistake and the relationship between Naruto and The Hokage wasn't of the

intimate type.

.

_"Oh crap when did I become a pervert...I'm getting just like Hinata. _

_How could I have even thought of that... It was just a kiss on the cheek._

_I've totally blown this out of portion. I'm the Hyuuga Heiress; I have to keep up the most noble of images!"_

She thought nervously.

.

She then looked around at all the people that had stopped dead in the tracks staring at the two ninjas.

She panicked. _"Oh shit, oh shit ,oh shit... Not good, not good...Father's going kill me for tarnishing the Hyuuga name!"_

Naruto's stomach growled loudly breaking her out of her panic attack.

.

"Ergh... Look Hanabi let me explain the situation to you.

Rock Lee is distracted for a minute, Gai sensei is off to get the Hokage for Kami only knows what reason and I'm freaking starved.

We are leaving if I have to carry you. Got it?" He stated as he grabbed her wrist and led her down the street.

She blinked then nodded her head unknowingly.

.

They were a few blocks away before she realized what was going on.

"Ummm where are you taking me!" She squeaked in a very high voice when she came back from her latest episode of being shocked.

She was drawing up images of Naruto dragging her off into the woods to do unspeakable things to her.

Naruto actually let go of her and covered his ears thinking he was being attack by a sound ninja attack.

.

"Ouch what was that for? Are you trying to attack my sense of hearing?" The Sage said while peering over at her.

"Ummm…" He said while digging in his pocket to retrieve the free meal tickets from Tsunade.

He procured them, pulling them out of his pocket and stared at them for a moment.

"We are going to The Bounty Earth and Sea.

It looks like a sushi and steak house. We're almost there and I'm starving!" He reiterated.

The Sage grabbed her wrist again and led her down the street.

.

* * *

.

They finally made it to the restaurant and Hanabi was finally not so shocked at everything Naruto did.

They both stepped inside the midsized establishment.

All the tables were made of a black wood and trimmed in a gold looking metal.

On the walls were mostly giant fan's that were black with golden flowers on it.

The fire place mantle was covered in purple velvet with a small 8'10' picture of each of the Hokage's from first to fifth and there was a blank frame at the end.

.

The place seemed fairly dim compared to the outside sunny day.

The place wasn't very busy. Out of the twenty or so tables there wasn't but about five that had people at them.

The only people she did recognize were high ranking officials.

This was probably a rather expensive place to get lunch she decided.

.

A small dark haired young woman in a tightly wrapped kimono that decorated was just like the rest of the restaurant, black with gold flowers came up to the couple.

"How many are in your party?" She asked with her eyes squinted and she gave them a short bowing.

Naruto said. "Two, here is our tickets from the Hokage."

He held out the VIP tickets.

The hostess got up from her bow and finally opened her eyes to see who she was seating.

Her fake smile turned into a real one as she looked at Naruto eying him up and down.

She took the tickets barely looking at them and led them to a door at the back and opened it.

"Please sit were ever you like." She beamed while leading them into the private room.

.

Inside was a huge oval oak table with fourteen cushy black leather chairs.

Hanabi guessed it was set up so the council could come and eat while discussing business.

Naruto went to the middle of the table and sat down and the hostess put a menu in front of him.

Hanabi realized she was being rude standing at the door and took the seat on the opposite side of the table from Naruto.

.

The hostess placed a menu in front of her.

"I'll be back in a few minutes for your orders." She said while never taking her eyes off Naruto or removing her smile.

The hostess quietly closed the door behind her.

.

Naruto to went over the fancy menu a few time and still didn't know what the heck any of it meant or what the place even served.

"G_rrr, why do they have to use such formal names for everything?_

_I can barely understand any of it_." He thought. "_Which one of these is ramen damn it_?"

.

After a few second of looking at the menu Hanabi had decided on the seaweed fried rice with greens and shrimp.

She also decided that she wanted the honey glazed swallows nest with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Naruto looked at the menu again and again and still didn't understand what to order or what the hell it was that he was ordering if he did order anything.

Hanabi who was used to eating at upscale restaurants all the time could tell Naruto was totally out of his element.

She smiled thinking. "_Hehehe the so called hero of the town being whipped by a menu..._

_It's so laughable, but we are going to be teammates and as much as I hate to admit it...He is kinda...cute...Ergh Hinata get out of my HEAD!_

She mentally screamed with frustration.

.

After three minutes of staring at the menu Naruto finally gave up on it and promptly got up and walked over the top of the table. He plopped down in the chair right next to Hanabi.

He scooted his chair right up to her so there elbows were touching.

"Hey Hanabi-Chan, what is all this stuff on the menu? I've never heard of any of it." Naruto said clearly confused while pointing at the menu.

She went a dark shade of pink

_._

_"Damn there he goes again invading my personal space!_

_No wonder Sakura was always punching him._

_She was probably just trying to get him out of her personal space and why the heck is he calling me Chan?_

_We practically just meet for crying out loud!"_

.

Naruto put his hand on her forehead and put the back of his other hand on his forehead while still holding the menu.

"Hanabi-Chan you look flushed... Are you feeling ok?" He said out of concern.

Hanabi mentally cursed herself. _"Ergh, I've got to stop spacing out!"._

"You don't seem to have a fever." He said with a concerned look on his face.

"Ummm I'm fine it's just a bit warm in here." She said shyly trying to get her heir of nobility back.

.

"Ahhh, I guess it is a bit warm in here." Naruto said as he nodded in agreement.

He reached into his pouch and pulled out a small stone. He held it in the palm of his open hand with his arm fully extended and charged it with chakra.

Then he formed four air blades and turned them slightly at an angle.

The blades started to spin at a quick pace. He stood up and held the strange jutsu over them and let it go.

It stayed in the air right where he left it.

.

Naruto then sat back down like nothing had happened and looked over at Hanabi who was noticeably uncomfortable.

She stared at the strange jutsu slightly fearful manner.

She didn't know many ninja that could produce chakra so dense that it was visible, but she did know all the jutsu she had seen like it was highly dangerous.

"What's wrong now?" He asked while scrunching his eye brows together. "You don't feel better?"

She finally stopped staring at the wind bladed rock and looked over at him

.

"Is that thing ...safe?" She asked a bit strained as she pointed to it.

He looked at her for a long moment slightly confused. "Well, don't go sticking your fingers in it and it is." He stated.

She went back to looking at it and noticed there was a nice breeze coming from it blowing down on the two of them.

.

_"Oh I get it... It's a fan... That's kinda of sweet...WAIT WHAT AM I SAYING! WHO THE HELL IN THEIR RIGHT MIND MAKES A FAN LIKE THAT! _

_I swear if he doesn't kill me with one of his jutsus, I'll end up dying from a heart attack from his 'Shocking' personality'!"_

.

Naruto was looking at Hanabi with a very serious look on his face when she came back from here inner thoughts.

"Hanabi-Chan I've got one important question for you…"

He held up his menu in front of him while taping his finger on it with a very serious look on his face and said. "Which one of these is ramen?"

His eyes were very intense.

Hanabi blinked a few time processing the odd request. She looked over the menu, and then looked at Naruto, then back over the menu, then back to Naruto before saying.

"There is no ramen on the menu." She stated.

Naruto eyes went wide and he had a look on his face like someone died.

.

* * *

.

Gai sensei burst right through the door to the Hokage's office without opening it. "HOKAGE-SAMA!"

He yelled skidding to a halt right in front of the desk as the debris from the door showered Tsunade's office.

Tsunade covered her face when she heard the crash like this had happened many times before.

Hiashi jumped into full defensive Taijutsu form and Kakashi ducked behind the Hokage at the sound of the thunderous crash.

"Hokage-Sama!" He yelled as he panted and held the stitch in his side.

.

The Hokage rolled her eyes as she lowered her arm "What is it this time Gai?"

She obviously wasn't happy and sounded a bit annoyed with him.

He huffed a few times to catch his breath and then inhaled sharply

"It's Naruto! He looks like he's kidnapped some poor Hyuuga girl and is planning on doing all sorts of lewd things to her.

He had her at knife point and the poor girl was in such shock and horror."

He said using over exaggerated hand and arm movements to the point of being silly to emphasize his point.

"You've gotta do something! My Lee is out there trying to stop him now! You know he doesn't stand a chance if Naruto gets serious!"

He begged her and continued on, but was talking so fast no one understood any of it.

After he finally ran out of breath and started panting.

.

The Hokage rolled her eyes at the hyperactive Jonin and sighed.

She reached on top of a pile of paper work and retrieved a folder. She opened it and pulled out a photo.

"Is this the girl?" She asked slightly annoyed and tired of everything while holding the photo of Hanabi Hyuuga.

"Yes! Hokage-Sama that's the cut..." He just noticed the Hyuuga clan leader in the room simmering with rage and hanging on every word he said. "Young woman."

He corrected himself mid sentence, suddenly very self conscious of the situation.

.

The Hokage's head had a vein starting to bulge in her forehead.

"Did you see any of these so called lewd acts that you're speaking of?..." She said accusingly.

Gai was suddenly on the defensive with his open hands shaking back and forth in front of him.

"Well not EXACTLY, but I could see it in his beady eyes." He said half crouching pointing at his eyes as he shifted them to and fro suspiciously.

The vein in Tsunade's head bulged even bigger.

She started to speak slowly through clinched jaw.

"So you're telling me you just ran here leaving your student Rock Lee to fight Naruto because of something you thought MIGHT be going on and didn't bother to confirm it?"

She spat like she was spewing venom.

.

Gai sensei was back peddling from the Hokage's killing intent.

"Um well you see... Naruto...I mean...you know re..recently has gotten...um to..to be rather a umm playboy so to speak...so I just ...assumed..."He said fearfully.

The Hokage snapped and grabbed the first object she could get her hands on...

Which unlucky for Gai happened to be a three pound brass paper weight/name plate from the front of her desk that had the name 'Hokage Tsunade' deeply engraved on it.

She hurled the name plate at near supersonic speeds hitting Gai sensei in the gut sending him flying out of her office door.

.

"ERGHH THE NERVE OF HIM!" She said enraged as she angrily collapsed back down into her chair rubbing her aching head.

After a few long and uncomfortable moments for both Hiashi and Kakashi.

She sighed in defeat and said. "Kakashi if I retire as Hokage will you take the job?" She asked.

Kakashi froze as a images of himself getting challenged to a duel of strength by Naruto popped into his head.

He suddenly sweat dropped and poofed into smoke as a single piece of paper slowly wafted over to her desk landing right in front of her.

She took her he head out of her hands and picked it up. 'Out of body back in a hour' was all the note said.

She mumbled to herself. "Chicken."

.

Hiashi wanted to leave right at the moment Gai sensei had said Naruto was putting the moves on his daughter, but being a clan head had it down sides too...

like always being respectful to those in higher standings and the council.

"If you would excuse me Hokage-Sama." He bowed respectfully and quickly headed for the door.

"HAAishi!" Tsunade warned him as he turned around clearly angry she has stopped him.

He stood still and waited for her to speak.

.

"You don't actually think I'm going let you crash there time to get acquainted do you?"

She said as a warning with her usual fake smile that he KNEW was a warning.

Hiashi knew he didn't have much wiggle room in the matter.

He then smiled back at her. "_If I can't force my way there, I'll entice her there."_

He suddenly and without warning he said. "Drinks are on me."

_._

_"Sucker!" _Tsunade thought as she grinned._ "That's the only reason I go there... the food is horrible. _

_There is only like three things on the whole menu that I'd ever eat again willingly. _

_That's why I gave the tickets to Naruto in the first place! He'll eat anything."_

_._

* * *

_._

The hostess came in with bread and some strange oil in a small dish.

She set the items down near them and asked politely. "Are you ready to order yet?"

Hanabi respectfully said. "Yes I'll have number fourteen and he would like a number seven please."

The hostess eyed Hanabi for a second. It wasn't normal for the woman to order for herself and her man.

.

"Sure and what would you like to drink?" She said with her professional smile back in place.

Hanabi said. "I'll have the aged grape juice..." She looked over at Naruto. She obviously didn't know what we drank.

Naruto got the message. "I'll just have whatever tea you think is good, but please, no green tea." He said with his cheery smile.

The hostess took the menus and left promptly.

.

Hanabi noticed that she wasn't making eyes at Naruto this time.

"..._She must have noticed his 'Fan' jutsu." _She thought with a grin.

_"Wow she didn't freak about my rock wind blade jutsu! I wonder if she's really a civilian." _He thought.

.

He then eyed Hanabi carefully and said. "Aged grape juice? Did you just order alcohol...?"

"Well yes, but it's very weak." She said eying him slightly confused.

"You really don't know much about the noble family and how we live do you?" She asked already knowing the answer.

Naruto looked at her carefully at here for a moment. "What do you mean? I know about the Hyuuga Gentle Fist technique and your training ground and..."

She cut him off. "It's got nothing to do with being a ninja or jutsu Naruto." She stated almost like she was talking down to him.

_"Grr he really is a moron! I guess I'll have to explain it to him."_ She sighed. "Well, imagine you're…" She was cut off by an all too familiar voice at the door.

.

"Imagine you're the host of a party for nobles." Lord Hyuuga said from the doorway.

"You will be expected to partake in the pleasantries and drink while performing business to a small degree.

One of the easiest and simplest ways to get someone more susceptible to an idea which they would otherwise be opposed is to get them drunk.

Since you are the host of the party you are expected to drink first and among the ninja houses this is a sign of good faith.

You see all the most important members of the party will share the first drink from the same bottle... and the host drinks first as a sign of good faith that the drink is not poisoned.

After a long party you will be expected to partake in several toasts during such a party and could easily be quite inebriated.

That is when you could easily promise something you would otherwise vehemently oppose.

That is why it is important that you be able to hold your alcohol during a gathering.

So most of the main branches of the family's are required to drink alcohol to build up their tolerance to the drinking. "Hiashi said stated.

.

Hiashi had taken a look around the _"Would be"_ council dinner table to see it a total mess of scrolls all over most of it.

The majority was covered in team work tactics and most of the rest was jutsu scrolls.

The only food on the huge table was some bread and a saucer of oil that probably wasn't very good as only one piece of bread had a bite out of it on the plate and the rest was untouched.

_._

_"Naruto must have been going over tactics and jutsu with her before we arrived. What a relief." _He thought as he relaxed.

"Hello Hiashi-sama!" He said with a cheerfully smile while waving over the mounds of scroll's.

"_It still feels weird, though I am twenty-eight years his senior, having someone that can level a mountain call me master makes me feels out of place any way I look at it, _

_even if I am a Clan head."_ Hiashi thought.

.

"Hello Sage Naruto." He said calmly to what most would see, but Hanabi saw he was relieved.

Hiashi walked in and took a seat next to Hanabi followed by an overly happy Tsunade.

"How are things going you two?" Tsunade she said while wiping a place clear of scrolls next to Hiashi.

The hostess came in with two more menus and said.

"It is an honor that you grace us with your presence Hokage-Sama and Lord Hyuuga. Can I get you anything to drink?"

.

Tsunade smiled mischievously. "A bottle of White Light Gold and two drinking cups please."

Hiashi just realized what she ordered and it wasn't good. White Light was 197 proof!

_"Oh crap, I thought she'd order high grade sake...not that stuff!_

_It is not even recommended for human consumption and it is used mostly to make high grade fire bombs... Oh Kami did she say TWO DRINKING CUPS?"_ He panicked and started sweating.

The Hyuuga had a feeling that he was going to give Naruto a firsthand showing on that lesson he just taught him.

.

"Hey there, what brings you two over?" Naruto asked over a scroll he was showing Hanabi in his hands.

She eyed him carefully before speaking. "Well Gai sensei convinced Hiashi and I that we should come here for lunch." She smiled.

Naruto looked up from his scroll and rolled his eyes. He knew quite well what Gai probably said to them to come and check up on him.

Hanabi who just bowed her head slightly when both of them came in and directed Naruto's attention back to the scroll he was holding and asked.

"So what is the point of this three prong formation attack if we only have two members and why would you put me at the head of the arrow?

Shouldn't that be were the strongest ninja of the three should be?" She questioned.

.

Hiashi eyed the young sage. _"My girl has a valid point there. Oh no here comes that waiter holding my doom in her hands." _

The Hyuuga lord was getting nervous enough for Hanabi to notice if she was paying attention.

The hostess came back with a twenty ounce clear bottle with a golden sun symbol on the front of it and set it and two drinking cups in front of her and Hiashi.

"Thank you." The Hokage said with a smile.

.

Naruto waited for the Hostess to leave before answering Hanabi.

"Well for a three prong arrow attack your right, but this one's a feint.

If you look farther down the scroll you'll see that the ninja in the center runs slower than the two on the sides.

The ninja in the center gets the enemy to focus on him and then lets the other two ninja over take him in the charge.

Now on a non-ninja enemy the center might actually be more dangerous,

but on a ninja he will realize this a turn to defend himself from the two side ninja's leaving an opening for the ninja in the center to attack. Do you see now?" He asked.

.

Hanabi looked at him carefully while squinting and said. "That still doesn't explain how we will use this with only two people in our squad..."She eyed him critically.

Naruto laughed. "And here I thought you might have had that figured out from peeping on me and Konohamaru training." He said while still laughing.

.

Hanabi thought. _"Kami how did he know I was watching him? Maybe THAT'S why I didn't see any of his powerful jutsu. It was because he knew I was there. _

_It's possible...He did know me and father were outside the Hokage's door after all." _She was only slightly embarrassed this time.

_"At least I'm_ _getting better and not being totally shocked, but still." _She thought with only a hint of pink in her cheeks.

.

Tsunade smiled. _"I'm glad he has been working on his main weakness._

_His slow mind has been getting a lot sharper over the years. _

_In some ways he's becoming a lot more like those stories of wise old sages, but enough of those thoughts. _

_It is time to torture Hiashi for not believing me about his daughter being fine with Naruto."_

.

Tsunade grabbed the bottle of White Light and poured a shot for her and Hiashi. "Drink up." She said with a friendly smile as she downed the shot.

Hiashi was eying the clear liquid in his cup with a mental battle raging in his head.

_"Oh Kami I hope everything I have heard about drinking this stuff was over exaggerated." _

He picked his cup up and smelled the liquid. "_Hmmm no smell, maybe it was just exaggerated." _

He shrugged slightly and downed the shot.

Fire like he'd never felt in his life before raced down to his throat and turned his stomach into an inferno. _"Oh Kami ... it hur..ts sooo...bad!"_

Outwardly Hiashi held on to his composure well.

.

He was perfectly still, but to the trained eyes of Tsunade she could see him ever so slightly trembling and a tear forming in the corner of his eye.

Tsunade poked him in the shoulder to get his attention. "Hey slacker come on you're already two shots behind.

Come on this bottle isn't going to empty itself and half of it YOUR going to be drinking half of it."

She said to let him know it was an order not a request as she was shaking the bottle back and forth in front of him.

.

The Hyuuga sighed in defeat steeling himself for death by alcohol poisoning.

"_Kami PLEASE take me quickly... hmm is my Will in order...I think it is...it might not be... What will be on my tombstone?"_

He thought. _"Here Lies Hiashi Hyuuga The Fool That Tried to Drink With The Fifth Hokage_".

.

"Hiashiiii!" Tsunade warned none to subtlety.

Hiashi gulped and lifted the cup to his lips to double the inferno in his stomach.

He managed to hold another two shots before fainting. How unlucky for him that Tsunade was a medical ninja that healed him just enough to revive him.

"Ergh." Hiashi groaned as Tsunade sat him up from the floor.

.

"My body's on fire, but that breeze is nice." He said clearly not all there yet.

"Breeze?" She said just now noticing.

She looked up to see what looked like a mini Rasenshuriken.

Her eyes narrowed to a scowl as she dropped Hiashi with a sudden thud back on the ground.

.

Naruto and Hanabi had been going over scrolls oblivious to Tsunade's torture of the Hyuuga lord.

"NARUTO!" She yelled.

.

Naruto jumped and looked over at her as the pebble lost its wind blades and fell right into the cup of oil for the bread with a splash.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? IT LOOKS LIKE THE BLADES OF THE RASENSHURIKEN!" She yelled so loudly the building shook.

"I TOLD YOU THAT YOU ARE NEVER TO TEACH THAT JUTSU TO ANYONE! ESPECIALLY KONOHAMARU!

I MADE IT A SS RAKED FORBIDDEN JUTSU FOR A REASON! YOU DAMNED WART SAGE!"

.

She grabbed Naruto and had him pinned on the table with one hand on the front of his shirt holding him down

and the other cocked ready to send him to hell and six feet under the ground at the same time.

"Tsunade-Chan." He said nervously. "It is not what you think!" He pleaded.

She scowled at him. "You have five second to explain before I send you to Kami!" She warned.

.

"Hanabi was hot so I adapted the blades of the Rasenshuriken into a fan to keep her cool.

Honestly I wasn't planning on teaching Konohamaru that jutsu.

I know it would kill him from the backfire damage until he learned to throw it." He said slowly opening his eyes from the squint he was wearing to see if he was still alive.

Tsunade felt slightly embarrassed and let go of her killing intent said. "Oh...I guess that was kinda of sweet... I guess... In a Naruto type of way."

_"Oh thank Kami, If she had been sober that would have never worked and I didn't want to use the other method to calm her down with Hanabi here. _

_She would TOTALLY have taken it the wrong way." _He thought clearly relieved.

.

Hanabi was a statue she was so shocked.

She had always looked up to Tsunade as a strong, conservative woman, but seeing her squatting over her unconscious father in a very unlady like manner…

She was forced to think of the Hokage as a drunken brute.

Hiashi was on deaths door.

.

"Oh there light at the end of a tunnel...beautiful white light..."He said as he gripped at the empty air while laying on his back.

Tsunade scowled. "OH no you DON'T!" She grinned wickedly. "I'm not letting you die yet! There is still over half the bottle left!"

Just then the Hostess came in with the two steaming plates of food Naruto and Hanabi ordered.

Her eyes still squinted like before.

.

Naruto made a crossed finger hand seal and said. "Scroll Library Seal!"

All that was left on the previously mess of a table was a single ten inch long scroll that was two inches thick, the bread, oil, the bottle and cups.

Naruto thought that Hanabi had seen enough of the things here.

He didn't want her to be a human statue.

Though this was kind of normal for him hanging out with Tsunade, he knew others didn't understand and would freeze up

and not speak for some time afterwards as the Hokage could be rather intense when she let her true personality hang out.

"Tsunade-Chan your foods here!" He said loudly.

.

He then walked over to the hostess quietly and whispered.

"Please send this message to Sakura at the hospital...Tsunade has done it again, come to the Bounty of The Earth and Sea and save the poor guy." He asked quietly as he could.

.

Naruto thought. "_Ok I've taken care of Lord Hyuuga. Now it's time to get Hanabi out of here and get some real food._

_I'm sooo hungry, but she's been around me for awhile now and isn't getting shocked so much anymore... _

_I have to have her perfectly still to use the Yellow Flash jutsu to get us out of here." _

The young sage thought.

_. _

_"I REALLY hope she doesn't hate me long for this, but it's kind of my only ace in the hole for shocking her without fail."_

Naruto sneaked back over to the Hyuuga heiress and whispered softly in her ear. "I'm so sorry."

Naruto gently grabbed her wrist leading her out of her chair ever so smoothly.

Then he pulled her wrists over her head and gently pinned her to the table.

His eyes went from brilliant blue to crimson red with slits for pupils.

He kissed her softly twice on the neck. "**NOW YOU'RE MINE!" **He whispered in a dark and sinister voice that was not his own into her ear.

She totally froze.

_"YES! I knew it would work! I just hope she forgives me later for scaring her." _He thought.

He quickly reached into his pouch and pulled out a rune covered kunai and they both disappeared as he used his yellow flash jutsu leaving Hiashi at Tsunade's mercy.

.

* * *

.

Rock Lee was finally coming to the conclusion maybe Naruto wasn't trying to hurt that cute girl and was just about to leave when he had a total dejavoo.

Naruto was again standing in the exact same place with the exact same cute girl wearing the exact same horrified expression.

Rock Lee's mind started racing.

.

_"I must fight my urge to engage him in combat for this...its..it's probably a misunderstanding...Naruto would never hurt a leaf Shinobi...Ok, OK calm down. _

_Think of something total random." _He drew up a picture of a bass drum lying on the ground_._

_"Hmmm ok." _He thought_. _

On the bass drum written in green paint was the words 'I HATE PICKLES'_. _

_"Ok that's definitely weird this should really help me take my mind off Naruto and that girl." _

The image grew. Then Kakashi was setting on the drum holding a pickle.

He then flipped the pickle over in his hand like it was a kunai and stabbed it into the side of the drum with a low_ *Squish* sound. _

_._

_"Ummm is it just me or is it getting a little too weird in my head." _Kakashi then pulled out another much larger pickle almost a foot long and looked over at Lee.

_"Leeeee!" _He said in a ghostly voice.

_"Yup it's getting too weird when your own images are trying to talk to you." _Rock Lee thought_. _

_"LEEEEEEE I've devi_s_ed a new version of the 10,000 years of pain jutsu and I'm going to test it out on you! LEEEEEE!"_

The ghostly Kakashi said has he pointed the pickle at Rock Lee.

Rock Lee mentally froze...He had nearly shocked himself to death.

Back in the real world Rock Lee suddenly fainted, collapsing into a heap. Not long after that Gai sensei charged up with his normal huge dust trail.

.

"Lee, we have got to go. The Hokage is pissed at us and put us on shit detail." He said it so fast he sounding like a squeaking rat on an adrenalin rush.

He grabbed the unconscious Lee and charge off into the distance.

.

* * *

.

When the young man finally came to he screamed at the top of his lungs, "KAMI NOOOOO! PLEASE NO PICKLES!"

Gai started and looked over at Lee who was propped up in a corner of a filthy public bathroom.

"Pickles?" Gai sensei asked questionably.

"The only pickles you'll find here is the one we are in my boy."

.

He gave Lee the two thumbs up and his normally bright smile, but it looked like he had a brown clump of something stuck to his teeth.

Lee looked around at his surroundings. This had to be the dirtiest bathroom he'd ever seen.

Gai Sensei was on the other side of the room with a tooth brush in hand covered in filth while looking at Lee.

Behind him was a small three foot section of the floor that was sparkling clean.

Gai sensei tossed him a tooth brush. "It seems the Hokage has giving us a new training regimen.

We are going to clean all forty-two public bathrooms with tooth brushes."

He thought._ "Ummm, what could the Hokage be training us in...ninjutsu? _

_No that couldn't be it...stamina...maybe, but I don't think so at our level...chakra control... definitely not...you know this seems a_ _lot like..."_

"We are on shit detail aren't we Sensei...?" He finally asked.

.

Gai suddenly faltered with slumped shoulders. "Yes, Lee it seems our sense of justice got the better of us again.

It turns out that that girl Naruto was with is actually his new team mate for the Chunin exam's and that not the worst of it...She actually Hanabi Hyuuga." He said.

Lee looked at him questioningly before asking. "Hinata's younger sister? I've only seen her a few times a big social events, but I've never spoke to her." He said curiously.

Gai sensei spoke. "This floor isn't going clean itself Lee, get to scrubbing." He eyed him sternly.

Lee quickly got on his knees and started scrubbing.

Gai began again. "No you wouldn't have. She is the Hyuuga clan Heir."

Lee looked puzzled for a moment, "I thought that always went to the eldest child." He said.

Gai was still scrubbing a particularly stubborn stain between the titles.

"Yes. Normally it does, but the Hyuuga lord decided Hanabi was more fit for it...Hints why we are scrubbing crap stained floors for the next two days for interfering with them." He stated.

Lee grimace._ "Two days?"_

_._

* * *

.

Naruto was standing outside Ichiraku's Ramen with a very beautiful and very shocked Hanabi in his arms.

He thought. _"Wow she smells nice. Why didn't I notice that last time? _

_She smells like honey and cherry blossoms with a hint of grass clippings. _

_Heheh maybe my hunger is getting the better of me...Just the smell of honey is getting me in a longing mood for food."_

.

"Hanabi-Chan." He said as he removed his arms from around her, but held on to her wrist.

He reached over with his left hand to poke her in the ribs a few times. "Hanabi-chan!" He yelled rather loudly.

Hanabi finally snapped out of it.

.

"_Oh Kami what was that...Genjutsu...It was so scary... The way his eyes turned red and that voice with so much killing intent. It was stifling. _

_Wait we are back at the Ramen stand... I hope he doesn't think I'm eating at this dump." _She thought in dismay.

Naruto dragged Hanabi over to a stool at the bar and said. "Come on this is my favorite places in the world to eat...You're going to love it."

Hanabi wasn't happy about this, but put on a smile as she was expected.

.

"Yo Teuchi, two bowls of miso ramen for me. What would you like Hanabi-chan?" He asked with his arm up.

She took a long time to look over the menu.

_"I'm probably going to regret this, but I this Ramen doesn't sound too bad." _She thought.

"I'll have the duck ramen please." She said in a reserved manner.

"Right away." Teuchi replied with a smile.

.

They were both sitting there perfectly quiet for awhile, which was very uncommon for Naruto.

Naruto finally turn toward Hanabi and said "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you back there with that jutsu." He said earnestly and a bit sadly.

_"I probably scared the poor girl half to death. What was I thinking! _

_I'm such an idiot bringing out some of Kyuubi's chakra for that. _

_What if she finds out before I'm ready for her to know...What if she like acts like the way the villagers used to treat me...Like I'm some kind of monster… _

_I'll definitely have to be more careful...She's not Sakura-Chan who knows the full extent of what I am and what I can really do." _He thought sadly.

.

Hanabi blinked a few times, she was caught a bit off guard the way he suddenly broke the long silence before asking.

"Umm, which one would that be?

The one where you invaded my personal space by snuggling up to me like some kind of pervert blinking me across town?..." She eyed him critically.

"The one where you made a fan out of chakra so dense it was visible just to make a breeze...

or the one where your eyes turned red and you made me think you were going to kill me on the spot."

She finished still eying him.

.

Naruto was wearing a look that could only say 'oops'."

He thought for a moment before saying. "I guess for the two Yellow Flash's...the pervert snuggle as you called it and the Red eyes one."

He said with his usual smile while rubbing the back of his head innocently.

"Oh." She said with a slight lift and dip of her head.

"Wait, did you say Yellow Flash?...The same Yellow Flash as the Fourth Hokage's?

Isn't that Time Space Ninjutsu that takes an incredible amount of chakra and control to perform?"

.

_"No way will I believe this knucklehead can do jutsu of that caliber." _She thought as her eyes narrowed at him.

Naruto eyed her expression of disbelief for a moment before giving her a small poke in the center of her forehead and said. "Yes".

"Order up Naruto." The ramen master said as he placed two bowls in front of Naruto and another in front of Hanabi.

.

"Great!" Naruto said as he broke his chop sticks apart while shouting. "Itatakimasu!" He started inhaling his food.

Hanabi watched the Sage in horror. _"Good lord, how can anyone stand to be near him with the way he eats?... He's got no manners at all."_

She thought as she watched him pull up another bundle of noodles and blowing on them a few time before cramming them into his mouth.

Naruto gave her a sideways glance noticing her slighted look.

.

He finished his bite of food before leaning over near her ear and said. "You are being rude to the Ramen Master, at least try your food!" He whispered with force.

_"Wait a Minute he's slurping his food and I'M BEING RUDE! The nerve of this guy! ...Sigh I guess I'll try this low brow food...I wouldn't want to be RUDE!"_

She thought dripping with sarcasm as she eyed him.

She picked up her chop sticks and broke them apart before bowing slightly over her bowl and said. "Itatakimasu."

She grabbed up some noodles and blew on them softly a few times before tasting them.

_._

_"Kind of salty but the noodles are..so weird. They are thick, but still soft all the way though and the onions and garlic in the broth really compliment the ducks flavor well. _

_It doesn't taste gamely at all. This is actually pretty good." _She thought as she bit the noodles off in her mouth.

Naruto laughed. "You know that's not how you're supposed to eat ramen.

You're supposed to slurp the noodles up into your mouth. Not bite them off." He stated with a smile that was obviously trying to hold back a chuckle.

.

She sighed. "You know it's not lady like or noble to slurp your food Naruto. Even you should know that." She stated like he was a child.

Naruto smiled. "You're a lot more gutsy then Hinata ... I'll give you that, but your still going to get out ranked just like she did on this matter." He stated in a matter-o-fact attitude.

_._

_"Grrr I'd forgotten that he dated my older sister over a year ago, even still there is no other noble here. _

_How could I get out ranked unless he is going to try to say his Sage title out ranks me when we are both Genin?" _She thought as she smirked at him confidently.

"Let me ask you something Hanabi, when you spar with your father...Who is the master, you or your father?" He asked while slurping another mouth full of ramen.

.

She looked at him not really knowing what he was getting at before stating. "My father is the Master of course."

He looked at her carefully before saying his next words. "So when you sit at a ramen stand ... Who is the master you or the chef?" He smiled.

She smiled right back at him and said. "I am because I am the customer and I have the money."

Naruto grinned back playfully before saying. "So you think money can buy PERSONAL skills?"

.

"No, but it can hire that skill and why should I learn a skill when I can hire another that already has such a skill?" She stated.

Naruto was still smiling. "So you by hiring him are admitting that the person you hired is the master and you are not at that skill.

You're sitting at a ramen stand arguing over this manner.

By paying for your ramen you have admitted that he is the master ramen maker and you are not." He stated.

He turned to Teuchi who had heard the whole conversation. "Hey Teuchi, How are you supposed to eat ramen, slurp it or bite it off?" He asked.

.

The ramen master never looked up from his work before stating. "Any five year old knows you slurp hot ramen to cool it off while eating it."

She sighed in defeat. _"It's ok. He has a point and I knew he was baiting me the whole time, but I wasn't expecting him to have such a meaningful ramen speech set up...Kami he is weird." _

She thought then sighed.

.

"I guess you're right. I don't know the first thing about making ramen" She said as she rolled her eyes. "But it's not like ramen is going to save the town though if we are attacked."

His face suddenly relaxed from its smile and his thoughts seemed far away like remembering a long lost memory.

"What if I told you that a bowl of ramen is the reason that this village was saved more than once." He said looking farther off then the back of the ramen shop.

Hanabi chuckled. "Then I'd say I'm not that gullible, Wart Sage." She said playfully remembering what the Hokage called him when she was in an uproar.

He raised his eye brows while looking down nodding his head solemnly. "I guess your right... It was a silly story anyway..."

.

There was an awkward silence that hung between them for a long moment before Naruto spoke.

"Well I think I need to get back to training." He said replacing his look with his normal cheery smile.

"It has been awhile, but I think I should go see the king first." He said as he stretched as he got up from his bar stool.

_._

_"Wait hold it...What king?...We aren't a monarchy. We don't have a king... What the heck is he talking about?"_ She thought in confusion.

Naruto left some money on the counter and started to walk away before turning back around saying.

"I'll be at the training grounds in an hour and I hope you're not going to be hiding this time because I've got something to give you." He said and then leaped away.

.

* * *

.

Thank you all for reading.


	3. Chapter 3:Training With the Sage

Reader questions/ Reviews

* * *

Rawrmander wrote

_**Some spelling to point out:  
1. Gai-sensei; not Guy.  
2. Hyuuga (two "u"s, not one.)  
3. Itadakimasu, not Itatakimas.**_

_**You've also got a few spelling mistakes; also don't use shorthand; its very unprofessional. (ie. 'bit' instead of 'bite', [you/your/you're], 'tho' instead of 'though', etc)**_

_**And as for writing style in general; my biggest gripe is that you use dialog, external or internal, too much to describe what's a character is feeling. Write about facial expressions, or actions to tell the reader these things; its not very engrossing if you're spoon-feed the characters thoughts in such a direct manner. Let the reader figure out what the character is feeling through you're writing; not inner monologue.**_

_**Practice makes perfect, so get those chapters out there!  
-Rawr**_

_**.**_

#1...oops dam those bad translations and street fighter games! I didn't know it was spelled that way. I'll fix that.

#2 I posted on this before I always thought it should be spelled Hyuuga but the website I use for my research spelled it "Hyuga" which doesn't fit the English language IMO. I'm going to

change this, Now that someone has posted on it.

#3 hell I typed it into Google and it pulled up that... I wasn't even close. It's no wonder it pulled up a misspelling. Guess it's good that it was only one letter off though. I'll make sure to fix it.

Ergh NOOO! don't take the word " Tho" from me. I love that word. It's nice ,short and a easy word to connect thought together! *complains loudly* I'll fix it later.

Sorry for so much internal dialog, but I never claim to be a masterful writer. As of this point in the story I feel it's needed.

Hanabi is at best a generic character as far as the manga is concerned.

I need the internal thought's at this point to fill out her personality, which I feel I'm being way too vague with anyway.

With Naruto the internal thoughts tend to be lot shorter.

It is intended to justify his feeling on a matter.

Most of the time I can't just write off a feeling he has with a facial expression. Sorry but I'm just not that good of a writer.

.

_**La Mort de Glace 2009-04-02 . chapter 2**_

_**About half-way through Ch2 you said "the Hyuuga Genital Fist" was is comic relief or a spelling error. Almost fell onto the floor laughing at the pickle thing. Hope to read more!**_

Eargh this was a typo or rather a spell check error I didn't catch right away. Not 16 hours after I posted the chapter I finally got my wife to proof read it while she was having lunch with

me at work. When she busted up laughing and I thought she had just read my "NO PICKLES! line when she had actually read my typo. I had hoped I caught it before the readers had

seen it ,but alas no. Please take it as a April fool's joke as it happened on that date luckily and let's move on, but I hope you laughed as hard as my wife if you read it.

.

_**qwe123 2009-04-04 . chapter 2**_

_**If only the writing style was more neat and legible...**_

_**But as for the plot, it is indeed worth of reading! :)**_

This is the type of review I was honestly was expecting from the beginning when I started this.

But as for a "review" or critique please tell me what parts you feel aren't Neat and legible the most as I do my best to fix them where I can.

.

Author notes:

* * *

Can you tell this is going to be a long story yet? Its chapter 3 and only about two and a half hours have passed in it.

.

Last chapter

* * *

.

His face suddenly relaxed from its smile and his thought seem farther away like he was remembering a long lost memory.

"What if I told you, that a bowl of ramen is the reason that this village was saved more than once?" He said looking farther off then the back of the ramen shop.

Hanabi chuckled. "Then I'd say I'm not that gullible, Wart Sage." She said playfully remembering what The Hokage called him when she was in an uproar.

He raised his eye brows while looking down nodding his head "I guess your right it was a silly story anyway..."

There was an awkward silence that hung between them for a long moment before Naruto spoke.

"Well, I think I need to get back to training." He said replacing his look with his normal cheery smile.

"It's been awhile, but I think I should go see the king first." He said.

.

_"Wait hold it...what king?...We aren't a monarchy. We don't have a king... What the hell is he talking about?"_ She thought.

Naruto left some money on the counter and started to walk away before turning back around saying.

"I'll be at the training ground in an hour and I hope you're not going to be hiding this time because I've got something to give you." He said with a smile.

He then leaped away.

.

Chapter Three: Training With The Sage.

* * *

.

Hanabi was confused._" Who's the king? What could that crack pot have to give me?... _

_Most importantly… I think he wasn't just messing around about that bowl of ramen saving the village. _

_Ergh what am I saying!...,But he did seem more serious than he had been all day..._

_The way he acted when I called him Wart Sage... He seemed shattered for a moment then he left..._

_Oh Kami, I think I might have messed up. I should follow him. At least I can find out who this so called king is." _She thought.

.

"Here is the money for my meal." She said as she put the money down before leaping off after Naruto.

Hey Wait..." Teuchi said. "This is way too much besides Naruto already paid for both of you...

Oh well it's a girl friend of Naruto's. She'll probably be back tomorrow." He sighed.

"I'll give her the change then I guess. These kids and their disrespect for money these days." He stated as he shook his head back and forth.

.

Hanabi was already leaping from roof top to roof top looking for Naruto.

"Byakugan!" She shouted as the veins in her temples budged.

She searched for a huge a mountain of chakra and she found it heading toward the ninja training school.

"_Why would this king be at a school?" _She thought as she raced after the Sage.

Nearby a Naruto clone smiled as he watched Hanabi chase after the real Naruto.

Then the clone poofed and was gone.

.

Naruto smiled. "_Oh, she's following me. Heheh I guess I shouldn't, but she does need to know we will be spending time part sometimes. _

_I don't need her following me like a lost puppy dog all the time even if she is my teammate." _

He grinned mischievously as he ducked into class room 3A of the ninja academy.

It was near the end of the school day and most of the ninja's in training were doing a writing assignment and didn't notice Naruto coming into the room.

Naruto remember. _"Oh crap! I'd forgotten to come back and check on everyone's progress for two weeks ...I hope they aren't mad." _

Naruto sneaked up to Iruka sensei's desk and quietly said. "Hey, Iruka Sensei. How have they been doing with the clone jutsu?"

Iruka jumped and let out a small sound.

.

All the students looked up and the chaos in sued.

In a flash Naruto was surrounded by most of the students in a giant hug and they were all talking at the same time excitedly,

but Naruto couldn't understand anyone because they were all too loud.

He knew what most of them wanted was either, "look what I can do now" or "teach me another jutsu".

Iruka got the look Naruto was giving him. He sighed. "Ok Naruto you can have the last thirty-five minutes of class." He said defeated manner.

The class cheered.

.

"QUITE!" Naruto said in a commanding voice.

Then he grinned as they all went silent immediately.

"Ok, it's time for an ambush lesson. All the guys get over by the far wall out of sight of the door.

Now all the girls stand right by door frame and I want you to tackle the next person through the door while yelling 'I've got you Sage stalker'!''

.

All the students did as they were told, the boys hid as best they could and the girls were along the wall waiting for the next person to come through the door.

They didn't wait long tell Hanabi tried to sneak though the door.

"We've got you Sage Stalker!" Twelve girls yelled as the tackled the would-be stalker Hanabi as she came in.

They all fell into a pile with the young Hyuuga Heiress on the bottom.

There was a few seconds of muffled yells from Hanabi before Naruto said. "Ok good job girls. You caught my stalker! Now let her up." The Sage was smiling ear to ear.

.

Gradually, all the girls un-piled themselves off a rather put out Hanabi.

"Wows Sage Naruto that's one pretty stalker, I hope I get stalkers like that when I become a Sage!" A boy said.

"Yeah me too" Said another boy.

"She looks a lot like that one girl you used to date...You know, the one with the REALLY big..."

He had his hands open palmed and fingers out in front of his chest about seven inches away with his fingers making a grouping motion toward his chest.

"Rukien you PERVERT!" One of the girls shouted before hammer fisting him to the floor.

.

Naruto was trying to hold in his laughter. _"I know most girls think that was perverted, but I have to admit it's hard not to notice that about her." _He thought.

"Ok ok no fighting, everyone head for the training field.

I'll be there in a few minutes to train you all, but first I have to deal with my stalker." He said trying unsuccessfully to suppress a giggle.

The students filed out very happily.

That's when Naruto got a good look at Hanabi.

.

Her perfect dark brown hair was a total mess, she had a lip stick smear across her left cheek from one of the other girls and she was fuming.

"Naruto...!" She said through clinched teeth. "I'm GOING to get you for this! Here I came to make sure I didn't upset you and you do this indignity to me!"

She picked herself off the floor.

.

"OHHHH I see..." He grinned. "You just couldn't get enough of me so you decided to stalk me and you got caught... and now you're mad at me?" He teased.

Hanabi had had it. She charged him and tried to strike him on the left side of his face with her Gentle Fist.

Naruto crouched slightly and dodged just enough so that her open palm shot over his left shoulder and the rest of her followed as she over shot.

Naruto grabbed Hanabi's curvy hips to stop her from crashing into him.

.

When Hanabi finally stop herself she was right in Naruto's face with her left eye staring right into his left eye.

She realized that she feel Naruto's breath less than an inch away from her lips.

Hanabi panicked. _"Oh god we almost kissed, not good, not good. I don't want him thinking I'm THAT kind of girl!"_ She thought as her heart began to race.

Naruto smiled at the situation and said. "Ohh trying to seduce me now... I see."

.

His right arm at her hip snaked around the small of her back and pushed her right up against his chest.

"Two can play at that game." He said seductively while gazing deep into her eyes.

His other arm started snaking it way up her spine.

Naruto slowly traced the crevices of her spine tell he was almost at her neck.

Naruto thought. "Wow_ she really easily turned on...I've barely touched her and her rock hard nipples are poking me in the chest."_

"_Oh Kami, Oh Kami his touch...Its setting my body on fire. I have to stop trembling. I have to push him away!" _

She thought as her heart turned into a raging monster intent on breaking her rib cage wide open.

.

Naruto trailed his hands across the bare skin of her neck.

The result was immediate, the hair on her neck stood up on end and she suddenly sprang up goose bumps all over her body.

She was nearly panting and trying to hide it.

Naruto was already breaking through her shield of nobility.

The Sage reached the base of her hair and gently wiggled his fingers into her thick locks of hair ever so slightly dragging his nails against her scalp.

Her trembles turned to near spasms.

_._

_"Oh Kami make him stop!, No don't make him stop! Ergh my head says no, but my body keeps saying yes! Ergh this is so frustrating!" _She mentally warred with herself.

Naruto took his painfully slow time wiggling his way through her hair in tell his hand was firmly supporting the back of her head.

"_Oh crap he's caught me...I can't turn my head or anything. Honestly though...I really can't wait for him to kiss me. Please hurry ...Ergh what am I saying I just meet the guy! _

_But I can't help it._ _I hope he kisses me soon… I don't know how much long I can keep from making too much noise!" _She warred on.

.

Naruto knew he was in complete control now.

It was actually obvious as Hanabi had wrapped her trembling thighs around one of Naruto's legs without realizing it and was squeezing his leg rather tightly into her private area.

Naruto leaned her head back and softly dragged his lips from the crook of her neck to her ear lobe.

She didn't shy away she actually leaned toward him while he was doing this.

He then softly dragged his lips across her left cheek down across to the edge of her mouth.

He brushed his lips across hers a few times without kissing her, but he could tell she was moving her lips ever time he did this expecting it.

Naruto slow dragged his lips back to her ear lobe and give her a playful bite. "Tell me what you want." He said in a deep seductive voice.

Her thighs tightened and trembled harder in response as she bit her lip." I ...I..want..."

"ERGHUMMMM!" Iruka sensei cleared his throat loudly.

.

Naruto looked over and saw his former sensei with a scroll in hands covering his face and over a foot above his head even as his head was crouched down on his desk.

The scene had obviously become too much for him to bear any longer and he was using the scroll to block his view of the uncomfortable foreplay happening in front of him.

Hanabi started. She looked at herself and turned beat red at the way she was straddling Naruto's leg.

She quickly released Naruto and promptly fought her wobbly legs to stand before failing on her butt.

.

Naruto laughed at her feeble attempt to stand.

"It's ok the 'jelly legs' go away in about ten minutes... You really are a cherry getting that way from so little." He teased and laughed again.

She blushed even redder. "_Yeah… how long does the feeling of wanting you jump you last, because it's a lot worse than the wiggly legs._.."

She thought in frustration that Iruka was in the room and stopped him, yet happy he did at the same time.

.

"Umm Naruto the class is waiting for you." Iruka hinted loudly while still covering his face with a scroll.

"Right Iruka sensei... Hanabi remember you're to be at the training ground in Forty-five minutes... Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

He yelled as thirty shadow clones appeared and they all filed out like a troop of soldiers to a cheering class of students.

Iruka finally put down his scroll to see Hanabi barely keeping herself up right plopped on her knees lazily.

"Oh Kami aren't you Hyuuga Heiress?" He said worriedly.

Her head was hanging limply on her shoulders and she gave him a half turn of the head and said.

"Yeah, that's me...I'm going to take a nap." As she collapsed in a heap on the floor, out like light.

_"Kami I almost think I should have watched so I knew what I am getting myself into... I've got to take her home. _

_I just hope Hiashi isn't there to see her like this."_ He thought as he cringed.

.

* * *

.

The thirty Naruto's we all teaching the students.

Most of them were learning the clone jutsu, a few were starting to walk up trees, but two were way ahead of the class.

A fiery red haired, emerald eyed boy that wore his hair in thick spikes like Naruto's hair named Rukien.

The other was Haruki, a pretty blue eyed blond that wore her hair in a long braided pony tail that was just starting to get here womanly curves.

Both of them on the outside were bitter rivals. Rukien didn't want to be beaten by a girl and Haruki thought Rukien was a screw up and didn't want to be considered at his level.

"Ok I'm going to teach you Ninjutsu today." He said before being cut off by their cheers.

"YES! Finally!" Rukien said as he threw his fist in the air.

.

"SILENCE!" Naruto shouted as the both became dead still and absolutely quite.

Naruto said. "I had to get the Hokage's permission to teach you two this Ninjutsu.

She agreed to let me teach one of you, but I had to persuade her to let me teach the other."

"AWW man! I don't want to be in her shadow!" Rukien stated loudly while pointing at Haruki.

"AHH HA so you admit it!" She yelled while pointing at him.

"I admit nothing!" He said as he crossed his arms and stuck his tongue out at her.

.

Naruto thought. _"Hmm kinda funny, but Rukien was the one I got approval from first and I had to fight to get Haruki's. Hehe oh well no sense letting them know that."_

Naruto pulled out three blue water balloons and dropped them on the ground.

He reached down and picked one up.

He held it out in front of him, the surface of the water balloon got very bumpy then exploded.

He reached down and picked up the other two balloons and tossed them to his students.

"Now it's your turn."

He smiled. _"Ha this ought to keep them off my butt for awhile." _He thought.

.

* * *

.

Iruka sensei managed to drop Hanabi off at the Hyuuga house without a problem by telling them she sparred with Naruto and he used Genjutsu to put her to sleep.

"_Kami what a lame excuse...Naruto and Genjutsu shouldn't even be in the same sentence." _He thought while hiding his face with his hand in shame.

.

Hanabi was lying on her bed some time later and she could hear the water in the bath room running.

She knew the servant was running the bath for her, but she didn't want to get up. She was too relaxed and just wanted to sleep in her soft bed.

The bathroom door open and stream followed out into her bed room.

"The bath is ready for you Hanabi and I've set out a fresh change of clothes for you.

Don't take long, Sage Naruto expects you at the training grounds in twenty minutes." The servant said as she left the room.

.

She groaned pulling a pillow over her face. _"How can I face him...I practically humped his leg_... _Wait I think I DID hump his leg." _She blushed.

She threw the pillow off her face and then headed to the bathroom to clean herself up.

She touched her cheek in front of the mirror where the tree branch had struck her leaving a mark. It was gone, like someone had healed it.

She discounted it._ "Maybe it didn't hit me as hard as I thought." _

She showered quickly and put on the fresh cloths the servant had set out for her and headed off to the training ground with dread in her thoughts.

.

* * *

.

When she arrived she stood on her normal tree. She saw the normal scene. Hundreds on Naruto's doing everything from walking on water to practicing the 'pervert snuggle'.

"So are you going come down and train or are you going to stick to the peeping tom routine?" Naruto stated from right next to her.

Hanabi jumped so badly she started to fall from the tree she was in.

Naruto grabbed her wrapping both arms around her and gently leaned into her fall. They both flipped over slowly in the air landing perfectly upright on the ground.

_"Errrr...damn that show off! I don't care what he does I'm still telling him off for pulling that stunt at the academy."_

Naruto let her go and headed back to the center of the training ground with a smile.

.

"Now WAIT a minute!" The young Hyuuga yelled. "What the hell was that at the academy you pulled?

Maybe I should let my father or the Hokage know how you assaulted me!"

Naruto turned back around and almost instantly closed the gap of twenty-five feet between them.

Hanabi wasn't expecting Naruto to move that fast and it took her a second to refocus her eyes on him.

Naruto's brilliant sapphire eyes were now cold orbs of steel and his look was so stern that she could have sworn it was her father using a henge jutsu to look like Naruto.

.

"Go ahead and tell them...Tell them...of your failure." His voice was sharp and accusing.

" Fail...Failure!" She stammered, outraged at his words.

"That's right Hanabi. You tried to strike me, so you started our duel. You lost...not to Ninjutsu or Genjutsu or even Taijutsu... You lost to simple seduction.

How many times do you think I could have killed you during our duel...?

Even a clumsy civilian with a kunai could have killed you a dozen times without a problem at the way you reacted to my movements!" He spat drenched in venom.

.

Hanabi's face went blank. She was going to tell him off and she was the one getting told off. _"Oh Kami! I think that was a test and I failed horribly."_

Naruto continued. "It took all of what? Eight seconds before you were willing me to continue?

Before Iruka sensei interrupted I was about two seconds from drop you on your butt anyway."

Hanabi didn't move her blank look, but she blushed a shade of bright red.

.

Naruto said. "One of the most basic tactics is to henge yourself to look like a teammate

and infiltrate their three man squad while one of their members are away to catch the other two members with their guard down.

How easy would it be to slip some poison into their food when they aren't looking, when you think they're a friend and you're not watching them like a foe."

His steeled expression still locked on to her eyes.

"Think Hanabi, how it would look on this village if the Hyuuga heiress was killed by a cute guy with a dazzling smile and a poison needle." He stated.

.

Hanabi hung her head in shame. _"He's right, he beat me with one of the first things any ninja is taught. Know your enemy and know your allies."_

Naruto thought_. "I think I was a bit too hard on her, but it's for her own good and the good of the team. _

_Kami knows I get enough attention from horny young girls already._

_I don't need one in this team making things worse."_

.

Naruto knew this all too well.

Once the village realized Naruto was one of the most powerful ninja's in history and that he saved the village a number of times,

the girls just started coming out of the wood work trying to date him.

Naruto even had his own female fan club. At first he thought it was so cool.

He soon realized that having fifty horny young women chasing after you got old really fast.

He started dating Ion just to get them to leave him alone back then.

He asked her to pretend to be his girlfriend because she was one of the few girls in town that seem to hold no romantic interest for him just to get so peace and quiet.

The only reprieve he'd gotten from this attention over the last two years though was when he dated Sakura.

The rest of the girls in the village were far too scared of the Hokage's apprentice to make a move on the Sage when they were dating.

.

Hanabi lost in her thoughts. _"I'm such a fool for even thinking he liked me that way._

_How is it so many guys tried to court me from other noble houses lately and I turned them all down with barely a thought, but a few hours with Naruto and I'm humping his leg?..._

_A fine Heiress I'm going to be."_ She thought sarcastically.

She sighed. _"I already know the answer though...All my courters wanted to date the "Hyuuga Heir" not me...Hanabi Hyuuga. _

_Naruto never looked at me that way...He just sees me as Hanabi... I guess that's why I just can't seem to get my guard up around him."_

_._

_"The courters were so stupid sometimes... _

_Some forty year old lord from lesser clan actually tried to get father to set up a arranged marriage with me when I was twelve years old for the 'Good of the village'. _

_"Pshh yeah right...More like the good of 'THEIR' clan. The Hyuuga clan is already the most powerful in the village._

_Who would we arrange a marriage with that would benefit us? The Hokage herself?_

_Thankfully the Hyuuga clan doesn't set up arranged marriages with lesser clans. _

_Father wants to preserve our Byakugan...He already told me I could pick my suitor, but father wouldn't approve of anyone but the strongest of ninja for the Heir of the clan."_

.

Hanabi felt two strong hands grip her shoulders. She looked up at Naruto. His steel eyes had changed back to their normal blue and he looked at her in concern.

"I'm Sorry." He said earnestly. "I'm being too hard on you. After all we did just get put on the same team. What did I expect?"

"No no...You're right." She admitted while shaking her head back and forth. "I'm sorry I lost control like that. I just wasn't expecting you to be testing me like that Sage Naruto."

She said with a bow of her head respectfully.

Naruto's eyes widened slightly.

_"Maybe she is a noble after all. She just called me by my title...Admittedly I normally don't like it when other girls referrer to me like that, but this time it was appropriate." _He thought_._

.

"Well... I didn't set out to test you like that... I expected you to push me away and get embarrassed so you wouldn't want to fight anymore...I wasn't expecting your ...reaction.

When I realized how into it you were I was going to drop you, but Iruka sensei broke the moment first." He confessed.

"Again I'm sorry." She said still blushing and looking away from him.

Naruto smiled. "It's ok...It's forgotten, but now we need to get started training. I don't suppose you're really gifted with making clones?" He asked curiously.

.

"Well not really, we only use then for distractions some times and we never hold them long.

We don't really focus on building the chakra for using jutsu like other ninja's.

We focus more on pin point control so that we can do great amounts of damage with very little chakra." She said.

"Hmm." He said in thought, finally taking his hands off her shoulders.

"I guess I should teach you the Shadow Clone Jutsu first.

That way you can train like me and Konohamaru and get stronger much faster." He said thinking out loud.

"Sage Naruto I don't think that jutsu is going to help me when my chakra reserves are so low.

It would probably burn up a fifth of my chakra to make one clone. Isn't it also a forbidden jutsu?

I think you need to get permission to teach it." She said shyly.

.

"Well, it is forbidden, but not for the reasons you might think and no I don't need to get permission teach it.

There isn't anyone in the world that knows more about that jutsu then me, but you have to promise me something before I teach it to you." He stated seriously while looking at her.

"Isn't it just a jutsu to make a clone that has physical form? I see the advantages, but why would I need to promise you something before you teach me it?

And what do I need to promise?" She asked eying him curiously.

.

He smiled at her. "The Shadow Clone jutsu is forbidden because of its secret. If you learn to use it the way I have and the way a few others have...

You can become a lot more powerful in a short period of time, but there is a huge risk.

Before I tell you anymore you have to promise me, in a contract, that you will not tell anyone its secret as long as either me or Konohamaru is alive." He said sternly.

.

Hanabi took some time to think. _"It sure sounds like he's pulling my leg about it being such a powerful jutsu. I'm mean, what's the big deal. _

_It's just a clone with physical form. _

_Sure you can make it two on one in a fight but it cuts your chakra in half... I know it's a forbidden jutsu so there has to be a reason for it. _

_If it was just a physical clone then it wouldn't be forbidden"._

.

"I think I should speak with my father before signing any contracts Sage Naruto. I've got my clan to think about too.

I can't just go signing any ninja contract that binds me.

If I did that too much then it would be harder to rule the clan when my time comes." She said slightly disappointed at her predicament.

Naruto looked at her for a moment before scratching the back of his head unknowingly.

"Yeah, guess I didn't think of that." He admitted.  
.

He thought for a few moments. "Well, how about for now I teach you the Shadow Clone Jutsu on your word alone that you will not tell anyone else how it's done,

but I will not teach you the secret of what makes it forbidden until you have your father permission?" He said as he hammered his fist into his open hand at his idea.

.

"Umm.,.." She thought blankly and then sighed in defeat. "I guess, I promise not to tell anyone how to do the Shadow Clone Jutsu or reveal anything I learn about it." She promised.

Naruto smiled at her happily. "Good. You already know how to make a clone using just chakra right?" He asked Hanabi.

She was starting to grin. "Yes Sage Naruto." She stated.

Naruto moved behind her and move her into the correct position to perform the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

.

"Now I want you to only focus on your shadow. For a normal clone you just make an illusion with your chakra.

For this one you're going to use your shadow to make a physical clone that will have half your chakra." He said.

Naruto moved back in front of her and got into the same position.

"Now you're literately going to make another copy of you, but you can't split your own body. That would of course kill you.

So what would you use as a template to make a clone?" He asked her.

_._

_"OHHH, that's why it's called the Shadow Clone Jutsu! That is so simple! I wonder why no one else seemed to figure it out before!" _She thought as her eyes light up.

She smiled. "My shadow...Of course it makes so much sense to me now. I always thought you used shadow chakra to make them."

Naruto laughed. "Yeah that's what everyone thinks, but nope it's just plain old chakra.

Now remember while you're making your clone you have to give it half your chakra." He said sternly while waving his finger at her.

"First though I want you to watch me do the jutsu with your Byakugan and pay close attention to how the clone is formed." He said.

Hanabi still in the jutsu form activated her Byakugan and watched Naruto then looked away.

"Naruto there is something you should know before doing that." She said.

.

Naruto looked at her puzzled with his hands in the crossed fingered pose." What's that Hanabi-Chan?" He said curiously.

"Well, you know you have a LOT of chakra right...to the Byakugan your actually like a near blinding light of chakra.

Do you think you could make a Shadow Clone with a chakra level closer to mine and do the jutsu?" She asked awkwardly.

"Ohh I didn't realize that. Yes, I can do that. Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He said with an innocent look.

A Naruto clone appeared and the real Naruto ran about two hundred feet away.

"Ok watch closely I'm going to try forming it as slowly as possible without it failing, but that still going to be half a second at most. Ready?" The clone asked.

"Yes." She said respectfully.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" The clone said.

.

The clone did the jutsu a few more times before Hanabi spoke.

"I think I see, but I'm not sure.

It looked like you created the chakra network then pumped it full of chakra and the clone appeared.

It didn't seem to use the shadow as a template per say... It looked more like you used it as a rough outline."

The clone Naruto eyes widened in shock. "You saw all that by seeing it just three times?" Then the clone smiled ear to ear.

"You're going to get this a lot faster than Konohamaru did." The clone cheered then dispersed.

.

The real Naruto came back with the same smile as she deactivated her Byakugan.

"Ok give it a try Hanabi-Chan." He said.

She stood still concentrating her chakra into her shadow with her hands in the tiger seal before shouting.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" There was a puff of smoke then nothing.

She got flustered. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" There was another puff of smoke and there was a clone there, but it looked nothing like Hanabi.

The clones head was way to narrow its shoulders were four feet wide and its waist five inches wide, its hips were about right and its feet were half the size it should be.

The Result...The clone toppled over backwards and flung its limbs like a turtle on its back.

.

Naruto normally would have been laughing at this point, but Hanabi did something dangerous without knowing.

Hanabi was panting on her knees sweating when Naruto made a single clone and then bolted to her.

"Hanabi-Chan! Don't release the jutsu!" He said as he reached her and grabbed her in a backwards hug.

"Naruto I don't know how much longer I can hold this jutsu it's eating up the remains of my chakra pretty fast." She said panting.

"I know Hanabi-Chan." He said with worry in his voice as he started charging his heart string with chakra and then pushed it out into Hanabi's heart string.

Within seconds she began to breathe normally and held the clone jutsu with no trouble.

.

Hanabi was tingling all over as the chakra Naruto sent into her was filling her up like a white light.

"Naruto...from how your heart is pounding on my back I'm guessing I messed up." She cringed while waiting for Naruto to scold her again.

"You sure my hearts still there... I could have sworn it leaped out of my chest when you tried to do the Shadow Clone Jutsu with one half the chakra you started with."

He said very worried.

"No." He began again once he caught his breath. "I messed up." He sighed.

"I should have explained the risk of the jutsu better to you before having you try it.

I think Konohamaru has spoiled me as a teacher."

He stated as he dragged Hanabi over to a nearby tree and leaned his back against it with her in his arms and her sitting between his legs.

.

"Naruto? What do you mean about Konohamaru and how did I mess up the jutsu? Why didn't you want me to release it right away?" She asked.

Naruto said. "Well first about what you did wrong it should be obvious...

If you transfer half your chakra into a clone that fails you lose half your chakra then you did it again cutting your chakra into one forth...

What I failed to tell you is that until you've master the jutsu you will lose a substantial amount of chakra dispelling it.

I can't tell you why until you sign the contract though."

He stated as he tightened his hold on to her into a brief hug of relief.

_"I think I really worried him, that hug was too honest and caring to just be a casual hug... _

_I think I almost put myself into chakra exhaustion trying that jutsu two times in a row." _She thought.

.

"As for Konohamaru... You know he's the grandson of the Third Hokage right. Well he actually started with three times more chakra then anyone his age.

He was poor at learning to use it, mainly because he kept skipping class." Naruto smiled before continuing.

"He used to attack his grandfather all the time intending to off him, not seriously mind you, and become Hokage himself.

Everyone used to call him Honorable grandson this and Honorable grandson that.

What he actually was… was a spoiled brat that no one would discipline, until he smarted off to me and I clocked him over the head.

.

He started stalking me for awhile and telling me that 'I'd better respect him that he's going to be Hokage someday'.

I told him something that his sensei Ebisu had been lying to him about." He said.

Hanabi curiously asked. "And what would that be?"

He stated. "There are no short cuts to becoming Hokage.

He stopped cutting class after I told him that and the next time Ebisu told him that his training was the only short cut he had to becoming Hokage.

He told him that there were no short cuts to becoming Hokage and that I had taught him that. Ever senses then I've been teaching him.

He was the first person that liked me for who I was...Naruto... and not ..." He stopped before saying anything about Kyuubi.

"What everyone thought I was." He said a bit sadly.

Hanabi was very curious. "What did they THINK you were?" She questioned.

Naruto gazed at the back of her honey and cherry blossom smelling hair before answering. "I'm sorry Hanabi-Chan you just aren't ready for that answer yet."

He stated with sadness in his voice.

.

He started speaking again. "I think it's time you released you shadow clone." He said.

She released the jutsu with a puff of smoke and suddenly felt a bit more tired than she was before.

She then asked. "What was that tingly jutsu you used on me anyway?"

Naruto looked at her for a minute. "Oh that wasn't a jutsu per say... I guess if I'd call it anything it's a medical jutsu gone wrong." He said with a reserved smile.

"Would you care to explain that, I don't exactly get what you're saying." She stated as she leaned back on him.

.

He sighed. "Another secret from my past. Ok, but this is the last one...Only Sakura-Chan and the Hokage know about this one mind you..."

He took a few deep breaths like he was remembering something painful he hadn't got over yet.

"We were fighting two very strong ninja's. While I defeated one of them... The other managed to deal Sakura a mortal wound... I lost control...for the second time in my life, unwillingly.

I obliterated him and half the county side before regaining my senses.

When...when I finally did... I saw Sakura-Chan...She was cover in blood from a chest wound no one could hope to survive." He said very sadly.

.

"It was then that I realized...All my jutsu's were for killing. I didn't have a single one for saving a life.

I only had the power to destroy life. Not save it... I begged my...my...Inner self that had incredible healing power to save her.

It told me that I was the only one that could bear its terrible force and actually be healed from it.

I didn't care... it seemed hopeless anyway at the time and begged it to at least try...

Its power surged from me healing her insides and burning off the skin on her torso.

It sent her into a state of shock... My inner self was right. Even if it healed her insides the damage would be too great for her to bare.

.

She convulsed violently as her body was dying. I did the only thing I could think of. I tried to mimic her healing technique.

I stood over her with my hands on her charred chest willing her to heal while pour my chakra into her, but it seemed to do no good.

The more chakra I poured into her the less she convulsed...

It didn't seem like she was getting better... She seemed to be getting farther into the beyond...

I honestly was planning to follow her into to death ...That's when she lifted her hand lifted and started healing herself.

She was in unimaginable pain, but she was healing herself...

My hands were shaking as she was pouring healing chakra into her wound to save her life and I was pouring my chakra into her.

She had closed the wound just before I blacked out.

.

I ended up in a coma for six days and when I woke up Tsunade was furious with me.

She demanded to know who had taught me that forbidden jutsu.

I explained that I was only trying to mimic Sakura-Chan's healing jutsu.

.

She scolded me telling me that what I did wasn't a healing jutsu. It was a Raw Chakra Transfer and it was very dangerous.

She told me that I connected myself to Sakura-Chan's heart string chakra line essentially linking our chakra networks.

If she would have died I would have felt it like I had died and lost my life due to the shock.

She told me that even in the hands of a master of medical jutsu it was dangerous because the patient would suck the medic dry of chakra trying to stay alive even if they were out cold,

killing both the medic and the wounded ninja.

She also told me that doing a Raw Chakra Transfer was a huge drain on a person's chakra as most of the chakra in the transfer is lost.

She told me that it would take about four times the chakra that would normal be in someone's body to bring them back to full chakra levels.

After that I begged her to teach me medical Ninjutsu. She laughed at me until she figured out I was serious.

.

She taught me healing Ninjutsu, but told me I'd never be anywhere near her or Sakura-Chan's level.

I can close most life threatening wounds enough to save their life until a more qualified medic can look them over.

I asked her to teach me more, but she refused telling me I had too much chakra to control to learn anything else. I found a way around that though.

I made a clone with one one-hundredth of my chakra.

She still refused to teach me and told me I was to careless and reckless to learn surgical Ninjutsu or anti poison Ninjutsu.

She also made the whole hospital staff promise to never teach me any more medical Ninjutsu, especially Sakura-Chan." He finished.

_._

_"Wow it's like he'll tell me anything about himself...Well anything that doesn't pertain to forbidden jutsu or one of his so called secrets...I almost forgot. _

_I was so wrapped up in his story. That jutsu he used on me that might have killed him if I followed his story right." _She cringed.

"Naruto?" She said awkwardly. "Did you do something really dangerous for me?"

"No Hanabi-Chan. The Raw Chakra Transfer is one of the few medical jutsus were having a massive amount of chakra isn't a hindrance, it actually helps." He stated.

She let out the breath she had been holding in relive. "Good, I'd hate to think what the Hokage would do to me if you got hurt because of me.

Hyuuga Heir or not, I don't think she'd care from what I saw at the restaurant today. I think she'd kill me." She said a bit worried.

.

"I don't think so. She probably would have just punched you a few times...Wait that might kill you." He teased.

She gave a worried look over her shoulder at the Sage and said. "Hey come on. Don't even joke about that!" Naruto laughed.

Hanabi suddenly because self conscious about being in the arms of a man she hardly had known for three hours.

Hanabi moved off his chest and sat down right in front eying him carefully.

She narrowed her eyes at him and asked. "Why is it when it comes to me all your jutsus seem to involve snuggling?" She continued to eye him.

Naruto tilted his head and gave her a thoughtful look. "I told you the jutsu question was the last question I was going to answer..." He said.

She retorted with a grin. "But you answered the 'did you do anything dangerous?' question.

He smiled right back at her. "That was just clarification on the first question I was already answering, besides don't you know my Nindo?"

.

She rolled her eyes and signed. "I don't back down and I never go back on my word." She stated a bit frustrated.

His smile returned. "Good then you know we have to get back to training too. First we need to talk about yourself image though." He said.

She gave him a questioning look. "My self-image? What about it?" She asked a bit puzzled.

.

"Well..." He started. "Your clones when you first try this jutsu or any other clone jutsu were you make a physical clone, reveals a lot about the users self image.

With yours the head was to narrow... meaning you want your face to be narrower.

The shoulders were way too big, this is a common mistake for a girl who thinks her breasts are too small...They tend to make the whole shoulder to stomach area bigger.

Need I go on with your waist and feet? I think they are self explanatory at this point.

The only part of you that looked remotely right was your hips.

Tell me Hanabi-Chan who is it that you feel is prettier then you and that you want to look like." He said thoughtfully.

.

Hanabi got visibly nervous at this question. She wrung her hands and her eyes darted from side to side.

This was obviously a touchy subject for her. "Well umm." She stammered.

_"It's not so much the question...It wouldn't be a problem at all if it was a girl, but telling a guy... A handsome one at that...my insecurities... _

_Ergh it's embarrassing! I'm not that comfortable with him yet!" _She mentally screamed to herself.

"It's Hinata isn't it?" He stated flatly.

She blushed._ "Kami! Is it at obvious to him just from my clone or is this another one of his weird abilities."_

She spoke meekly "Yes..."

.

Naruto sighed. "That's something I'll never understand about girls.

You dress yourselves up to be as physically attractive as possible, wanting huge breast and a toned butt.

Then you chastise the guys for looking when you catch them, but at the same time you seem to like it." He said.

"So tell me, why do you want to look like Hinata? Do you really want a bunch of horny fools drooling at the sight of you?" He stated bluntly.

She spoke shyly. "Well not exactly, but when you're walking next to someone and they all look at her that way you feel...inadequate... so to speak.

Sometimes I want them to look at me that way and hope they want to get to know me..." She said shyly.

.

Naruto rolled his eyes at her. "So let me get this straight, you want to look like a sex goddesses and have a guy love you for your mind?

Do you realize how insane that is?" He said. She glared at him.

"Well its better than having them like you just for you mind and ending up in the "Just Friends Zone" which always happens if the guy doesn't see you as sexually attractive in some way."

She spat.

.

Naruto stared her down for a moment. "There is no way you'd have experience of something like that at your age.

Whose words are you spouting?" He said eying her like he was boring into her soul.

"Umm w...well a long time ago...I talked." She said before he cut her off.

"Ino." He stated flatly

.

She stammered "Umm yes I talked to Ino." She said shyly after being caught.

Naruto signed knowing what he had to explain. "Look I know Ino better then you think...I ought to...She was my first real love.

The whole way she went about getting a guy to like her was total wrong." He sighed again.

"Just like I've told you. Let me explain, men are simple. You show them a sex goddesses, they see a sex goddesses and want her sexually.

.

You show them someone that they have a lot in common with and who's easy to talk to, they will like you and they may end up as just a friend.

Where girls make they're mistake is they get insecure about a relationship and try to use the one thing that they know will get the guy to think of them...sex appeal.

Which end up leading to sex or the guy not liking you at all because you're a 'tease'."

What if three years down the road when you already have a child together you realize that you both make each other miserable?

You honestly think he's going to leave you?

Of course not, he's not going to abandon his child.

Then you have trapped him and you'll realize one day that maybe someone else was perfect for you,

but you went and dragged sex into a relationship before you knew if you wanted to spend the rest of your life with that person all because you got insecure. "He said knowingly.

_._

_"Kami he rambles on like he's my father telling me why not to have sex before I'm ready...Who knew the village 'Playboy' had such a tight moral views on the matter." _Hanabi thought.

She spoke. "I understand your view, but I still don't completely agree with you." She squinted at him.

He laughed. "Fine ask Hinata about how she feels about all those guy's staring at her.

Then I want you to go eat breakfast over at Nara's house and tell me if you want to look sexier." He stated.

She blinked a few times in confusion. "The Nara's? Isn't that Shikamaru's parent's house?" She asked.

.

He grinned. "Yes that's the one." He said. "I think it would be good for you to see two people much later in life that had sex too quickly."

Naruto got up off the ground and said. "Enough relationship talk..." He waited for Hanabi to get up.

She pushed herself up off the ground knowing he was about to make her try that jutsu again.

"It's time to get back to training, but before you try again."

Naruto walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes.

"Remember you beautiful just the way you are." He said slowly.

Hanabi blushed dark red at him saying it like that.

.

She got back into the crossed tiger seal and tried again.

They spent the next three hours with her trying the Shadow Clone jutsu and Naruto recharging her with chakra.

She was making good progress, but her clones still weren't perfect.

The face was still a bit to narrow and breasts were slightly larger than they should be, but the rest of the clone looked good.

.

Naruto yawned. "Ok that's enough for today Hanabi-Chan" He said sleepy.

Hanabi frowned. "I can still keep going." She eyed him

Naruto yawned again. "Maybe you can, but I can't. I've refilled your chakra network over thirty times now. I'm running out of chakra." He said sleepily.

Hanabi yawned. "Darn you! Your yawn is infecting me...Now I feel all sleepy too." She said feeling her body slowly throb as she had stopped for a moment.

_"I'm going to be sore tomorrow that's for sure."_ She thought.

"Oh you said you had something you wanted to give me. What was it you wanted to give me?" She asked.

.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to get it from my house because SOMEONE decided to stalk me." He teased.

Her eyes shot open and her face got flushed. "I was not stalking. I was just following you..." She said awkwardly.

"You were following with the intent of not being seen...that's stalking." He said flatly.

Hanabi wanted to argue but was too tired.

.

"Naruto I'm going to go home now to get cleaned up." She said.

Naruto stood up and finally released the clone he made before dashing off to charge Hanabi with chakra the first time.

The Sage became noticeably less fatigued after that.

"Hanabi before you go. Would you like to have dinner at my place tonight?" He asked.

Her eyes went wide from shock._ "Ok I can write off most of the other things I've misunderstood, but that defiantly sounded like a date request...maybe more than a date."_

She thought with both a bit of excitement and a lot of dread.

.

"Mmm are you asking me out on a date?" She asked stunned.

Naruto was shocked for a second then laughed. "Sorry I didn't mean for it to sound that way." He admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck in slight embarrassment.

"It's just that I've gotten used to cooking for two because Konohamaru normally comes over for dinner, that and I forgot to get that item I wanted to give you.

I guess that did sound bad, asking you over for dinner when we hardly know each other.

I'm sorry I brought it up." He said innocently with a short laugh.

"I'll just give it to you tomorrow whenever you show up to train." The Sage said and turned to leave.

_._

_"Crap, don't just stand there. The guy has been feeding you his chakra all day and teaching you. He used a forbidden jutsu just because he was worry about me. _

_Think fast! Ask him something...anything!" _Her thoughts raced.

"Umm what are you making for dinner?" She asked slightly coyly.

Naruto turned around to see her acting shyly, he eyed her carefully.

"Nothing to fancy, I'm not that great of a cook. Probably some sushi rolls and miso soup.

It all depends on what one of my clones brings back from fishing." He said.

She smiled sweetly. "If it's ok with my father I'll join you. Where is your house at?" She asked.

Naruto laughed. "Did you forget lunch Hanabi-Chan?

Lord Hyuuga isn't going to remember his own name until tomorrow and he probably won't want to be alive tell later that evening." He said.

.

"Oh I forgot about that. I can't come over without his permission." She gave him a sad disappointed look. "I'm sorry Naruto".

"Actually, you can Hanabi-Chan. You just tell your handler servant that you're visiting your new teammate to discuss tactics and have dinner.

Its way better than some of the things Hinata told her handler to come visit me." He said.

She was stunned for a moment. "No way? I can do that? I never knew that!" She stated in disbelief.

Naruto eyed her for a few seconds. "Well Hinata did... You didn't think your father was never going to let her make friends and visit did you?

I'm sure it's the same with you. Just ask your handler, I bet she says it's ok." He said.

.

"I can't promise anything, but I will ask her if it's ok." She said in an unbelieving tone of voice.

"By the way where do you live? You never answered that." She asked questioningly.

"Oh that, you know the old ghost compound?" He asked.

"Yes I know that place, it's supposed to be haunted, but I went inside the grounds there with my father one time and there is a really beautiful mansion in side.

I asked my father when I was five years old. 'When I get married can you buy me that house as a wedding present'?'' She laughed.

"He told me that all the money in the village wouldn't buy that house.

That that house would remain empty tell the Heir of one of the villages greatest hero's came of age to live there.

I'm not sure I believed him, but it is a really nice place. Not what most people seemed to think it was.

So you live near there?" She asked.

.

"Umm actually Hanabi-Chan it doesn't look so Haunted anymore and hasn't for three years. That's actually my home." Naruto said a bit embarrassed that she had already seen his house.

Her face faulted " You... you live there?.. So is the story about it being the home of a hero of the village my father told me true?" She stammered.

Naruto smiled. "Yes that's true. I am the Heir of a great hero of this village and he did leave me the house, but I'm not ready to tell you who he was just yet.

So please don't ask me about it." He said.

Hanabi just smiled at him. "Ok I won't ask you about that, but tell me is it as nice inside as the outside is?" She asked.

"I guess you'll have to get permission to come over for dinner to find out." He teased.

.

She scowled at him playfully. "What time is dinner?" She asked.

Naruto thought she looked like a kid in a candy shop. "Well it's about four pm now so I'd guess shortly after six pm.

Remember to tell your handler first... I don't need half your clan searching the village for you." He eyed her critically.

She smiled a bit over excited. "Ok I'll go talk to Shizan and ask her." She said and headed off for the Hyuuga compound.

"Good bye Sage Naruto I hope to see you later." She said with a wave.

_._

_"Hehehe she's been so reserved, save for when she has been shocked by me, but I tell her where I live and she acts like a five year old after her father told her they were going out for ice cream. _

_She really a lot prettier then she thinks she is, I just hope she doesn't have Hinata's...faults. _

_Well I guess I should visit father's grave and tell him I've got another student." _He thought.

.

* * *

.

After notes

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It might take me a bit longer to bring out chapter 4 as I'm going to go back over chapter 1 and 2 and fixes a few things and add some things I put in

there and then tried to save it and it gave me that " log in before saving" BS. At one point I lost like 2000 words.

Sometimes it's really frustrating to have my Inner anime as the Author and me as the editor as it's not like it will show me something two times.

I get it one time then that's it. When I lose some of my work because of bad programming I have to rewrite it from memory and it's never as good.

.

Don't ask me where that lemon tease came from. I toned that down a bit and almost took it out completely because I don't want a hentai story that revolves around sex.

I argued with my inner anime about that (not that it talks back)that she has that noble/dignity thing going on and her reactions were too strong... then later it shows me it needed to be like

that for another part that was up coming and now I've edited the original losing its flow.

So now I'm not happy with it. Another thing I didn't like and I'll try to change...where was the big joke!...

The other 2 chapters had them and I like the humor part's! That sorry mental illness of an alter ego didn't even leave me with a name for the chapter.

Ergh I hate doing the titles it take me forever to find something I like.

Can you tell I got stuck doing the title for the story? "The Great sage Naruto." That just screams relationships and romance let me tell you…

I was actually almost half way thought the 2nd chapter and hadn't posted the first chapter because I couldn't think of a title for the story.

The Next chapter is called "Heart to Heart" and my inner anime has been planning this chapter for awhile now. So if I can just get it to shut up so I can try to fixes some of the stuff in the

first two chapters. I'll be happy...Likely hood of that happening...next to zero.


	4. Chapter 4: Heart To Heart, Naruto X Ino

**Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Heart To Heart, Naruto X Ino**

.

Author's notes:

* * *

Ergh Sorry for the formatting on chapter 1 and 2. I let my wife reformat it and she total unformatted it making it a nightmare to read.

I wondered why my reviews seem to double in two days tell me my story was hard to read.

Until I went back and found what my wife had done. It took me three days of work to go back and reformat it, but now it should be easier to read then before she unformatted it.

Also sorry if you managed to tried to read chapter 3 and it was a repost of chapter 1.

It was only up for about 12 hours and I don't know how that happened but it's fixed now.

.

Also I finally figured out another reason everyone why everyone keeps telling me the formatting is hard to read. I write with a pretty high screen resolution.

1280 by 1024 if yours is set any lower it cuts the line off and puts what it couldn't fit on the screen on the next line, breaking my double spacing format.

.

* * *

.

WARNING( and a bit of a spoiler in this warning if you haven't read the manga)

Naruto will reveal one of his most painful memories to Hanabi in this chapter. The memory of his first real love.

.

Now before I get a bunch of reviews saying "he's too emo" I'm going to give you a quick over view of Naruto's life(not perfect, because they really haven't laid it out well in the manga)

Naruto spent roughly the first five years of his life at an orphanage with people that didn't like him and probably shunned him/ mistreated him.

He probably spent the ages of five- ten being mistreated/beat up by all the villagers and the only one that treated him anywhere close to human was the 3rd Hokage,

but he was the Hokage and was very busy.

.

I'm guessing something pretty bad happened to him around the age of 9-10( Probably getting beat up so bad that he almost lost his life) and the third Hokage stepped in and more then

likely got furious with the villagers that harmed Naruto( likely the younger ones that didn't know about the Kyuubi and just knew that the older ninjas hated him).

He probably issued a warning of some kind to all the villagers that anyone that physically harm Naruto would be dealt with very harshly( possibly put to death).

This is around the time I suspect everyone just pretended he didn't exist and he became a prankster, just to get attention. It was a very lonely existence for Naruto.

Around the age of ten he entered the ninja academy.

It's likely some of the students stole his books and school supplies because they didn't want him to even be there.

This and the fact no one was there to help him with his studies would explain why he failed the class two times and almost a 3rd.

.

I'm mean come on. He was always getting beaten up, of course he wanted to learn to defend himself and he didn't have friends or anything else to do.

Someone had to have taken his learning supplies, look at how Naruto trains like mad through the manga. He is obviously competent.

He was lost until Iruka sensei finally offered to take him out for ramen after helping him clean up his prank of painting the Hokage monument.

This was likely the first kind thing anyone had done for him in his life and it was a turning point for Naruto.

_**"What if I told you that a bowl of ramen is the reason that this village was saved more than once." He said looking farther off then the back of the ramen shop.**_

And it's where this line out of chapter two comes from.

Through the series Naruto never received any love(in general not just romantically) directly. It's always praise for his jutsu, fighting grit or stamina.

The only thing close to any direct signs of affection he received was when he fought Tsunade for the second time and he thought she was about to send him flying with her finger flick

move. He closed his eyes and she kissed him on the forehead.

.

Naruto is a very emo character weather its _"screaming and charging first"_( as Itachi described him) or crying about something. He cries many times in the manga, with Konohamaru after the

Third's death, after leaving that bridge village on his first mission and reading Jiraiya's book "The great hero Naruto" ( pretty sure that was the name of it) most recently.

Very recently in the manga( this is the spoiler if you haven't read the manga) Hinata finally tells Naruto she in love with him and then Pain nearly kills her. What happens to Naruto?

He instantly goes six tails Jinchūriki and within seconds he brings out eight tails.

It's even hinted at him bringing out all nine( but doesn't show it) and he nearly breaks the seal completely because of this.

Sorry for the long justification.

**Warning**

Very sad/ possibly a tear jerker chapter.

.

Last chapter

* * *

.

Hanabi just smiled at him. "Ok I won't ask you about that, but tell me is it as nice inside as the outside is?" She asked.

"I guess you'll have to get permission to come over for dinner to find out." He teased.

She scowled at him playfully. "What time is dinner?" She asked.

Naruto thought she looked like a kid in a candy shop. "Well it's about four-thirty now so I'd guess shortly after six pm.

Remember to tell your handler first... I don't need half your clan searching the city for you." He eyed her critically.

She smiled a bit over excited. "Ok I'll go talk to Shizan and ask her." She said and headed off for the Hyuuga compound.

"Good bye Sage Naruto I hope to see you later." She said with a wave.

_._

_"Hehehe she's been so reserved, save for when she has been shocked by me, but I tell her where I live and she acts like a five year old after her father told her they were going out for ice cream. _

_She really a lot prettier then she thinks she is, I just hope she doesn't have Hinata's...faults._

_Well I guess I should visit father's grave and tell him I've got another student." _He thought.

.

Chapter 4 Heart to Heart: Naruto X Ino

* * *

.

Hanabi raced home as fast as her sore body would carry her. She reached the main compound and started searching for Shizan.

It took the young Hyuuga a full ten minutes before finally finding her handler in the laundry room.

"Shizan." Hanabi called and finally someone replied.

.

"I'm in here!" The voice of a middle aged woman emanated from the nearby laundry room.

Hanabi walked into the room with a slightly puzzled look of her face.

"What are you doing in here Shizan? It's not your job to do Laundry." She stated in confusion.

Shizan was on her knees in front of huge washing basin scrubbing clothes.

Shizan was in her late thirty's with strait brown hair pulled up in a bun over her head with brown eyes and she looked too thin.

She was wearing an old brown jumpsuit.

Shizan replied. "Oh, Kekai is sick so I'm filling in with some of the maid duties tell she's better. What is it that you need?"

Hanabi was a bit nervous and shyly asked. "You know I just got put on a squad right?

Well Naruto asked if I wanted to have dinner at his house and I was wondering if it would be ok if I go."

.

Shizan eyed her for a long moment that made Hanabi a bit uncomfortable.

"Did he ask you out on a date already?" She stated bluntly which was very unlike her.

Hanabi became slightly nervous.

"No, well I thought that's what he was asking at first, but come to find out he is just used to cooking for two people and it seems Konohamaru isn't coming over tonight."

She said move defensively then she wanted to appear.

.

Shizan continued to eye Hanabi no sure if she should believe her.

She bluntly asked. "Do you like him?"

Hanabi's eyes widened at her question before saying."What?"

She repeated louder and slower, "Do-You-Like-Him?"

Hanabi blushed a light shade of pink. "We only just meet. Well... I did see him a few times when he was dating Hinata, but we never talked much more than a greeting."

She said.

.

Hanabi continued. "He's probably the strangest person I've ever meet to be honest. One minute he's a total goof ball. The next he's a wise teacher,

then he's a concerned over protective fatherly person, then he'll be a easy to talk to friend that I feel like I've known much longer then just today.

His personality seems to change like the wind making him impossible to read.

You should see the way he uses his chakra...At lunch he made a fan out of chakra so dense it was visible all because I said it was a little hot in the restaurant.

It's like he can invent a jutsu for any task, fighting or mundane.

In all honesty I'd just like to spend some time getting ...well, used to him. I keep getting shocked at everything he does.

He is just so weird and interesting." She finished.

Shizan scrutinizing gaze softened. "Well you can go... IF you can explain these." She said holding up the underwear Hanabi was wearing earlier that day.

They had a sizable stain in them from the Sage's seduction.

.

Hanabi blushed such a deep red that her face was almost purple.

She stammered. "That's!...That's not what you think!... Ergh!" She said frustrated.

Shizan gave her a knowing look.

.

"Naruto pulled a prank on me for spying on him!" She confessed.

Shizan eyed her holding the panties up on the end of her pointer finger. "This is a prank?" She said clearly unconvinced.

Hanabi rolled her eyes. "No, that's not it. I...I ended up losing my temper and I tried to hit him because of his prank." She said.

Shizan eyes widen with shock. "You tried to strike a Sage? Do you realize just how powerful he is!

The only one in the village that's even on his level would be the Hokage herself!" She scolded her.

.

Hanabi sighed. "Hokage level or not, his dodging needs some work." She said sarcastically to Shizan.

Shizan cut her off. "You actually managed to hit him?" She asked in a stunned manner.

Hanabi replied. "No, he move just enough to dodge it, but it left me in a compromising position...We...we nearly kissed.

He thought I was trying to seduce him and seduce me back. He didn't touch me anywhere inappropriate." She quickly reassured her handler.

.

"I wanted to let him go and get away, but my body wouldn't obey me. It was so frustrating to lost control like that." She said embarrassedly.

"Later when we had to train together, I went to chew him out for that and he ended up chewing me out instead.

It turns out he was testing me and I flunked pretty badly. He told me any cute guy with a poison needle could kill me without a problem...

He actually chastised me about sex like he was my father telling me to wait until I knew when 'I wanted to spend the rest of my life with a guy' before having sex."

She said as she looked down in shame at herself.

.

Shizan smiled at her. "Well, I don't really like the way he _'TESTED'_ you, but he is right about that whole waiting thing.

I guess you can go, your fathers going to be in the hospital tonight anyway. I'm sure you already know why." She said knowingly.

Hanabi was dumbfoundedly shocked. "No way! I can go?" She stated unbelievingly.

Shizan just smiled and said. "Sure you can. Honestly I feel you're taking you Heiress duties too seriously all the time and you never go out and make friends.

I've been waiting for you to ask me to go out for quite some time." She confessed. Hanabi was ecstatic.

Shizan spoke. "One word of the wise... When talking to Naruto, don't bring up his childhood.

You wouldn't know this, but he had a harder childhood than you can imagine.

It's best not to bring it up until he's ready to talk to you about it." She eyed her with concern.

.

"Thank you Shizan." Hanabi said and turned to leave the laundry room.

"Oh one last thing Hanabi,... No sex below the neck!" She yelled playfully at her.

"SHIZAN!" Hanabi said in offence. She picked up a nearby shirt and threw it at her.

Shizan laughed.

.

* * *

.

Naruto made it back to his house and realized that it was a total mess from Sakura demolishing his door that morning.

He yawned and made a few shadow clones.

Then he headed up to bathroom to get cleaned up.

.

One clone summoned a three foot high twister that he was moving around the room picking up all the pieces from the door.

Two of the other clones pulled out another door from a nearby closet and started setting it on the door hinge.

The last clone went to the kitchen and started boiling some water and getting the food out to make dinner.

When the three clones finished cleaning they poofed away.

.

Soon afterwards another Naruto clone came through the door holding a fishing net with some fish in it.

The clone went right into the kitchen and dumped the fish into an aquarium near the stove and dissipated in to smoke.

The cooking clone stopped cutting up vegetables and walked over to the tank to see what he was going to cook tonight.

Inside the five feet long, three feet high tank of water there was two small sizes red snappers, a three pound catfish and some clams at the bottom.

The clone's eyes light up at the last fish in the tank.

"Cool a blowfish; I've been wanting another one of these!" He said out loud and quickly reached into the tank to retrieve the fish.

He took the odd fish and transferred it into the ten foot long decorated fish tank in the living room and then went back to cooking.

.

After fifteen minutes the real Naruto came back down from his shower wearing just a towel wrapped around his waist.

He walked into the kitchen and asked his clone. "What's for dinner?"

The clone replied. "A pretty good haul for today. We are having snapper. Oh and we finally got another blowfish, it's in the tank in the living room."

Naruto could dispel his clones and learn everything they knew,

but it was a waste of chakra at times and had just taken to talking to them instead until he decided to release the jutsu.

"Cool, who knew they were so hard to catch." The real Naruto stated.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi was standing outside Naruto's compound.

It was almost exactly like she remembered it.

A six foot high cobble stone wall with moss all over it and a heavy oak door that was arched at the top with thick metal braces on it frames the entrance.

The wall went all the way around the whole six acre compound.

The only difference was there was yellow roses were growing all over the arch of the door and all the way down to the ground.

Some form of shrubs had been planted in even spaces of about five feet apart running the length of the wall.

.

She pushed the lever of the dungeon like door and it opened easily.

She was held in awe at the sight before her. She thought she had stepped into a fairy tale.

The mansion was three stories high, about one hundred and fifty feet wide made of a dark oak looking wood pillars and white stone.

All the windows were made from cut crystal each having a design on them of an animal or flowers.

The front entrance was a small step up to the porch area that was about a fifteen feet by fifteen feet square stone slab.

It was sententialed by two massive dark oak columns over a foot thick that had been carved to look like vines were growing up them.

In front of each of the two columns stood a statue, they were facing each other.

One the left side there was a statue of a man holding an orb in one hand that was stretched out like it was attacking the other statue.

In the other hand of the statue was a kunai that it was holding with the blade down and close to its chest.

.

The statue was partly painted. The hair had been painted blond and the eyes were painted blue.

The rest of the statue was unpainted, like it was a work in progress.

The statue looked a lot like Naruto, but the hair was longer the face a bit more mature.

The other statue looks like something out of her worst nightmares.

Standing fifteen feet away from the first statue in front of the other column stood a huge fully painted statue of the Nine Tailed Demon Fox.

.

The Demon Fox was crouched in an attacking position like it was about to pounce the statue of the man.

The statue looked like it was snarling and the many tails were fanned out behind it, one of the tails was half way up the second story of the mansion.

She guessed the fearsome statue was about sixteen feet long and eighteen feet high at the highest tail.

.

The one hundred yards from the wall to the house was nothing but flowers everywhere.

They were planted in neat four foot wide rows running parallel to the house all the way down the yard with carpet like groomed bright green grass in between the rows.

Every type and color of flowers she could imagine was there.

There would be five to seven feet of one type of flower, then another, then another. It looked like a flower farm.

The only thing that looked out of place was a lone bamboo tree on the left side of the house.

'

She started down the lone cobble stone path that led up to the house and got within about thirty feet of the front door before getting a bit nervous.

The closer she got to the Kyuubi statue the more real it looked...She was starting to wonder if it a statue at all. It was so life like...

She was about to step off the path and walk around the statue of the man to reach the door like a frighten child when Naruto opened one the two wood carved door to the entrance of the house.

.

Hanabi stopped dead in her tracks.

"Hi Hanabi-Chan." Naruto looked at her frighten expression and the way she was just about to step off the path to avoid the statue of the demon fox. He roared with laughter.

Hanabi suddenly felt very silly for what she was about to do and looked down slightly embarrassed.

Naruto walked off the porch and draped his arm around the neck statue of the Kyuubi demon and pretended to give it a noogie.

"This big guy didn't scare you did he?" He asked with a chuckle.

.

Hanabi gave a slight laugh at her own childishness. "Yes I guess it did...Just a little bit. It is so life like. Where did you get it?"

"Well this one was a gift from Gaara. He made it with sand and then compacted it. Then use some weird fire jutsu to harden it into a statue.

I just asked him for something that would keep away all the girls that were stalking me.

He asked me what the most fearsome thing I could think of and I told him The Nine Tailed fox.

He made this and put it right in the middle of the walk way.

Sai saw the statue and asked me if he could paint it. Sai is kinda of weird like that.

I told him he could and that's why it's so life like." He said with a smile.

.

"Who's Sai?" She asked curiously.

"Oh you don't know him? He uses art as his jutsu. He paints stuff and it comes to life.

That has to be one of the weirdest jutsu I've ever seen, but it is handy when he uses it." Naruto said.

Hanabi eyed the other state. The paint job on it wasn't nearly as good as the other.

It was very sloppily painted on the few parts that were painted.

She asked him. "What about this statue?"

.

"Oh that one? I saw that one locked away in a vault while helping Tsunade move some stuff from her office.

I asked her if I could have it to go with my Nine Tailed Demon Fox.

She told me that I couldn't have it as it belonged to all the people of the town, but she could probably get it loaned it to me for a long time.

So for my nineteenth birthday she had the statue delivered to my house and said it was on loan for fifty years.

She told me it use to be in one of the parks in town before the Fourth Hokage died and was removed after his death because it was making the children that played there sad.

It just never got put back out after the town got over the forth Hokage's death.

I didn't like how grand The Nine Tailed Demon Foxes statue looked as it all painted and this one wasn't.

So I tried panting it myself." He explained.

Naruto laughed as he threw his head back and said. "As you can tell I'm no good at it. I was thinking of asking Sai to paint this one for me as well."

.

"Your home is sooo...flowery...It's not what I expected..." Hanabi said honestly and a bit shyly.

Naruto said. "Yeah me either, this place hadn't been lived in for over sixteen years when I got the place.

As you know, it wouldn't be lived in tell the heir of the estate became of age.

Even though no one could live here, the hospital grew herbs for medicine and Ino's family grew rare flowers here to keep them safe where no one would mess with them.

The council would sometimes borrow scrolls from the library inside, but largely the place has remained untouched." He said.

.

"It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen" She stated in awe.

Naruto smiled. "I'm glad you like it. I'd give you a full tour of the place, but it will be getting dark soon." He said still smiling.

Hanabi looked at the sky. It was already turning a dark orange signaling the coming of dusk.

"Come on in, dinner is almost ready." He said waving her inside the door.

.

Naruto turned around and walked inside.

Hanabi walked inside thinking it would be furnished like a palace. To her surprise it really was...a ninja palace that is.

She took off her shoes at the door and walked around while Naruto headed straight through a ten foot arch into the nearby kitchen.

She came into a thirty feet by thirty feet living area that had white walls and the same dark wood pillars going up the walls.

The carpet was a creamy white color and was very shaggy and soft.

Soft chairs and sofas were along the walls and the center of the floor was mainly open.

There was a messy desk in the south western corner of the room with scrolls all over it and a scroll shelf next to it.

There was a fireplace in the middle of the western wall with a mantle above it.

.

On the mantle were a bunch of pictures in frames. Hanabi walked other to them.

From the left to the right she looked at them.

The first was a picture of Iruka sensei, Next was a picture Squad Seven with Naruto when he was younger scowling at Sasuke, then was a picture Jiraiya with a goofy smile.

The next two pictures were slightly bigger than the others.

The first bigger picture was a portrait of the Fourth Hokage and the second was of his wife Kushina Uzumaki.

These pictures looked much older than the rest and were in the center of the mantle.

The next picture was of Naruto lying on the ground with Ino straddling him in a field of flower a moment before they kissed,

and then was a picture of Naruto holding hands with her blushing sister Hinata outside Ichiraku's Ramen.

The next picture seemed to be the most recent and was of Naruto kissing Sakura on the cheek at a park. Sakura was smiling and they both seemed very in love in this picture.

The last picture almost made Hanabi laugh... It was of Naruto when he was younger wearing the Third Hokage's hat.

He had such a huge boyish smile in it that it made Hanabi smile just from looking at the picture.

.

There were three large portraits hanging on the wall over the fire place of the First, Second and Third Hokage's.

Under the picture of the second Hokage was a glass case about three feet wide and five inches tall.

Inside was a broken sword and the small plaque on the case had one word engraved into it.

"Raijin".

.

There were pictures and weapons all over the walls. There were several pictures of Naruto and Konohamaru.

Mostly they were of them training or eating ramen.

One picture that seemed kind of strange and out of place. It was a picture of a bridge, but that was until she read the name of the bridge was 'The Great Naruto Bridge'.

_"Wow he's got a bridge named after him. That's kind of cool." _She thought.

.

The south wall had a huge fourteen feet tall and wide bay window with a ten feet long four foot tall aquarium sitting on it with all kinds of fish in it. She had seen stuff like this before.

Her favorite fish to watch was the sucker fish that cleaned the glass and the one in this tank was huge. It was almost three pounds.

There must have been over one hundred fish in there and plenty of coral and other things in there for them to hide in.

Naruto was leaning on the door frame that connected the kitchen to the living room with his arms crossed over his chest watching Hanabi looking at his fish tank remaining unnoticed.

Naruto was wearing a longing genuine smile of love, like he was remembering a lost memory.

.

"Hinata really liked that aquarium too." He said honestly.

Hanabi started. She was so intrigued with all the things in the room she had forgotten why she had come in the first place.

Hanabi looked over at Naruto from across the room a smiled. "It is sooo pretty in here. Its better then I imagined it would be.

It's like being in the great museum at the Fire lord's castle, but not as big." She said a bit over come.

Naruto had seen the longing look on her face before and knew she was going to want to question him for hours about all the things in the room.

Naruto said. "Hmm judging by that look on your face I take it you want to eat dinner in here?"

She shyly smiled.

Naruto walked over to the far corner of the room on the other side of the fire place and pulled out a small dining table and put it in the middle of the open floor.

"I'll be back with the food in a minute." He said as he walked back to the kitchen.

.

Hanabi walked over and sat down on her heels in front of the plain light colored wooden table.

Then she just fell onto back and just enjoyed the soft shaggy carpet.

A few moments later Naruto and a clone came back, one held two plates of food and the other had two cups of tea.

They set the table and Naruto sat down at the other side of the table. The clone went back into the kitchen.

She got back up off the carpet a bit disappointed that Naruto hadn't taken longer while she got back to her sitting position in front of the table.

"Hope you like it, it's nothing special, just some rice and snapper with vegetables. My clone is getting the soup." He stated.

The clone came back with the soup and left again.

.

"Itatakimasu!" They both said before eating.

Hanabi asked. "Where did you get all this stuff? It looks like it would take a life time to gather it all things you have in here."

"Well it would take weeks to explain where all of the stuff came from.

Some of it's from the Third Hokage, some from the Fourth Hokage, some from the Fifth Hokage, some of it is from friends and the rest I gathered from my time as a ninja.

Have any item in mind you'd like to know more about?" He asked while eating much slower than at lunch.

.

Hanabi's eyes drifted over to the sword case under the portrait of the second Hokage "Umm is that what I think it is in the case?"

Naruto gave her a confused look. "Hmm didn't see that one coming... You're asking about the same first thing Tenten wanted to know about.

If you think its The Raijin sword of the second Hokage, then it's exactly what you think it is." He stated.

Her eyed went wide and she dropped her chop sticks.

.

"I thought that relic was lost long ago." She said clearly stunned.

Naruto said. "Yes it was, but as luck would have it a mercenary for hire had it. He was contracted to kill the client we were contracted to protect years ago.

A fight ensued and I thought he had killed Sakura-Chan and Sasuke.

I charged the guy with a Rasengan and took a hit from the lightning coming out of that sword.

I broke through the lightning and drove my Rasengan through the blade snapping it.

I took the broken weapon to Tsunade after the mission was over and asked her if I could keep it.

After I moved here I mounted it on the wall under the second Hokage's portrait.

It just seemed like the right place to put it." He finished with a shrug of his shoulders.

.

Hanabi blinked a few times. "You broke the second Hokage's sword..." She stated in disbelief.

Naruto gave her a concerned look. "Please don't freak out like Tenten did." He said while grimacing.

.

Hanabi was clearly stunned and said. "No I'm not going to freak out... I-I just didn't think that sword could be broken.

Nor did I ever think it would be here and that you would have it."

Naruto laughed. "Well, it's technically not mine. It's like the statue of the Hokage out front; it's on loan so I can't pass it on to my Heirs if I ever have any." He said.

Hanabi said with a grin. "What do you mean IF? I thought you were the town playboy!" She teased.

Naruto gave a slight chuckle before asking. "Do you honestly believe that?"

"I'm not a fool Naruto. After that lecture you gave me I kind of figured it was all the girls chasing you, not the other way around." She said with a rise and fall of her eyebrows.

Naruto smiled. "I'm glad to finally have another person to see the truth." He said thankfully.

.

Hanabi got a bit serious and asked. "Ummm If .. If it's not too much to asked, what happened to make you break up with Ino, Hinata and Sakura?

I-I mean those pictures on the mantle over there. In each one of them you just seem...Well, like your with your soulmate, maybe not the Hinata one but defiantly the other two."

Naruto got a longingly sad look on his face. "Well." He sighed. "I guess you should know since we are teammates now."

He sighed again. "I guess I'll start with Ino. My first real love." He said.

.

Naruto set his gaze at the fish tank across the room and began drawing up long forgotten images from deep within his mind.

He closed his eyes and opened them slowly before speaking.

"You see after I saved the village the last time... everyone knew I was the reason it was saved. It couldn't be denied.

Well with me being single, every single woman in the village seem to want to 'want to get to know me better'. I even had my own female fan club." He said letting out a fake laugh of spite.

.

"At first I thought it was pretty cool to have a fan club like that. What a fool I was...All it meant was fifty young horny girls were organized to make my life a living hell.

They wouldn't leave me alone. I didn't have any time to myself.

I couldn't train or eat without looking over my shoulder wondering when the next one was going to spot me and try to drag me off to who knows where.

One day I was running away from them and I ducked into Ino's flower shop to get away.

_._

_Flashback_

* * *

_._

Naruto was very disheveled looking while hiding behind the counter of Ino's flower shop as a mob of fourteen girls ran by.

Ino looked down at him hiding behind her like a five year old playing hide and seek and laughed.

"Women problems Naruto?" She stated though her giggles.

"More like mob problems." He said schizophrenically. "Are they gone?" He asked a bit frightened.

"Yeah they ran right by." She stated as she finally got a good look at Naruto. She had never seen Naruto so haggard.

His white sage outfit was dirty and ripped up; His normally bright blue eyes were now a dull gray and were very very bloodshot.

He smelled like he hadn't bathed in a month.

.

Ino's eyes grew worry with concern.

"Naruto, what a matter with you? You look horrible. How long has it been since you slept or eaten or for that matter bathed?" She said the last part holding her nose.

"Umm I managed to get a few bites of instant ramen Tuesday and I think I got about a hour of sleep Monday.

The closest thing to a bath I've gotten was holding my breath underwater hoping to lose them sometime last week." He stated with his bloodshot eyes darting all over the place.

She just stared at Naruto. "You haven't eaten in four days and you have only had one hour of sleep in five days? What's the Hokage doing about this?" She stated shocked and worried.

.

"She told me this was something I'd have to deal with on my own. That this wasn't likely to change for awhile." He stated a very tired tone as he yawned.

"If you don't mind I'm just going to take a nap…" He said as he started to lay down on the floor.

"Ergh no! Naruto I'll help hide you, but you have to take a bath first!"

.

It took quite a few slaps in the face for Ino to get Naruto aware enough to get him into the bath tub, but he was so weak and tired that Ino had to undress him herself.

It was not like this was new to her; she did this all the time at the hospital as a medic. It was uncommon for her to be at the flower shop anymore.

Normally she would have taken peeks at his manhood, but it just didn't feel right at the time.

So she did her best to avoid looking at it but it was hard to miss.

She had to stay with him so he didn't fall asleep and drown.

She scrubbed him clean and even shampooed his hair two times to get the smell out.

She drained the tub and force Naruto to get out and sit on the floor while she went to get some of her father's old cloths.

.

She came back not a minute later and he was asleep on the floor.

It took her a good five minutes to dress the sleeping Naruto.

She did a medical check on him now that she could stand the smell of him.

He was so pale and his skin was so warm.

_"Not good he's running a high fever and he's anemic from lack of food and too much stress. _

_I can't let him sleep until I've gotten some food in him. Otherwise he could slip into a coma._

_I can put in a I.V. into him to rehydrate his body after he's sleeping_." She thought worriedly about Naruto.

.

It took her a good two minutes of slapping him to get him awake enough to feed him some leftovers from the fridge and then she put him to bed in her room.

She then left and used a jutsu to seal the house like what she normal did at night, but used a lot more chakra to make it stronger.

She then went straight to the Hokage.

.

She reached the door and was stopped by the Anbu guard.

"Please tell the Hokage that there is someone that needs her medical attention right away." She said not wanting to say Naruto's name encase one of those girls was nearby.

The Anbu went inside and the Hokage came out a moment later.

"Ok who's the patent and what are their conditions?" Tsunade asked all business

"Not here, just trust me and follow please." Ino leaped away heading back to her house.

They reached the front door in a few minutes and Ino unsealed it.

She led the Hokage to her bedroom where Naruto was sleeping in her futon.

.

Tsunade was stunned at the way Naruto's face was so white and thin.

She quickly checked him out. "You're right he is anemic and he's running a high fever.

We need to get him to the hospital for a blood transfusion to make sure he doesn't slip into a coma." She said worriedly.

.

Naruto woke up a day later in a hospital bed guarded by Anbu. One of them went to get Ino who was working at the hospital at the time.

Ino came in wearing her white medic uniform.

"How do you feel Naruto?" She asked lightly.

"Like I just woke up from a nightmare." He admitted sleepily while rubbing his head.

"Well it's over now. The Hokage took care of your little fan club problem. It seems two of them were chakra sensory ninja's and you didn't have a chance to hide from them.

The Hokage has thrown them in jail and the others are WAY too afraid of the Hokage to even come near you." She stated with a smile.

"I didn't want anyone to go to jail. I-I just wanted to get some sleep and eat something at the very least." He said sadly.

"No, I'm afraid your wrong there Naruto. What those two ninja's did was a gross misuse of their powers against another leaf ninja.

They deserve the three months they were sentenced to." She stated a bit more serious.

.

Naruto blinked a few times and held out his hand trying to focus his eyes.

"You know Ino… I never said this before, but you're a angel for taking care of me." He said truly very thankfully.

Ino gave him a friendly smile while filling out a medical chart.

"Actually you have...for the last eight hours in your sleep. You just kept saying stuff like that.

I made it hard to check up on you at first until I got used to it." She said honestly.

.

"Anyway the Hokage will be here soon and Forehead will probably be by in a few hours during her shift. She was really worried about you.

She just got back from her two week trip. Needless to say the Hokage didn't tell her what happened.

You know she'd fly off the handle." Ino said as she sat the medical charts on the table next to the bed and felt his forehead.

"No fever that's a good sign. You hungry? It's a bit cold as I got it for you about six hours ago but..." Ino pulled out an Ichiraku ramen to-go cup of noodles.

The Naruto snatched it faster than Ino thought was humanly possible and inhaled it in a matter of seconds.

"Well I'd like to say I'm surprised, but you talked about Ramen in your sleep too." She said then giggled.

.

Thirty minutes later the Hokage showed up.

"Hey brat! How are you feeling after getting your butt whooped by a bunch of girls?" She smiled and Naruto knew it was fake and that she actually felt really bad about what happened.

"I'm a little light headed and a bit weak, but otherwise I'm ok." He said looking at her while sitting up in the bed.

"Ok let's hear it. How did they get you into this state? You didn't have a problem for the first two months. How did they run you this ragged?" The Hokage asked.

.

"Well they ambushed me after a really long training session when I over did it and nearly ran myself out of chakra. Without my chakra I could only run from them.

No matter where I went they seemed to find me. So I kept running and running until I ran into Ino at the flower shop...it gets a bit fuzzy from there."

He said while squinting his eyes and grabbing his head.

"Sounds like what I got out of those two master mind ninja's, they had spotters around me so you couldn't get close to me.

I should have pressed the council to give them a year instead of three months." She said.

"Anyway we need to come up with a way to get all those girls will leave you alone. The best way would be for you to get a powerful ninja girl friend." She said knowingly.

Naruto eyes widened with horror. "Please no girlfriends... I think I've had enough of girls for awhile."

He stated and then looked around uncomfortably. "Present company excluded." He added quickly.

.

"Well then you need a pretend girlfriend." She stated bluntly.

"Who am I going to get to do that? The only single girls I can think of that don't seem to want to get involved with me are you two, Kurenai and Sakura-Chan." He stated frustratedly

"Actually I've already talked it over with her and she agreed, if you decided you didn't want to get involved with anyone, that she would pretend to be your girlfriend." She said.

Naruto eyed her carefully. "Who is it?" He asked.

"Me Naruto." Ino said thoughtfully. "You are a hero of this village. It's the least I could do, beside I could use some help carrying some shopping bags." She smiled.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. "You really are an angel Ino and a life saver." He said as he fell back down on the hospital bed while looking at the ceiling.

_._

* * *

_End of Flash back_

_._

"That's how it started with Ino." He said.

"We just started to pretend to be dating and then after two months we confessed our love for each other. We started dating for real from then on.

None of the other girl's ninja or civilian would bother us because we were so lovey dovey in public. We could make the whole street we were walking down feel like a third wheel."

He laughed.

.

"Those were some of the happiest days of my life..." He said sadly as he was lost in thought.

Hanabi had been quite for some time letting Naruto tell his story.

"Well if it was all going so well what happened?" She asked then bit her lips together slightly ashamed she was pressing him for more information.

"Oh…that." Naruto said as he rolled his eyes and got a very sad look on his face. "Well Ino's family has this weird jutsu to read minds ya know.

They can read someone minds if they touch them...not just READ their mind...

.

They can touch you for a few second and tell you everything that happened to you in the last month.

I was training one day before she normally showed up to train with me and I got a distracted.

I fell out of a tree and hit my head like a goof ball and knocked myself out.

Ino came to train with me not long after and found me on the ground with a small head wound.

She panicked and used her mind reading jutsu on me.

It is a jutsu that should NEVER be used under stress... It backfired on her.

She ended up living my life from the age of five to the age of ten as best as Tsunade can figure.

.

I doubt you know it, but I had a unimaginably hard life when I was young. I'm not ready to tell you about that yet though...The result was Ino mind was shattered.

Tsunade told me to stay away from her, but I wouldn't listen ... I came to see her when no one was guarding her room.

When I saw her sleeping in the hospital room. I came up to her and kissed her and said. 'I love you my angel.'

Her eyes popped open like I had stabbed her.

.

She started screaming for the nightmares to go away and that she never wanted to see my face or the villagers again...She was totally out of her mind.

Her words hurt me so badly... I-I didn't make it twenty feet down the hall before breaking down and Sakura found me and had to take me home.

After that I never went to see her until the Hokage said it was ok.

It killed me to do that... Every day I wanted to see her face and tell her how much I loved her.

Every day I waited for the Hokage to come see me and tell me that she was all better... and every day she never came or sent word.

.

After two weeks of thinking of nothing but her...It became hard to recall exactly what her face looked like...How could I forget... what she looked like?

I did nothing but think of her. I barely ate, I almost never slept and I hardly moved... How could my mind be fuzzy when trying to recall my angel face?

I got my photo album out and had to constantly keep looking at her pictures to remember her face.

Each time I reminded myself of her face with the pictures I had to look at it sooner the next time to remember it again." Naruto sigh long and deep.

.

He pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He took a few uneasy ragged breaths and stared at the floor near him.

"I-I was sinking from depression into madness.

I took all the negatives I had of my pictures of my angel Ino and went to the photo shop.

I got hundreds of each one made and posted them up all over my bedroom.

Everywhere I looked was Ino, the floor, the bed, the ceiling and across every inch of every wall of my bedroom all I could see was my angel Ino.

I.. I don't know how long I spent in that room after putting the pictures up, but it felt like a life time.

All I do know is Tsunade found me and admitted me to the hospitals psychiatric ward.

I heard the medic tell Tsunade I was close to insanity and had clinical depression.

I spent a month in the hospital getting treatment not unlike Ino.

.

The Hokage told me if I really loved her...to let her go and move on, but I couldn't just let her go so easily.

I waited while she underwent treatment." He said as tears formed that the rims of his eyes.

.

"After three months of not being able to see her, the Hokage told me I could go into the same room as her, but I couldn't speak or move.

I just had to stand there and if she freaked out I had to leave.

Well she made it three minute in the room with me before she show signs of a break down so I left.

That had to be the hardest three minutes of my life... to.. "

Naruto was talking through clenched teeth of frustration and tears were steaming out of his brilliant blue eyes and it took him a few moments to speak.

.

"To just stand there looking at the woman I loved more than my life! While she was looking at me like I was the scariest thing she'd even seen...

She was trying to BEAR looking at me...Baring my very sight...!

I'd been dreaming of holding her again...I can still... still...smell her scent of random flowers... It took everything!

Everything I had not rush over there and crush her lips with mine and tell her that I loved her and

I'd do anything to make her well so we could be together again!" Naruto's breath was coming in sobs as he head fell to his knees.

.

Hanabi was stunned watching Naruto cry on his knees. She had no idea what to say or do.

She couldn't believe how passionate his words were and deep how his frustration was.

_"How can he ever smile with loss like that?" _She couldn't help but think.

She felt something cold on her face. She touched he cheeks and felt her own tears on them.

.

When Naruto finally had calmed himself down he began to speak again in a very sad voice with no frustration anymore.

"Every week for two months I'd came and sat in the room with her and she would get a little better each time." Naruto sounded like a shell of his former self.

"Every week she would be a bit less fearful, she could bear my sight for a few minutes longer.

Every Sunday I both looked forward to and dreaded seeing my love...my angel...

Because every week she may have been getting better, but also every Sunday I lost another piece of my hope that we would be able to return to those happy days.

Every time I saw the fear and sorrow in her eyes I lost a piece of myself..." He confessed.

.

"At the end of the two months Tsunade said she could go home, but that she would probably always feel pain when looking at me and she would have nightmares fits from time to time."

Naruto sat there very quiet, he had stopped crying and looked sadder than anyone Hanabi had ever seen.

.

"I had to eventually make the hardest choice of my life." He said as he clenched his arms tightly.

"I had to do what Tsunade told me from the beginning let her go and not see her anymore.

I'd only cause us both pain if I tried to continue our relationship.

I went to her house and asked her father to speak to her. He refused me and asked me to leave.

I had already steeled my nerves and convictions. I told him that I was going to see Ino one way or the other.

I regret that threat now, but it was the only way at the time." He said.

.

"He led me to her room and told me I had ten minutes before he came in after me. I thanked him and knocked on the door before entering.

There I saw my freighted little angel... sitting on her bed reading a book.

She looked at me and her eyes went wide with fright and she started mumbling to herself going through some mental routine before eventually calming down enough to sit still.

I waited quietly until she was calm. I told her,

'Ino I don't know if you even remember me from before the accident. How In love we where...how..how much we cared for each other...

I always hoped you would, but I've lost it... I've lost my will to hurt you every time you look at me.

I see the fear in your eyes and its killing me...Its leaving me a empty shell of a person.

My angel you're still the most beautiful woman on this earth to me.

I will always love you and if you ever come to love me again ...' Ino cut me off.

.

'I...I never stopped loving you. Its its..just the nightmares...of your childhood... They keep me awake till I'm deranged.

I'm scared to sleep and you only remind me of the nightmares.' She said barely holding on to her sanity.

'I know... I know...its killing me to think of a life without you. At least you only see them when you sleep... I dream about life without you and then awake to find its true every day.

I LIVE in waking nightmare.' I said heartbroken and in defeat.

"She told me. 'I know what you came for...' She still knew me...She knew I just wanted to kiss her...to hold her again.

I'd waited so long to have her in my arms again... and she invited me though it would cause her nightmares that would make her scream...she loved me that much

... I was over whelmed... I wanted to kiss her so badly, but the thought of causing her pain of any kind would destroy me.

I knew what she was offering me...She was offering me much more then what I wanted and something I always dreamed about." Naruto said

"She offered me the chance to make love to her... at the likely cost of her sanity." Naruto puffy swollen eyes began shedding tears again.

.

"I wanted her so badly... I both regret not taking her and I'm thankful I didn't at the same time... I just held her and cried.

I couldn't help it. She will always be my angel..." Naruto took long a moment before speaking again

.

"In the past three years I've only been able to greet her once... in my garden ...while she picked the flower she always smelled like.

I always watch her when she comes... I always want to talk to her ...To tell her even now she's always on my mind, but I can not...

Not at the cost of hurting her with the nightmares and driving me into madness of my own grief."

He said then paused lost in his own waking nightmare.

.

Hanabi didn't want to ask it, but she just couldn't help it. "How long ago did you greet her in the garden?"

.

Naruto sighed. "About six weeks ago. She's still just as beautifully as ever. She managed to greet me back, but I could still tell it was hard for her.

I could still hear the fear and sorrow in her voice...She couldn't even looks at me.

I cursed myself for my weakness of talking to her again...for hurting her. I had a clone follow her that day and she did fine.

She is pretty much back to normal to everyone, but me.

It looked like she was fine all day and my clone watcher her sleep...Two hours into her sleep she woke up screaming again...

My clone could only bear the sound for a few seconds before releasing itself.

That was my angel, my true love...my Ino." He confessed and stayed silent for a few minutes.

His eyes were red, swollen and bloodshot as he clutched his knees in a sitting position.

.

Naruto suddenly said while looking at Hanabi. "Thank you for listening to me... It's been a long time and I never really had anyone to tell that too.

After Jiraiya died I kind of lost one my great guiding lights on those types of matters. He may have been a pervert, but when it came to life matters he was very wise.

Tsunade was never one to bring sensitive things like that to and my only other person to tell was Sakura-Chan and that was Ino's rival

... I...I couldn't tell her. I've always had no one to tell."

.

_"I can't believe he kept that bottled up for so long...How could he bear it? Is this what it means to be "The hero of the Hidden Leaf Village"? _

_Is it merely a title to set him on a pedestal while ignoring that he's human while glorifying his accomplishments?" _Hanabi was lost in thought.

.

"I guess I should move on to how I ended up dating your sister if you think you can handle it."

Naruto finally looked at her for the first time since he started speaking about Ino and not through her.

Hanabi spoke honestly. "I.. I don't think I want to know if it's as tragic as your Ino story." She barely managed to say.

Naruto gave her a weak smile. "No, it's nowhere near as bad as my Ino story."

.

* * *

.

Wow I didn't expect it to be that tragic. I had to go back and write the warning at the top before posting this chapter. Now I don't want to bum out my readers so I went and found my

favorite NautoXIno fanfic.

Its called Nicknames and Shadows Rated M by ChoppedHige.

s/4639284/1/Nicknames_and_Shadows( curses it will not let me post a link). Just look for the title and author under the M rated NarutoXIno stories.

Sorry for not answering reviews this time, but I had to spell check and check my sentence structure so many times I just didn't have the energy this time.


	5. Chapter 5: Heart To Heart, NarutoXHinata

**Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Heart To Heart, NarutoXHinata**

.

Authors notes:

* * *

This chapter isn't heart wrenching like that last one, so rest assured you don't need the tissue box. There are jokes again for those of you that missed them.

.

Reviews/ Questions

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_**Kenta-Sonek-Raikiri 2009-04-13 . chapter 1truthfully?**_

_**just reading this first chapter I'm amazed.**_

_**You said you were married, right?**_

_**Means you're at least in your twenties or higher.**_

_**The fact that an, *ahem!* adult watches/reads Naruto actually surprises me. My parents are always saying, and i quote, **_

_**"Cartoons are too childish, you should start watching more mature programs!" and yadda yadda...so it actually surprised me that you know so much about Naruto.**_

_**and while i'll admit, it's kinda hard to read, but at least you and your wife are attempting to fix it. :)**_ _**i shall keep reading!**_

Yes I'm an adult. I've got a short bio on my author's page. I'm 28 with a wife and a 6 year old son. Dam skippy I watch Anime. I agree with your mother about _**"CARTOONS" **_being to childish.

Cartoons are from America and they are childish most of the time. Anime on the other hand is from Japan and they treat animation just like any other movie or series media. It's not all aimed

at 5-10 year olds. Most of it is aimed at teenagers and there is even XXX rated anime... can you think of 2 x rated American cartoons? I can only name one and it was the first ever American

X-rated Cartoon "Fritz the cat" it is was more funny then X-Rated IMO. But that is just to show you the different approaches Japan and America take on Animation.

.

Umm as for the reason I know so much about Naruto. Well Naruto is a very unique anti typical hero story. So it's something new and it's very engrossing.

It is kind of like a really good book to me that I can go back and read again and again.

I've actually read the manga online from start to current manga chapter out 3 times. Normally takes from Friday night to late Sunday for me to do it.

But the manga chapters are like potato chips you eat one and you can't stop.

I prefer the manga as I can go through 1 episode in about 3 minutes instead of 20 minutes with the anime.

Slight question you should ask yourself though...

You're reading a love story between Naruto and a character that is only be told about briefly three times in the whole manga and your asking me why I know so much about Naruto?

Sorry to inform you but you've entered the Naruto super nerd area. Enjoy the story though!

_**.**_

_**daniel 29 2009-04-09 . chapter 3**_

_**An interesting and honest naruto/hanabi pairing. This Hanabi reminds me of a cross between sakura's insecurities, a less severe version of hinata's shyness, and tenten's dedication**_

This is one of the curses to being a slow moving, character interaction writer. Yes I see your point, but I'm sorry to inform you that will not last a lot longer.

Soon you will see more of noble and proper Hanabi, but at the same time you will still see a 15 year old woman.

Many of the characters in Naruto tend to conform to a single emotion and it can seem like someone is trying to combine them, but here I'm honestly not.

It's just her reactions speaking right now.

She's a lot like Sakura as Naruto puts her off her guard and like Hinata as Naruto getting close to her...for whatever reason.

She actually hasn't shown a lot of her own personality just yet.

She is still getting used to Naruto to be herself. Don't worry though there are some pretty funny awkward situations coming up that will help fill out her character.

.

**qwe123**

Thank you for the link and your advice.

_**.**_

Last Chapter

* * *

_**.**_

That was my angel, my true love...my Ino." He confessed and stayed silent for a few minutes. His eyes were red, swollen and bloodshot.

.

Naruto suddenly said while looking at Hanabi. "Thank you for listening to me... It's been a long time and I never really had anyone to tell that too.

After Jiraiya died I kind of lost one my great guiding lights on those types of matters. He may have been a pervert, but when it came to life matters he was very wise.

Tsunade was never one to bring sensitive things like that to and my only other person to tell was Sakura-Chan and that was Ino's rival...

I...I couldn't tell her. I've always had no one to tell."

.

_"I can't believe he kept that bottled up for so long...how could he bare it? Is this what it means to be "The hero of the Hidden Leaf Village"?_

_Is it merely a title to set him on a pedestal while ignoring that he's human and glorifying his accomplishments?" _Hanabi was lost in thought.

.

"I guess I should move on to how I ended up dating your sister if you think you can handle it."

Naruto finally looked at her for the first time sense he started speaking about Ino and not through her.

Hanabi spoke honestly. "I… I don't think I want to know if it's as tragic as your Ino story." She barely managed to say.

Naruto gave her a weak smile. "No, it's nowhere near as bad as my Ino story."

.

Chapter 5 Heart to Heart: Naruto X Hinata

* * *

.

Naruto again began summoning up long lost memories.

"Where to start... I guess I'll start six weeks after my talk with Ino in her bedroom." He said.

"I still wasn't getting out much and Tsunade had deemed me unfit for missions because of my despair for Ino, but I was trying to get better.

I was trying not to close myself off from the world again. I forced myself to go out and socialize at least twice a week.

Weather it was just to get a bowl of ramen or to talk to Sakura-Chan for a few minutes during her breaks.

Just something, ANYTHING to take my mind off of Ino."

.

"One day I decided to sit on a bench just inside the main gate and watch people go by, just to get out of the house." Naruto said.

"I was mindless watching the people around me not really focusing on anyone when the most unexpected person sat down next to me." Naruto said.

.

_Flash back_

* * *

.

"Hello Naruto." Yamanaka Inoichi said as he sat down beside him.

"Hey." Naruto said not really paying attention.

Inoichi got a bit irate with his response and got right up to his ear and yelled loudly. "HEY NARUTO!"

Naruto jumped and finally looked over at Ino's father.

After his initial shock had calmed down he wanted to ask about Ino, but he knew that was a bad idea for his mental state.

.

"Oh, hello Mr. Yamanaka." He stated sadly as he looked over at him.

"How are you holding up? You still don't look much different then when you left my house over a month ago." He stated a bit worried which was very unusual for him.

"Well I'm... I'm trying." He said honestly trying to put up a meek smile. "I keep going out so I don't wall myself back into my own mind again.

Every day I hope the hurt will lessen and every day it feels the same.

My friends keep telling me things like 'You have to get over her' or 'Time heals all wounds'... It's just not working though.

I don't know what to do or believe anymore." He said in a lost manor as he looked back at the ground.

.

Inoichi rubbed his chin before looking at Naruto and said.

"Well, do you want my take on love? I've lived close to thirty life times through my mind reading jutsu.

I might be able to help you with your problem."

Naruto said. "Sure I'll take any advice I can get at this point." He slumped his shoulders.

.

Inoichi spoke. "After my first love I was going through something kind of similar to what you're going through. I myself didn't have a glowing childhood either.

It can hardly be compared to the nightmare you endured though." He said with a look over at the Sage.

"I heard all those tired lines and now I know it was mindless talk from those pretending to be wise, but they were actually fools.

I'll tell you something most people have to learn on their own and can never seem to put into words.

I heard those lines 'You have to get over her.' I was like 'Gee thanks, tell me something I don't know'."

I heard 'Time heals all wounds'. It's just a glorified way of saying figure it out yourself." He stated bitterly.

.

"You never 'Get over it_'_. That's just not the way love works.

The first step to healing is to accept your love for her and accept its probably not going to change from day to day like it used to." He said.

Naruto eyebrows constricted while he looked at him. "What do you mean? It was changing from day to day? I'm not sure I get that part to well." Naruto asked.

Inoichi laughed. "Well I'm sorry, I guess you have been trained by the leaf village's finest and most powerful ninja, but when it comes to love and relationships.

I'm guessing they aren't much help." He stated.

"You can say that again." Naruto said with a sarcastic expression.

.

"Well love does change from day to day. It's what makes your first love so wild, free and powerful.

You never know what the next day is going to hold. Everything is new and you can't help, but grow your love for each other.

When you fight will feel nothing, but hate or anger for them at the time...no love at all.

We humans in all actuality can only feel one emotion at a time while a memory is on the surface of our mind.

When it pools itself into the rest of our memories that's when we can feel many emotions at the same time.

When it first pools itself into our mind the memory will be powerful.

Say a memory that made you angry could be eighty percent of your judgment on a matter one minute after it happens,

but a hour from then as the memory pools into your mind of a life time of memories you will see it better for what it really is.

A few moments of your life, then the memory could be less than one percent of your judgment on the matter.

This is normally when you stop being a fool and tell yourself something like what you fought over is petty compared to all the love you feel for that person.

In a fight it's almost always both parties' fault anyway.

.

When you first start to love for the first time your heart is small, so one person can easily fill it up and they can do it very quickly.

This is what it means to fall hard and fast like what you did.

It didn't work out now your heart is all scared and disfigured from your lost love.

You have to accept the fact that your love for Ino is never going to change, either day to day change or as a whole. In short, you're going to love her forever."

.

Naruto had been hanging on ever word he said until he said that. Naruto sighed.

"So you mean to tell me I'll never get better?" He asked hopelessly.

Inoichi smiled. "No, you just have to know how to 'Get over it' as the old saying goes." He said.

.

Naruto eyed him confused. "Ok how do I do it?"

"I thought you of all people would know this Naruto. You're already a master at it when it comes to your friends...Even if they start out as your enemies.

You grow your heart bigger so you can let others in." He stated.

.

* * *

_End of Flash Back_

_._

"I never expected Mr. Inoichi to be so wise. I finally had the answer to getting better.

I started training in earnest again. I stopped spending so much time at home and after two weeks I found I could smile again.

I started eating at my favorite ramen stand again with Iruka sensei.

I'd visit Sakura-Chan at work more often.

Sometimes I would get down about Ino, but now that I had my answer on how love worked, time really was healing my wound because I was growing my heart bigger."

Naruto said with a smile.

.

"Three months later Tsunade deemed me fit for missions again, but she wanted to start me out slow.

She gave me a few C missions that were borderline D missions. I mostly just filled in for Genin squad spaces if one of their teammates was injured.

We mostly got easy escort missions or deliver a letter type of missions.

The younger Genins I worked with further helped me to move on.

Most of them we so inquisitive about me.

I always loved the look on their faces when I told them my rank was Genin too." Naruto laughed.

Hanabi finally smiled. She had been in a rather dark mood sense Naruto's last story.

The mood was finally starting to lighten a bit.

.

"This went on for about two months until Tsunade had worked me back to A ranked missions.

Hanabi asked. "So how did things start with you and Hinata?" She asked seeing as how the Sage was being long winded about it.

Naruto he eyed her curiously and said. "She's your sister; I figured you already knew..."

Hanabi rolled her eyes. "Well we are sisters, but we don't talk much and we don't get along well...

Besides my Heiress duties have kept me pretty busy and her missions keep her busy.

We hardly ever talk and when we do it's never about anything important." She said.

Naruto said. "Still that's kind of strange you girls wouldn't talk. I guess I'll start on how we came together then.

Well Kiba, Neji, Rock Lee, Choji, Shikamaru and I were walking down the street talking about guy stuff just before the summer festival." He said.

.

Flash back

* * *

.

Kiba said. "So guys, who is everyone asking to the summer festival? Neji how about you first?"

Neji replied. "I'm taking my little cousin Hanabi, Her father is too busy right now to take her."

Kiba looked at him sourly as his shoulders slumped in disapproval and said. "Man that's so boring. Yo Shikamaru, who are you going to ask?"

Shikamaru said while standing up straight. "I was going with Kurenai to help with Asuma Jr. again this year."

Kiba said. "Man you're never gonna get a girlfriend at the rate you're going... Or maybe you already have..." He teased.

Shikamaru blushed slightly. "Keep your sick fantasy's to yourself Kiba!"

.

"Choji you gonna ask a girl this year?" Kiba asked as he rolled his eyes already knowing the answer.

Choji said. "Hmmm no, my parents and me already made plans to go with Shikamaru, Kurenai and Asuma Jr. We planned it a week ago."

Kiba said. "Woo that's the right path to get you a woman let me tell you." He teased.

"Hey Lee who are you gonna ask?" Kiba questioned.

.

Rock Lee's shoulders slumped. "Well I was going to ask Sakura-Chan , but as luck would have it I happened to overhear Naruto asking her... Come to find out she's working that night.

I asked Tenten and she tried to turn me into a human kunai pin cushion.

I asked Temari seeing as she's her on official business here and she politely tried to remove my head from my shoulders.

I think I'm just going to stay home again this year." He stated in defeat.

Kiba said. "Ouch Lee. How about you Naruto? Don't tell me your going solo."

Naruto shrugged and said. "Ehhh I might walk around the festival a bit, but I wasn't planning to ask anyone save for Sakura-chan and even then just as a friend.

Besides who would I take?" He laughed childishly.

They all sweat dropped.

.

Kiba said. "Oh I don't know how about ANY SINGLE GIRL IN TOWN! You're the hero of the village. Any girl in her right mind would love to be on your arm for this."

Naruto looked down a bit sad. "Yeah that's the problem. They all want to date the 'hero' and not me...Naruto.

After the first date they probably want to rape me." He stated sadly.

Kiba got a boyish grin on his face and said. "So what the problem?"

Naruto said. "Ergh! Kiba you pervert!

IF I asked a girl it would be someone I knew before that whole hero thing happened and she would have to be a ninja not a civilian.

Who would I take?"

Kiba looked up and thought for a moment before he said. "Well then just ask the most physically attractive ninja in town." He hinted.

Naruto said without missing a beat. "Why would I ask the Hokage?"

.

Kiba said. "What? No I meant..." Kiba's face went from being puzzled to curiosity to deciding, then to a sickly green.

_"Oh god he is right, that is Sooo Ewww to think of her that way! She's old enough to be my grandmother!"_

All the others save for Choji wore the same green expression before running off to throw up.

.

Choji was in thought a moment longer before saying.

"You're right Naruto. The Hokage is the most attractive ninja in the village, but I think he was referring to Hinata." He stated calmly.

"Hinata... She always so shy and I don't think she's ever had a boyfriend.

I think she may have really high standers or has someone she really likes and she's waiting for him to notice her.

The latter sounds more like that case, but who in their right mind wouldn't notice Hinata she's gorgeous." He stated.

.

Choji eyed him critical. _"Our village hero is a...moron."_

Choji said. "Then ask to take her as an escort. What the worst thing that could happen? Besides it's better to go as an escort then going alone."

Naruto thought about it for a moment. "I guess you're right.

We are friends maybe she would let me escort her, but I still say she out of my league. I'll go see if I can find her."

He said with a boyish smile he leaped off.

Choji thought. _"Scratch moron...he's a downright imbecile."_

Kiba came back with vomit on his shirt. "There are some things I wish he'd keep to himself." He stated sourly.

.

* * *

.

Naruto made it to the Hyuuga compound and greeted the guard.

"Hello, can you tell me if Hinata is home?" Naruto asked with a smile.

The guard said. "Yes, she got back from training awhile ago I believe she's in the garden out back.

Let me make sure it's ok to have a visitor Sage Naruto." He said with a low bow.

He went inside the gate and he returned a few minutes later and said.

.

"Lord Hyuuga said it was fine as long as you didn't perform any S ranked jutsu or higher." He stated.

Naruto rolled his eyes mumbling to himself. "Kami you level one little mountain and they never let it go."

Naruto walked his way down the flat white stone path to the main Hyuuga compound.

The main compound looked like a wall around a small quarter acre open court yard, but instead of a wall it was a forty feet thick house build around it.

Behind it was eighty feet of covered walkway that led to a huge five story castle like mansion build from wood and bamboo that dominated the landscape.

.

Naruto took the path around the edge mansion and reached the back yard.

It was very green and peaceful in the garden. There were four small ponds with cat tails and lily pads.

Huge goldfish and coy were in the ponds surrounded by rings of flowers.

In the center of the largest pond was a fountain statue of a topless mermaid holding a jar that poured a never ending steam of water.

On the east side of the pond was Hinata laying on her back looking up at the sky on a white marble bench holding a daisy.

She was wearing a loose fitting white dress that went all the way down to her ankles.

.

Naruto walked over to her and could hear her talking out loud while pulling petals off of a daisy.

"He loves me." She pulled one of the petals dropping it into the water while fish came up to the surface of the water thinking it was food.

"He barely knows I exist..." She pulled off another petal dropping it into the water.

Naruto walked over to the eight feet long bench and sat down on the small one foot space just in front of her head facing the small pond unnoticed by Hinata.

"He'd hardly give me the time of day." She said tossing another petal.

"I almost got killed in a feeble attempt to protect him." She said pealing another petal off.

"I confessed my love for him and he got amnesia." She said tossing another petal into the water.

"He's probably in the arms of another woman right now." She said throwing another petal.

.

Naruto leaned over her so his face was looking at hers upside down on the bench and said. "Hinata-Chan"

She glanced at him for a second and went back to her flower.

Naruto said. "Hinata- Chan..."

"I'm seeing waking delusions of him tying to talk to me again." She said ripping another petal off and dropping it.

Naruto tried again. "Umm Hinata-Chan?"

Hinata gritted her teeth while pulling another petal off. "My delusions are getting annoying."

.

Naruto was losing his nerve. _"What did I do? She's never acted this way before. I can't believe it's not her. I'd know her chakra anywhere."_

Naruto was total confused. "Hinata-Chan did I do something wrong? I only came here to invite you to the festival. I thought I could be your escort..."

Hinata sighed and set daisy with almost no petals on it in between her breast and folded her hands on her stomach.

"Yeah like I'd ever go the festival with you. Like the real Naruto would ever ask me?" She stated sarcastically.

Naruto blinked a few times. "But I am asking you? Hinata are you feeling ok?" He said then he put his hand on her forehead.

_"Oh Kami! That feels like a real hand on my head...could that really be Naruto?"_ She panicked.

.

Naruto looked up in confusion and said. "You don't feel warm."

Naruto reached down and picked up the daisy from in between her cleavage.

Naruto spoke. "One if the guy wouldn't give you the time of day he's a jerk." He said pulling off a petal and flicking it off into the pond.

"Two if he could forget you so easily then he's not worth the effort." He said flicking another petal across the pond.

"Three if he can't see that your one of the most beautiful girls he's ever laid eyes upon. He's a moron."

Naruto said as he pulled the last petal off the daisy and placed it in the center of her forehead.

He then placed the empty stem of the flower back in the center of her cleavage.

.

Hinata was breathing hard. "Will you do something for me Naruto?" The thick white low cut dress she was wearing was rising and falling rapidly.

Naruto looked at her and curiously asked. "What would that be?"

Hinata said with a dreamy look. "... Pinch me."

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Ok if that's what you want." He reached over and pinched her gently on her shoulder.

Hinata shivered when he touch her.

.

"Well I guess since you're waiting for some other guy to ask you to the festival, then I guess you wouldn't want me as an escort.

I'll go back to my afternoon training." Naruto said while smiling.

Hinata panicked and blushed. _"Oh Kami tell me I didn't turn him down! I'm such a idiot!"_

Naruto got up from the marble bench. "My offer stands if you change your mind though." He said with a smile.

Hinata couldn't hold on any longer and feinted as Naruto walked away.

.

Naruto was in thought walking back to the training grounds.

"_I knew the guys were wrong. She doesn't want to go with me. Oh well, life goes on."_

_._

Over an hour later Naruto and hundreds of his clones were training on training ground fifteen.

Hinata finally found out where Naruto was training and was watching from a good distance.

_"Ok now I just have to go over there and accept his offer... Why won't my legs move when I want them to?"_ She tried to walk over to him, but her legs just wouldn't move.

_"Ergh why is this so hard?...Maybe he found someone else to go with?... No I can't think like that anymore... I have to go over and talk to him..._

_I don't need to accept his offer right off the start. Maybe I can just talk with him for awhile and calm down." _She mental warred with herself.

She closed her eyes and tried to steel her nerves.

.

The lone Naruto under a tree reading a scroll put it down suddenly.

_"Hmm I sense someone chakra on the east side of the training ground." _Naruto rolled his eyes.

_"I guess I should see what fan club girl is spying on me this time and then chase her off." _He thought.

Naruto got up and dashed off in the direction of the chakra. When he got about two hundred feet from her and realized who it was hiding behind the tree.

_"Oh its Hinata... I better not charge up to her like I do the other stalkers. She might die of a heart attack knowing her." _Naruto thought.

Naruto slow himself down to a stalking speed and rounded the tree coming right up behind a mumbling Hinata sitting next to a tree holding her knees watching all of Naruto's clones.

.

Naruto said. "What's wrong Hinata-Chan?" He asked softly seeing as how she looked pretty sad and a bit upset.

Hinata sighed. "I'm hopeless. I can't even just go over there and talk to him. He finally asked me out to the festival and I think I blew it.

I'm not sure if Naruto even still wants to go with me." She said not realizing who she was talking to.

Naruto smiled. "Oh I'm pretty sure that he does." He said taking seat next to Hinata.

Hinata gave a fake laugh. "Ha what makes you so sure?"

She said finally glancing over at Naruto then she looked back out at the clones for a few seconds before it clicked.

She jerked her head back around to look at Naruto and blushed heavily.

Naruto smiled. "Well, let's just call it a hunch." He said sarcastically and laughed.

.

"Hope you don't mind helping out one of the academy classes booths though, I kind of volunteered to help them with their story cafe."

"Na..Naru..to did you really want to go with me? I..I.. mean you could have nearly any girl in the village..." She stammered.

Naruto sighed. "Well I know that, but I'd like someone I can be myself around.

I don't want to have to put on a heir of being the famous Hero of the Village all the time.

That and you know my past and my big secret."

Naruto got a bit sad. "You're one of the few that never shied away when you found out about that. It's like it didn't even phase you.

You're the only one that reacted like that... Even all the rest of the guys that knew me were scared at first." He said.

"If it wasn't a guy/girl kind of event I could have asked anyone I know, but it is. I honestly only even thought of asking just two people.

I thought of asking if lady Tsunade."

_"Oh my Kami there's no way I could win Naruto's affections in competition with her! I didn't think Naruto would go for older women." _Hinata thought worriedly.

.

"But she's going to be busy with the festival to as she is Hokage.

I don't think I want to get stuck at a bar with her, which would probably happen in the end any way.

So I discounted that option.

I asked Sakura-Chan if she wanted to go, but she told me she had work that night.

I then went by and saw Iruka sensei to ask him if he wanted to have lunch kinda as an afterthought and his student mobs me.

They asked if I'd help with their booth and I told them sure.

It's not like I had anything else pressing to do." Naruto said with a shrug.

.

"It wasn't until Kiba kind of suggested that I ask you as an escort that I got the idea." He said.

Hinata wasn't blushing anymore.

_"I'll have to thank Kiba later for this. It not so bad anymore talking to Naruto...I'm becoming bit more comfortable around him." _She thought.

Hinata said. "I never thought you'd ask me...even as an escort."

Naruto laughed. "Well I never thought you'd want to go with me as pretty as you are." He stated. "What time should I pick you up?

"Umm I..I guess around six would be ok." She said while smiling shyly.

.

* * *

.

Naruto had on his best Sage uniform...By best it meant it was clean and wasn't ripped up.

He looked just like always, but instead of the leaf ninja headband he was wearing his Sage headband.

Naruto was at the gate to the Hyuuga compound talking to the guard.

"Hello I'm here to pick up Hinata for the festival." He said with a smile.

"Right this way Sage Naruto." The guard led him up to the five story mansion entrance and opened the door.

.

Naruto thanked him and stepped inside to a small waiting area.

"Hello great Sage. I'm Minaskai the butler of this estate. I regret to inform you Lady Hinata isn't ready just yet.

If you would please have a seat inside the main hall she will be with you shortly." He gestured the door behind him.

"Thank you Minaskai." Naruto said and went into the main hall and took a set on a white couch.

The room had a lot of chairs and sofas in it. In the far left corner was a grand piano and a lot of other stringed instruments on stands.

The theme of the room seemed to be light colored oak and white.

.

Naruto waited in silence for a good five minutes until Lord Hyuuga himself came out of a nearby door at took a seat in a nearby chair.

"Good evening Sage Naruto." The Hyuuga lord said.

"Hello lord Hyuuga." He replied.

"Some formalities must be gotten out of the way before Hinata leaves with you tonight." He stated.

"What formalities? We are just going to the festival." Naruto said a bit confused.

"I have to know what your intentions are with my daughter before she leaves." He stated as he raised a eye brow at him curiously.

"Umm well, I was going to take her to Iruka sensei's class's story cafe. I'm supposed to help with it. After that I don't know.

I guess we will walk around the festival take in the sights and watch the fireworks.

I haven't really thought about it much. I'm just her escort. I wasn't really planning on it being like a date." He said honestly.

Hiashi was slightly embarrassed at his words. _"Just her escort...Well that's good to know. _

_At least I don't need to worry about her getting out of control with her hormones." _He thought.

.

"I see…" Hyuuga lord said in thought.

Hinata came down a spiral stair case near the west side of the room wearing a white kimono with glossy pink and crimson flowers on it.

"Hello Naruto-Kun." She said a shyly.

"Hello Hinata-Chan." Naruto replied. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes." Hinata said shyly as she walked over to him.

Naruto got up and headed over to the entrance to meet her.

"I'll see you later Lord Hyuuga." Naruto said as they both left.

"Have fun you two." He said as they left.

.

* * *

.

They were walking down the main square of the town where there were booths set up in front of all the shops.

"Well we have some time before Iruka's class opens their cafe. Do you want to walk around some?" He said while smiling.

"Ummm only if you want to." Hinata said shyly.

"Hey how about we try that game?" Naruto said while walking over to it and Hinata followed.

.

They spent forty minutes going around looking at all the attractions and playing a few of the games.

There was every kind of weird food they could imagine, from pickles crow's feet to goat heart pie.

Naruto had won Hinata a stuffed bear that was dressed up like a leaf ninja from one of the attractions.

"I hope we can find the Iruka sensei class's cafe. I'm supposed to be there in about fifteen minutes." Naruto said.

"Umm Naruto didn't they tell you the name of the place where they were making the cafe tonight? The festival is fairly big.

I don't think we are going to make it if we don't get some directions." Hinata said a bit worried.

"Hey there's Choji and Shikamaru with Kurenai. Let's go ask them." He said grabbing Hinata's hand and walking over to them.

.

"Hey Shikamaru and Choji." He said while waving to get their attention.

They looked at Naruto, then at Hinata, then they looked that their hands before Shikamaru said. "You two are hitting it off well." He stated.

Naruto got a confused look then looked down at his hand.

.

"Oops I didn't mean it like that.

It's just that there are so many people here that I need to keep a hold of her so she doesn't get swept off.

Lord Hyuuga would get mad if I lost her." He said with a short laugh, but didn't remove his hand much to Hinata's blushing relief.

_"Oh Kami we are holding hands! I never thought this would happen."_ She thought excitedly.

"Do any of you know where Iruka sensei's class's story cafe is?" Naruto asked.

They all sweet dropped.

"Naruto we are in line for it." He said pointing at a sign that said.

'Line for The Great Sage Naruto Story Cafe by academy class 3A Teacher Iruka Sensei. Stories told by the Great Sage himself.'

.

"You do know what a story cafe is all about right Naruto?" Choji asked while eying him critically.

"Umm it's like a normal cafe with a story teller?" He asked.

"Not quite, you're expected to tell stories about your past and the costumers aren't allowed to talk.

They are shown menus and they point at what they want on them. You're the entertainment." Shikamaru said.

"Ohh that doesn't sound too hard, but where is the place?" Naruto asked.

"What a pain." He said while scratching the back of his head.

"Naruto follow this line around the corner and up four blocks were it ends. I hope you do well. The Hokage will probably come see it too.

It's at the Shiken Theater house." Shikamaru said.

.

Naruto raced to the theater house with Hinata in tow.

"Naruto you're cutting it close. We open in eight minutes. I hope you've thought of an act for this.

We weren't expecting to get more customers then the main stage act." Iruka sensei said while ushering them inside.

"Don't worry Iruka sensei, I'll just wing it." He said with a smile as he and Hinata walked in to the theater.

.

Inside the midsized theater were thirty round tables with white table cloths. Each had four chairs around.

At the back of the theater was a sixty feet across stage with dark purple curtains that was currently open.

"Ok I'll go get up on stage and see what props I've got to work with. Hinata-chan can you see what the other need help with?" He asked.

"Ok Naruto-kun." She stated a bit disappointed that they wouldn't be working together.

Naruto went to the stage and dug through the props chest and grabbed some painted wooden ninja weapons.

Hinata headed to the make shift kitchen that was off to the left of the stage in a twelve feet by twelve feet black square tent in order it to hide it from view.

.

Hinata went up to the entrance of the tent where student were coming and going from.

She found a thirteen year old boy with brown hair holding a scroll. He was telling other students what to do.

"Umm excuse me. I'm here with Naruto. Is there anything I can help with?" She said reserved manner.

The boy looks over the top of his scroll and went wide eyed. The boy dropped the scroll from his hands and stared at the beautiful woman in front of him.

"Umm I think we found our drink server." He said slightly dumbfound while leaning over to a nearby girl.

Hinata quickly learn her role as a drink server and got set up for opening.

.

Naruto was on stage with several clones acting out a battle.

"Ok it's time to open up, close the curtains to the stage." Iruka sensei said. "Everyone get ready to take orders and server the food."

They opened up and within a few minutes they were full. The orders were taken and soon the curtain opened.

.

One Naruto and a bunch of his clones were on stage. Most of them were henged to look like other people.

There was one Naruto, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Kabuto and Orochimaru.

"Good evening everyone. The story for tonight will be 'Naruto and the battle of the three Sannin'.

I was only thirteen when this happened. I hope you all enjoy it." He said with a bow.

.

Naruto started the story of looking for Lady Tsunade to offer her the title of Hokage.

He acted out how they found her and how she had talked bad about the third Hokage.

The young Naruto henge said. "That it! Outside." He challenged his Tsunade henge.

"Fine brat." She said and they stormed to the other side of the stage were some fake bush props were to tell everyone they went outside.

The Tsunade hedge said. "What makes you so touchy about the old man?"

.

"Unlike you, it's my dream to become Hokage." The young Naruto said.

"I shouldn't bother with a small fry like you, but I guess I will. And all I'm going need is this one finger." The Tsunade henge held up her pointer finger.

"Yeah bring it on." The young Naruto said and charged her.

The Tsunade easily avoided the attack of the young Naruto and flicked his head band off.

She used her finger flick jutsu and the Naruto clone wasn't thrown like when it really happened.

He more of jumped, but the audience got the idea.

.

"Ergh!" The young Naruto said. "Shadow clone jutsu!" Another young Naruto appeared and did a Rasengan in the first Naruto's hands then he charge Tsunade with it.

She avoided it throwing the Naruto across the stage.

The audience gasped at the Rasengan.

"Jiraiya why are you teaching this boy a jutsu he can't hope to master!" The Tsunade clone said.

"You just give me three days and I'll have that jutsu down flat!" Young Naruto said.

"Ha it took the Fourth Hokage years to perfect that jutsu. I'll make you a bet.

If you can learn that jutsu in a week I'll admit I'm wrong and say your worthy of being Hokage...

I'll even throw in my necklace that was once the first Hokage's, but if you lose I get the money in froggie." Tsunade stated holding up Naruto's fat frog wallet

"You got yourself a deal!" The young Naruto said.

.

Naruto managed the whole story up to the part were Jiraiya and Orochimaru were talking about what makes a 'REAL ninja' without a problem.

Jiraiya said. "What makes a Real ninja is G..."

The henged clone that was supposed to look like a giant frog suddenly turned back to a normal clone and was struggling to keep the Jiraiya clone balanced on his shoulders.

They swayed back and forth dangerously before falling down with a poof.

The crowd roared with laughter at this and Naruto quickly made more clones to continue the story slightly embarrassed.

He finished the story with Lady Tsunade admitting that he would make a fine Hokage and giving him the first Hokage's necklace.

.

The cheers from the crowd were deafening when Naruto finish his story.

Naruto preformed the story for two hours for new customers each time and each time they drowned out all sounds with their cheers.

The last performance of the night actually had the Hokage and Sakura-Chan in attendance.

Sakura got out early and was escorting Sasuke in a wheel chair to see or rather hear the performance.

.

Everything worked like clockwork until it came to the parts of Tsunade fighting with Naruto for the first time and the Hokage said. "Hmph don't insult my jutsu Naruto."

"Hey everyone how would you like to see the Hokage play herself in this story?" Naruto said with pointing at her.

The crowd roared with approval.

"Damn you...You baited me." She said angrily.

.

"Hehe and you fell for it." Naruto stated and laughed.

The crowd roared as The Hokage took the stage to play herself in the story.

It was the best performance yet as Tsunade filled out the parts Naruto wasn't awake for and the finally scene.

"Oh Kami not the finger flick."

Naruto said with cringing as Tsunade kissed him on the forehead and place what was left of the necklace he had slipped her during the performance around his neck

"One day you'll make a fine Hokage." She said very honestly.

Naruto held Tsunade's hand and took a bow with her.

The crowed cheer and the whole theater cafe was the biggest hit of the festival.

.

Afterwards Naruto finally caught up with Hinata.

"Sorry about the helping Iruka sensei's class and all. I kinda promised before asking if you wanted an escort." Naruto said innocently.

"No it was fun." She laughed. "Is that story of your true?" She asked.

"Yes it is true, if it wasn't for me being such a hot head back then. She probably never would have taken the job." He admitted shyly.

Hinata smiled slightly shyly. "I had a feeling it was true." She said.

"Anyway, sorry for being such a lousy escort. Let me make it up to you. Let's go watch the fireworks from the best seat in the house." He stated.

"Umm ok where are we going Naruto?" She asked a bit worried.

"Shh you'll see." He said with a smile.

.

A few minutes later they were sitting on top of the Fourth Hokage's head at the Hokage monument.

"This is it my favorite place to sit and think. It is the best place to watch the fireworks too." He said.

Hinata wrapped her arm around his; she was too tired to be embarrassed and laid her head on his shoulder.

.

A high pitched scream went through the air followed by an explosion of green sparks.

"It's so beautiful Naruto...it's almost perfect" She said.

Naruto smiled. "What do you mean 'ALMOST' perfect?" He said eying her.

"Well if you would kiss me it would be perfect." She said not really all there at the moment.

Naruto snake his arms around her back and pulled her into a passionate kiss as the fireworks exploded in the sky.

.

* * *

_End of flashback_

.

"That's how it all started with your sister. I was still getting over Ino and Hinata was like a new guiding light for me.

She seemed really conservative and I needed a relationship that moved slowly. I wasn't ready to fall head over heels in love again.

We seemed perfect for each other." He stated.

.

"I didn't know any of that. I guess I really should talk to Hinata a bit more." Hanabi said with a slight cringe.

"Ok so what happened?" Hanabi asked. "How did it all go sour?"

.

_"Umm I don't like the idea of telling a fifteen year old girl anything sexual in any form or nature. How do I put this..." _He thought.

"Well... ummm... You see Hinata is... well...she's overly." Naruto stammered.

"Horny." Hanabi stated flatly. "I may not know everything about my sister, but yeah that's an obvious one."

"Well yes she's really horny. At first this wasn't a problem as she was still shy about it, but after I told her that I loved her for the first time she almost tried to rape me."

He said with a frightened look on his face.

.

Hanabi busted up laughing and it took her a few minutes to stop.

"Hey that's not funny. I wasn't ready for that step yet and especially I wasn't ready for that reaction out of her of all people!"

He stated while giving the laughing Hanabi at serious look.

"I'm sorry." She said still trying to stop laughing.

"It's just, I always thought she would do a one-eighty at one point, going from shy to bold. I just didn't expect it to be from shy to near rapist." Hanabi started laughing again.

.

After she finally calmed down she asked. "So let me guess she kept pushing you for sex and you kept refusing her?" She asked.

"Is it that obvious?" He said with a strained smile

"Well only after your 'Don't have sex until you're ready' talk." She said. "So that's all it took to break you guys up?"

"No, that wasn't the only reason. I mean I do love her." He said.

_"Wait_ _**"Do love her" **__like he still thinks of her that way? Does this guy ever admit he has stopped feeling that way about someone?"_ She thought.

.

"I could deal with her hormones." He said.

_"I think I'll leave out her sneak attacks in very kinky lingerie trying to tempt me." _He thought.

.

"It's when she started to think another girl was going to snatch me away from her or that every girl I talked to was my girlfriend on the side that things went bad.

Ergh it got so horrible that at one point she wouldn't let me talk to Sakura-Chan any more.

She was just too controlling and eventually she saw that all she was doing was making us both miserable.

She broke up with me after eight months together while she was crying and saying she was sorry over and over again.

She told me that she couldn't stop thinking about someone else taking me away from her and it was turning her into a monster of a woman.

.

She knew no matter how bad it got that I'd never break up with her.

She knew quite a bit about my relationship with Ino I believe, so she decided she had to end it.

I was pretty torn up about it, but it was not nearly as bad as I thought I would be.

I had failed again at a relationship I tried so hard to make work.

I hurt, but the main reason it hurt wasn't the loss of her affections.

It was that I felt there just wasn't anyone else in the village I could honestly date anymore.

.

"That's how I lost my newest guiding light and my sex temptress." He laughed, but it was a bit strained. "That's how I lost Hinata."


	6. Chapter 6 Heart To Heart, NarutoXSakura

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**Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Heart To Heart, NarutoXSakura**

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Author's notes:

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Reviews/questions:

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Thank you for all the glowing reviews.

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Last Chapter

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"She knew no matter how bad it got that I'd never break up with her.

She knew quite a bit about my relationship with Ino I believe, so she decided she had to end it.

I was pretty torn up about it, but it was not nearly as bad as I thought I would be.

I had failed again at a relationship I tried so hard to make work.

I hurt, but the main reason it hurt wasn't the loss of her affections.

It was that I felt there just wasn't anyone else in the village I could honestly date anymore."

.

"That's how I lost my newest guiding light and my sex temptress." He laughed, but it was a bit strained. "That's how I lost Hinata."

.

Chapter 6: Heart to Heart, Naruto X Sakura

* * *

.

Hanabi's legs were so stiff from sitting at the small dining table that she was shifting a lot on them trying to get comfortable.

Naruto was almost lying down on the carpet propping himself up on his elbows with his feet crossed.

"You know you don't need to act so formal with me. You can get comfortable.

Sitting in that proper form for so long can be bad for your legs." Naruto stated.

_"Hinata did the same thing when she ate over._" He thought.

.

Hanabi took he legs out from under herself and sprawled out on the soft carpet.

Naruto heard many pops and cracks as she stretched.

"Owie owie owie...pins and needles! I hate that feeling." Hanabi said rubbing her numb legs.

"Hehehe I told you it was bad for your legs." He stated.

"Oh quiet." She huffed while she waited for her legs to stop tingling.

"Well while you're lying on the floor I'm going to clean up dinner." Naruto got up and started clearing the table.

.

Naruto finished cleaning up and putting the table away after a few minutes.

When he came back he found Hanabi lying on the carpet in a rather seductive spread eagle pose relaxing with her eyes closed.

"Enjoying something?" Naruto asked her in a questioning manner.

Hanabi only opened her eyes and said. "Yes I really like this carpet. I wish my bed was this soft." She said lazily.

Naruto laughed. "Well that white leather couch behind you is even better." Naruto said while pointing at the couch behind her.

"Oh really. I'm too tired right now to get up though." She said.

Naruto gave her a knowing smile. _"She's being a bit of a flirt I think, but I'll let it go"_

.

Naruto walked over to her and held out his hands at her.

"Here I'll help you up." He said.

Hanabi groaned. "Can't I just stay here it's so comfortable." She asked pleadingly

_"Maybe she wasn't being a flirt after all." _He thought.

Naruto smiled. "I don't think it would look good if someone came over and you were lying like that on the floor. Come on get up."

He said as he grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet.

.

She groaned again, but let Naruto take her over to the couch.

He set her down and she sank into the corner of the couch.

_"Oh Kami the floor is like stone compared to this couch it's so relaxing." _She thought.

"Wow can I sleep here...like forever?" She asked jokingly.

Naruto laughed. "Well if you want to sleep over I've got plenty of nice beds, but sleeping on the couch isn't very noble." He said.

Hanabi woke up suddenly when Naruto hinted at her acting un-noble.

"Oh sorry I didn't mean to act that way." She confessed and slightly blushed.

Naruto got up and sat on the other side of the over stuff couch.

.

"Well I was just trying to wake you, it's only eight pm. It is a bit early for bed." He said honestly.

Hanabi thought. _"Oh Kami I was about to just fall asleep in his house... We hardly know each other! I've got to stay awake. I can't let that happened again."_

"I guess you'll want to hear about Sakura-Chan and me?" He said.

.

Hanabi scratched her head. "Well is it closer to the Ino story or the Hinata story as far as sadness is concerned?" She asked.

Naruto was eying her as she scratched her head a bit too carefully.

"I'd say it's just a bit sadder then my Hinata story, but first come lay your head in my lap for a second." He said calmly.

_"WHAT? Kami he has just been pretending to be a gentleman. He's probably going to do something perverted for sure! _

_What kind of woman does he think I am?"_ She panicked.

Hanabi wore a face of utter shock.

Naruto looked at her and laughed hard

.

"You're a bit of a perverted Hanabi. I just noticed you had scratched that spot on your head a few times today and thought you might have something there causing it.

I just wanted to take a look." He said with a smile. "But if you're going to take it that way, I guess it wasn't that big of a deal."

"Oh!" She said while blushing with embarrassment. "Yeah I don't know what's there, but it's been bothering me all day."

Hanabi padded over to Naruto on all fours and laid her head in his lap and pointed to the spot.

"It right here." She said while pointing at the top of her head.

.

Naruto dug through her hair and found what was bothering her.

"It's just a big zit. Hold still." He said.

_"Kami I hope he isn't gonna do what I think he's gonna do...That would be gross having him pop my zits for me... sooo eww!" _She thought.

Naruto planed his thumbs around the zit and started pressing it gently.

"Owey Owey Owey! That hurts! Naruto stop this it's so undignified!" She yelled.

"Stop being such a baby. It's just a zit. It will hurt at first, but then it will feel really relieving." He stated slightly sharply.

Naruto plated his fingers and pressed firmly.

.

"OWWWWCH! That hurt!" She screamed at him, but was unable to pull away from him as he hands prevented her from moving.

"Hold still you big baby I just took the top off of it now I need to drain it. I AM a medic as well as a Sage. It could get infected." He stated in a musical and warning tone.

Hanabi gritted her teeth and bared it. Just like Naruto said it was relieving once he drained it and it no longer bugged her.

Hanabi finally relaxed.

.

"I thought as much." He said eying the tiny wound. "Yo, could you get me the disinfectant and some tweezers." He yelled into the kitchen to his clone.

The clone came out of the kitchen and headed down the hall.

Hanabi was a bit concerned and more than a bit peeved. "What's the diagnosis Doctor? Am I going to live?" She said sarcastically.

Naruto laughed. "Yeah, it's just an ingrown hair. It like a zit, but itches a lot more.

I've got to pull the hair out before I heal it otherwise it will just bubble up again." He said looking down the hall at his clone.

The clone handed Naruto a First Aid kit and left.

Naruto dabbed a white cloth with something from a brown glass bottle and gentle wiped the area of the wound.

.

"That tingles." Hanabi protested.

Naruto took the tweezers and said. "This is going to feel weird depending on how long the hair is."

Naruto gentle grabbed the hair and started pulling it out slowly.

"It feels like your pulling out a strand of my brain... It doesn't hurt though." Hanabi stated.

"I told you it would feel weird." He said as he pulled the hair completely out of the wound and then quickly healed it.

.

She still had her head in his lap facing out into the room away from him.

"You better make this up to me for this indignity." She stated in defeat.

Naruto sighed. "Well that's gratitude for you. I do you a favor and now I owe you? Fine then." He smiled. "How about this to make up for it?"

Naruto ran his fingers through her hair lightly dragging his fingernails on her scalp.

Hanabi's body trembled as she relaxed.

Naruto absentmindedly kept running his fingers over scalp while continuing to tell his story.

.

"Well a few months after me and Hinata broke up.

The Hokage put me and Sakura-Chan on a B ranked mission to deliver a letter to the Raikage.

This is the mission I already told you about where Sakura-Chan nearly died and I did the Raw Chakra Transfer to save her life.

After I finally got out of the hospital and Tsunade forgave me. She started getting Sakura-Chan to teach me Medical Ninjutsu.

.

_Flash back_

* * *

.

The day after he got out of the hospital Naruto started learning Medical Ninjutsu.

Naruto was out at a one of the many training grounds standing next to a river with an upright log in front of him.

On the log was a fish that couldn't breathe out of water that he was supposed to keep alive with his healing chakra.

"No Naruto you're putting WAY to much chakra into it again. You're supposed to keep it alive not fry it." Sakura said a bit irate.

"Naruto you're going to have to hold back your chakra if you want this to work." She said empathetically.

Naruto shoulders slumped and he looked a bit sad.

"I'm sorry Sakura-Chan I've just got something on my mind that's bugging me." He stated.

.

"Naruto it wasn't your fault. That guy caught me off guard. There wasn't anything you could do about it. Everything worked out ...just let it go." She said softly.

"Still I'm sorry I didn't protect you as well as I should have..." He said sadly as he refused to look at her.

"Naruto I'm a ninja too. You can't always protect me. Ultimately my protection is my own job. You don't need to keep saying you're sorry." She said.

"Well that's not entirely what was bugging me..." He said as he took the fish he was trying to heal and put it back in the river.

.

He looked over at her and took a moment before saying. "Sakura-Chan after you were injured and I thought you were going to die.

I started to see most of the things that we have fought about were petty and childish.

I realized there was something I'd been telling you all these years with my actions, but I never told you directly." He said seriously as he looked into her emerald eyes.

_"I don't know how she's going to take this... I'm not even sure how I mean it... _

_I just have to tell her how important she is to me no matter how she takes it."_ He thought.

Naruto took a deep breath and Sakura looked total confused.

"Sakura-Chan ... I love you." He stated honestly.

.

Sakura was so shocked...

_"Why am I so shocked... why? I always knew that he loved me in some form or another... It was obvious... He...he bared The Nine Tails chakra so many times to get Sasuke back for me. _

_He always asked me and only me out on dates for so long... Until he started dating Ino... Ino... She's the one that truly stole his heart. _

_I was so jealous when they started dating for real._

_I always thought he'd be chasing after me... I was so foolish to think that I could reject him forever and he would keep coming back!_

_I wanted to do everything in my power to break them up...but I couldn't... not after everything Naruto had been through...After everything I had put him through with my selfish request._

_I never even said thank you for getting Sasuke back...Tears...why...why am I crying"_

Sakura never moved, but tears were streaming down her shocked face.

Inner Sakura stated._** "Because you're a idiot that let someone else steal him away, then let another girl do the same thing thinking he'd always be there for you. **_

_**Now you find out he's always held a place in his heart for you. Run over there and kiss him! Don't let him get away again!"**_

.

"I'm sorry Naruto I need to go." She said as she turned around and ran away with tears in her eyes.

.

Naruto gave an unsteady sigh.

"Well I can't say I'm surprised." He said out loud. "But I will never say I'm sorry about the way I feel about her either."

.

_"Damn him... How could he say that after all this time?...How could he...he turn my world upside down like that?" _She thought as she cried up against a tree.

_"Why...why couldn't I just tell him 'You're someone special to me too'...I love you too Naruto!" _

_Why did he have to open up my wounded heart again?...I thought I locked it away from him for forever..._

_When he dated Ino I thought that I had let go...given up on having him for myself. Can I even tell him?...After all I put him through..._

_Do I even have the right to tell him that I've loved him for a long time? What am I going to tell him?_" She warred with herself.

.

The next morning twenty Naruto's was trying to keep fish alive out of water.

Sakura looked a bit pale and tired when she showed up.

"Good morning Sakura-Chan." All the Naruto's said while waving and then went back to their work.

_"I have to tell him...I can't go on without telling him. I'll go crazy if I don't tell him...Why is this so hard?"_

.

"Naruto I-I need to talk with you for a moment." She stammered as she walked up to him by the stream.

"What is it Sakura-Chan?" He said while his clones continued to train.

"About what you said yesterday..." She said shyly trying to steel her nerves and hold back her tears.

"Sakura-Chan, Its ok, you don't need to respond. I just wanted you to know. I wasn't trying to put you on the spot.

I honestly just wanted you to know." He said thoughtfully.

_._

_"Damn him I'm trying to keep my nerve and he's taking it away!" _She mentally screamed.

Naruto continued. "I know its Sasuke that you always liked..."

"NARUTO JUST SHUT UP!" She screamed.

She charged over to Naruto and pinned him to the ground holding his wrist.

She was right on top of him and she had tears rolling down her face.

"Just shut up...This is hard enough on me as it is. You're talking isn't making it any easier." She said breathing unsteadily.

She took a few moments to steel her nerves again.

.

"Naruto...I...I...love you too." She whispered while she had her eyes closed in a wince facing away from him.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "What... what did you just say?" He stammered.

Sakura gave him an angry look." Do I have to spell it out for you?" She grabbed him by the back of his head and crushed her lips into his. All of Naruto's clones poofed

_**"Hell yeah! It's about time!" **_Inner Sakura cheered.

Sakura broke the kiss and looked into he's eyes.

.

"I love you Naruto." She spoke softly. "I've loved you for a long time." She confessed.

When Naruto finally came out of his shock he smiled and broke Sakura's hold.

He rolled Sakura over on the ground so he was on top of her and he gentle took her lips in a tender, passionate and loving kiss.

All the fighting, pain and misunderstandings they went through faded away in the moment. It no longer mattered.

All that matter was the beautiful kiss they were sharing with each other.

A kiss that could only say I love you in a blindingly powerful way that couldn't be denied.

.

* * *

_End of Flash back_

_._

"I all honesty never expected to find love again. Especially not with my lifelong crush." Naruto confessed still stroking Hanabi's scalp with his finger nails.

Naruto looked down at Hanabi.

He watched her for a moment. Her sides was rising and falling in a slow and steady pace.

_"It seems I've bored her to sleep... She's really a beautiful girl." _He thought to himself.

_"She's going to be quite the little heart breaker soon. I hope she has better luck with love then I did." _

"Hey!" He whispered loudly at the kitchen.

His clone came out and saw the sleeping Hanabi on Naruto's lap and smiled.

.

"Go get her handler at the Hyuuga compound." He whispered to his clone.

The clone nodded his head and quietly left through the front door.

_"I'd normally just wake her up and take her home, but she's had a hard first day on Squad Seven. _

_She has earned her rest and I just don't want to wake her."_ He thought.

_**.**_

_**"You're getting rather sappy for a Shinobi Naruto."**_ A sinister voice boomed in his head.

_**"I thought you were supposed to kill your heart and become an emotionless killer."**_

_"Hey Ruby." _He casually spoke mentally. _"Still sore about getting resealed?"_

_**"Of course! I've come to accept it though. I know you were protecting me from that accursed Madara Uchiha! **_

_**I'll never live that down...To be helped by a mortal! **_

_**And stop calling me by that pet name!"**_Kyuubi said.

_"Hehehe then tell me your real name if you don't like my pet name." _He mentally stated.

_**"You know I'll never tell you that! I would never give you that kind of power over me. **_

_**I've already told you of the part of my past that concerns you. I will speak no more about my past." **_Kyuubi stated.

_._

_"Yes I know... You know I'd enter your realm to see how your children were doing if I could. _

_I'd even release you if I could, if you would just go back to your realm and leave this one in peace." _He mental stated thoughtfully.

_**"Yes...even I know that Naruto. All of your kind sees me as a raging beast. **_

_**You the only one of your kind that saw me as a victim of Madara**__." _The fox stated calmly.

_**"You know this seal isn't like the other one... One day I will be free and my pride will not let you live for resealing me. Even if you were protecting me."**_

_"So why are you bugging me Ruby? Shouldn't you be going through my memories or something?_

_I let you out of the internal cage so you wouldn't be so bored. What's bugging you?" _Naruto thought.

_**"You know it hopeless. You know what you gave up to let me out of that inner cage. **_

_**I don't want to feel what happened with the last three. Don't fall into that trap of love again."**_ Kyuubi stated.

Naruto sighed, _"I know Ruby." _He mentally said sadly. _"I know." _

_._

.

Hanabi woke up and couldn't go back to sleep.

_"Damn all that annoying light. Who opened the curtains in my bedroom?"_

She thought as she rolled over to hide her face from the light in hopes of going back to sleep.

She mashed herself into the back of the couch.

_._

_"That's strange I don't remember stacking a bunch of pillows on this side of my bed." _She thought.

She laid there for a long time trying to go back to sleep, but no matter how long she tried she just couldn't get back to sleep.

She finally gave up and rolled back over.

She opened her eyes just a crack.

Everything was blurry and bright. It took her a few moments to for her eyes to adjust to the light.

She saw a huge fish tank on a giant bay window with fish darting here and there.

There were double doors to the left of the tank and a messy desk in the right corner.

_"This isn't my bed room... Where am I?" _Hanabi bolted up right.

_"OH NO! I fell asleep. Oh Kami Shizan going to kill me...hell FATHERS GOING TO KILL ME!" _She panicked.

.

Hanabi quickly bolted to the door and put her shoes on. She opened the front door to leave in a panicked rush.

"You're running off without telling the Sage good bye?" She heard a familiar female voice.

Hanabi looked over at a woman standing at the foot of the staircase near the couch she had slept on.

She was middle ages with her brown hair pulled in a bun over her head. She wore a white robe with the Hyuuga Clan symbol on it over her heart.

"Shizan what are you doing here?" Hanabi said in stunned surprise.

She smiled. "Well Naruto didn't want to wake you up and he didn't want any misunderstandings about you sleeping over.

So he sent one of his clones to come get me.

I almost woke you up with my Awww expression when I saw you sleeping on the Sages lap. You were so cute." She said smiling ear to ear.

.

Hanabi's heart was finally starting to calm down.

_"Oh thank Kami Shizan's here. I thought I was dead for sure." _Hanabi thought relieved.

"Sorry dear, but I couldn't help myself last night. I took a picture of you sleeping on his lap.

Naruto really liked it too. Look dear you made it on his mantle." Shizan said point at the fireplace mantle.

.

Hanabi slowly walked over to the mantle and looked.

Right next to the picture of Naruto kissing Sakura on the cheek was an eight by ten picture of her lying on her stomach.

Her head in his lap clutching Naruto's far knee with her hand and she was sound asleep.

Naruto had his head tilted looking down at her with a thoughtful, sweet expression on his face.

It was a very sweet picture and it was very embarrassing for Hanabi.

Hanabi was blushing as she went to grab the picture and throw it away.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you. Naruto put some sort of jutsu on it." She warned.

She stopped her hand a few inches away from the framed picture.

"Ergh it figures he do something like that! What if father sees that! He'll freak out." She yelled in a huff.

Shizan laughed. "I don't think he'd mind as much as you think." She said in a knowing voice.

.

She crossed he arms in a huff.

"How did you get it developed so fast?" She asked angrily.

Shizan laughed. "Naruto sent one of his clones to get it developed this morning.

He liked it so much that he moved the picture of him wearing the Hokage's hat and put it there." She said.

Naruto came down the stairs to see what all the noise was about.

He looked at the peeved Hanabi complaining about the new picture.

.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Come on Hanabi-Chan it's just a picture. It's nothing to be embarrassed about." He stated.

"Why did you have to put it there of all places, right next to all your ex girlfriends?" She asked while looking at him and pointing behind her at the picture.

"Because I put the pictures of all the most important people to me on the mantle." He said while coming down the stairs and stood next to Hanabi in front of the mantle.

"We haven't known each other that long so why am I up there?" She asked angrily as she crossed her arms and a bit shyly.

Naruto sighed. "Let me explain all the pictures up here and then maybe you'll get it." He said.

Naruto pointed to the picture of Iruka sensei.

"This is my first sensei Iruka, next is the picture of Squad Seven just after I became a Genin, this is my late master Jiraiya." Naruto said.

.

Naruto skipped the two in the middle and pointed at the three after them. "I think the next three kind of speak for themselves." Naruto look over at her.

"I still don't see why I'm up there..." She said while crossing her arms.

"Well I guess you wouldn't know this, but you will form stronger bonds with your squad mates then you'll ever have with your family.

They will become vastly important to you and you'll start treasuring the little things.

Like a certain young girl falling asleep on my lap for instance." He smiled at her and she got rather flushed.

"Ok what about the two in the middle then. Why are they up there?" She asked.

Naruto seemed to be deciding whether or not to tell her this.

"I'm sorry Hanabi. I can't tell you that yet." He said thoughtfully.

.

"Hanabi! I told you not to ask him about his past." Shizan scowled her.

"Sorry Shizan." She said hanging her head.

Naruto smiled. "It's ok. It is normal for people to be curious about me. Well Hanabi-Chan how about some breakfast?"

"Yes please." She said gracefully getting away from Shizan glare.

.

They ate breakfast in his dining room that was just off to the left of the kitchen.

The dining room had a long square table made out of the same dark wood as the house that had ten antique looking chairs around it.

In the room were three glass cabinets with fine china in it and a crystal chandler.

The rest of the room was bare.

It didn't look like the room was used much.

.

After they finished eating Naruto said. "Are you ready to get back to training?"

"Ergh I'm so sore from yesterday, can't we take a day off?" She pleaded.

"Sorry, but no, we have less than a month to train you for the Chunin exams. I can take care of your soreness.

First you probably want a bath seeing as how you slept in until ten am. Go down the hall, it's the third door on your right." He said.

.

"I've already laid out clothes for you dear." Shizan said.

Hanabi sighed defeated and went to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

.

She returned twenty minutes later to find Naruto and Shizan talking in the living room.

"So are you ready yet?" Naruto asked.

"I'm still sore, but I guess so." She said not too thrilled at the idea.

"Lay on the floor Hanabi-Chan I'll take away the soreness." He said.

Hanabi looked at him puzzled and then did what he asked.

Naruto sat down next to her and started pouring green chakra over her body that made her tingle.

.

"Do you know what causes soreness?" He asked her while healing her.

"Not really." She confessed.

"It actually lots of tiny rips in the muscles.

When they heal you get slightly stronger and if it's done a lot then you get much stronger." He said as he finished.

"Tell me if you're still sore." Naruto said as he stopped healing her and sat up right.

Hanabi moved around and to her relief she wasn't sore at all.

"Thank you Naruto that's amazing." She stated.

Naruto laughed. "It's not a big feat. Healing soreness is the lowest level of healing." He said with a smile.

"Now let's be off to the training ground. Konohamaru is already there by now and I'm two hours late."

.

* * *

.

They arrived together at training ground thirty-six to see Konohamaru already training on the small pond.

"Hey Naruto. You're late. That's not like you.

I was going to see what was taking so long for you to get here if you didn't show up soon.

Who's the cute girl?" Konohamaru said while giving him a teasing grin.

Naruto said. "Oh this is Hanabi Hyuuga the Heir to the Hyuuga clan. She's my teammate for the upcoming Chunin Exam's."

"It's nice to meet you Hanabi" Konohamaru said.

"Like wise." Hanabi said with a slight bow of respect.

"Hehehe, she's a bit formal isn't she?" He said with a slight laugh as he pointed at her.

.

"Yeah, what do you expect for the Hyuuga clan?" Naruto said with a shrug. "Any ways how are you coming along with the training?"

"Ergh it's still impossibly hard." He stated as he slumped his shoulders on the waters of the small pond.

"I'm slowly getting better at it though. It's too bad Tsunade didn't put you on our team.

We so would have kicked butt." Konohamaru stated as he gave him a smile.

Naruto laughed. "Well I still feel it's unfair for me to take the exam this way, but putting me and you on the same team is over kill.

There's no way she'd do that." Naruto said with a honest grin.

Konohamaru smiled. "I know, but it still would have been fun." He stated. "So what are you teaching her?"

.

"The Shadow Clone jutsu." He stated.

"Really? I didn't think the Hyuuga clan had the chakra to learn that one and make it useful.

Why teach her a jutsu if it's not likely she can prefect it by the time of the Chunin exams?

I thought for sure you'd teach her medical Ninjutsu seeing as how well the Hyuuga clan picks that up." He questioned him curiously.

"Actually she's almost got it just from training yesterday." Naruto said.

"No Way! How? It took me over a year to get that one." Konohamaru said in disbelief.

"I used the Raw Chakra Transfer technique to keep refilling her chakra a bunch of times.

She effectively got about six months of training done in a few hours." Naruto smiled proudly.

Konohamaru thought for a moment and blushed. "Umm Naruto... Weren't you embarrassed to use that jutsu on a girl?...

I mean isn't her heart string chakra line like...like right under one of her...ummm...boobs?" He stammered shyly.

.

"Well she didn't seem to mind." He said in a suggestive voice.

Konohamaru got a huge nose bleed and fell into the pond as his clones dissipated.

Naruto roared with laughter at the drenched Konohamaru.

Hanabi was staring daggers at Naruto.

"I did the transfer from behind you pervert." He said still laughing.

"Why you...Naruto don't make jokes at the expense of my reputation again!" She said angrily.

"Sorry Hanabi-Chan." Naruto said honestly.

.

After Konohamaru had dried off he asked Naruto. "Sooo what did her first clone look like." He asked overly casual.

Naruto gave him an angry look and said. "Quiet you or I'll tell her what YOUR first clone looked like." He threatened.

.

_Flash back_

* * *

.

Naruto was at a training ground teaching Konohamaru one day.

"Ok let see if you can make anything besides smoke today Konohamaru." Naruto said.

"I know I'll make a clone today! You just watch!" He said while putting up the crossed tiger seal.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He yelled.

.

There was a puff of smoke and there was the ugliest and funniest clone Naruto had ever seen.

The forehead was huge, the eyes were tiny, it cheeks were sagging two inch's down from its face.

The rest of the body was ballooned out like he was trying to make it way too muscular.

The most obvious thing about the clone was the six feet long three feet wide penis protruding from its pants.

The clone immediately fell over struggling against its own girth to get back up.

They were both shocked at first.

Then Naruto roared with laughter while Konohamaru blushed furiously in embarrassment.

_"I know what he's insecure about! I thought he was a bit young to be insecure about that though!"_ Naruto thought as he laughed on the ground.

Konohamaru mumbled to himself. "I'm going to train alone for the next few days…"

.

* * *

_End of Flashback _

_._

Konohamaru blushed. "Sorry I asked, please don't tell her about that!" He begged.

"Then don't ask about hers. That's a secret between me and her." He stated.

Hanabi eyed him. "Now I'm curious." She said.

"Hanabi..." He said in a warning manner.

Hanabi straitened up. "Oh sorry Sage Naruto." She said clearly trying to behaving.

"Let's get to training. Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He said and four hundred Naruto's appeared.

.

They trained for just over an hour and Hanabi had almost perfected making one clone.

The only distraction had been the looks Konohamaru gave them while Naruto refilled Hanabi's chakra.

It didn't help that she blushed she first few times Konohamaru looked at them until she got used to it.

.

"Ok guys I'm off to get lunch and then I'm headed to squad practice." He said as he waved good bye to them.

"Make sure to get some training done in between those snuggling sessions." He teased.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "See you Konohamaru."

"Good bye." Hanabi said in a formal tone while resting in Naruto's arms by the same tree as yesterday.

.

"So what do you think of Konohamaru?" He asked.

Hanabi lazily said. "He is a lot like you, but louder and he complains too much.

He a nice enough guy though. He picks on us too much for my liking."

"Yeah he is a lot like me." Naruto said while smiling.

"Well you're getting better at making the clone. I think you are ready to move on to learning how to dissipate them and get your chakra back.

Normally I'd save this step until later, but you haven't signed the contract yet."

Hanabi sighed. "I'll talk to father soon, but it might be wise to wait until tomorrow when his hangover is gone." She said almost asleep.

"Ok no falling asleep." He said poking her in the ribs with both hands.

Hanabi jumped and then groaned in protest getting up to work on the jutsu.

.

They both got up and she made another clone. Her best try yet, it was almost perfect.

"Ok how have to been dissipating your clones up till now?" Naruto asked her.

Hanabi gave him a confused look. "I've just been letting go of the jutsu. Isn't that how I am supposed to dissipate them?" She said questioningly.

Naruto said. "Well if you just let go of the jutsu you'll lose half your chakra so what should you do?"

Hanabi caught on quickly. "So there's a way to get your chakra back? How do I do that?" She asked knowingly.

.

"Well you know how you make the clone right?

You mock up a chakra network over your shadow and then pump it full of chakra.

Instead of just letting the chakra go to dissipate the clone you just pull your chakra back out.

This isn't easy and you'll have to learn to do it on the fly in battle.

Eventually you'll have it so ingrained in you that you'll do it without thinking.

That is when you'll have mastered the basics of the jutsu." He said.

.

"There isn't really anything else I can explain. You're just going to have to keep trying it till you get the hang of it." He said.

"Byakugan." Hanabi said and concentrated hard on her clone trying to suck the chakra back out of it.

This was very hard for her because she mainly focused on pushing chakra out of her, not pulling it back into her.

It took her thirty minutes to drain the chakra the clone enough for it to poof.

Hanabi hit the ground panting covered in sweat.

.

"That was amazing Hanabi." Naruto said.

Hanabi panted trying to catch her breath before saying.

"How was that amazing? It took me forever to drain the chakra back out of it and I think I expelled more chakra then I got back."

Naruto looked at her and smiled. "Actually you did, but I was talking about how long your concentration is.

I expected you to take breaks...not go for broke."

He said as he wrapped his arms around her and dragged her back to the sitting spot near the tree.

He started forcing chakra into her heart string chakra line.

.

Hanabi was still panting and said. "How did you get so good at this? It's ridiculously hard."

Naruto smiled "Practice, practice, practice. It's like...well like walking up a tree when you first start learning it it's really hard to do.

After doing it for so long it becomes like a reflex and you don't even think about it anymore...You just do it.

Don't worry though you'll get it in record time with me helping you." Naruto said.

.

She managed to drain four more clones over the next two hours.

Her best time was the third clone at twenty-two minutes, but she fell backwards with her fourth clone going back up to twenty-eight minutes.

"Something wrong Hanabi? You're getting worst not better." Naruto asked.

"I'm finding it hard to concentrate. It's hard to keep up that much concentration for so long and keep going again and again.

It's wearing down my mind." She said honestly as she wiped the sweat off her forehead.

.

One of Naruto's clones that was in the tree they were leaning against said.

"Use the strip tease method. That one worked well on getting Hinata to concentrate."

Naruto dissipated the loud mouthed clone angrily.

"The Strip Tease method?" She grinned.

"I guess we can try that only if you think it will help...I mean it IS for helping me learn the jutsu right."

Hanabi tried to sound critical, but the grin playing at it lips gave her away.

.

Naruto sighed. "Are you sure? Aren't you a bit young for that kind of incentive?"

"I'll manage." She said managing to keep her cool.

"Ok if that's what you want. I don't mind." He said in a warning manner.

_"I know I really shouldn't, but he's so handsome and cute... Oh god I think I'm becoming like Hinata._

_It's not noble...hell... I'll only let him get down to his underwear then before I'll tell him to get back dressed then hehehehe." _She thought evilly.

.

"Ok this is how this method works.

Every time you shave two minutes off of your time draining a clone I'll let YOU take off another piece of clothing..." Naruto said.

She smiled and nodded her head happily in agreement at first.

It took her a few seconds to catch what he was saying.

"WHAT?" She said as she blushed so hard she almost fainted, but fell over instead.

.

"Damn my perverted sister! Ergh!" She said in shock and frustration.

Naruto mumbled loudly to himself. "Well it helped Hinata." He said pretending to be disappointed at her reaction.

"You're a pervert too Naruto!" She yelled at him from the ground.

Naruto roared with laughter.

.

Hanabi managed to dissipate the next clone in a whooping forty-two minutes.

Naruto noticed his little prank was causing her to get even worse.

"Ok Hanabi that's enough for now. Let me recharge you and then let's get some lunch.

It is almost four pm anyway." He said.

.

Hanabi was so tired that she didn't even notice Naruto wrapping his arms around her waist and dragging her off to the shade of the tree.

After she stopped panting she just lean against his chest and relaxed.

Soon she fell asleep on him.

Naruto finished refilling her with chakra and started pouring healing chakra into her awkwardly from his sitting position.

_"I guess I'll let her sleep for a bit." _He thought.

_._

About twenty minutes later she finally started to stir.

"You feel any better sleepyhead?" He asked Hanabi.

Hanabi leaned her head back over his shoulder so she could look at him and said. "A little."

"Naruto do you think I'm weird?" She asked out of nowhere while she was half asleep.

Naruto was clearly caught off guard by the question.

.

"What do you mean Hanabi-Chan?" He asked.

She sighed and went back to her normal leaning on his chest position.

"Well I mean the fact that we hardly know each other and you have no problem feeding me your chakra like this even in front of Konohamaru.

It's like it doesn't bother you at all." She said searching for a answer.

.

"That because it doesn't. It's all about getting stronger. I'd wear a pink tutu if it meant getting strong faster." He said

"Do you honestly think if there was another way to feed you my chakra that looked any better that I'd refrain from using it?" He said.

Hanabi was laughing at the mental image of Naruto in a pink tutu.

Naruto smiled. "Ok it's time to get up and get something to eat."

Hanabi rolled her eyes as she got up.

"Please no ramen today." She pleaded.

Naruto got a sad look on his face "No Ramen?" He said with puppy dog eyes.

.

Hanabi actually choose Choji's favorite BBQ restaurant for lunch.

Naruto and Hanabi entered the restaurant and waited for a host to seat them.

"Hey Naruto." Shikamaru said waving him over to the booth he and Choji were in.

Naruto walked over to the booth and sat down on the empty side.

Hanabi followed and sat down right next to him.

.

"Hey Shikamaru, hey Choji, What's going on?" Naruto said with a smile.

"Who's your girlfriend?" Shikamaru said while eying the beautiful young woman carefully.

Hanabi didn't even blush she just went over the menu.

"She's not my girlfriend Shikamaru." He stated in a tired tone. "This is Hanabi Hyuuga. She is my new teammate for the upcoming Chunin Exams.

Hanabi this is Shikamaru, he's one of the smartest ninja's you'll ever meet.

This is Choji he looks a bit lazy, but don't let that fool you. Don't take the last piece of meat on the grill and you'll be fine. "Naruto said.

"It's nice to meet you." She said with a bow of respect.

.

Shikamaru eyed Naruto carefully. "How long have you known her?" He asked him carefully.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Well I meet her a few times while I was dating Hinata, but as far as getting to know her...two days." He said.

Shikamaru seemed unconvinced. "She seems way too comfortable around you for her to have only known you for two days." He said going back to his food.

Hanabi said. "Yeah you tend to get used to him pretty fast when he's force feeding you chakra all day and training the daylights out of you."

Shikamaru sighed. "Why am I not surprised?...So the Hokage is really going to make you take the Chunin exam? Is that dangerous?" He asked.

.

"Naw I'll be fine, thanks for your concern though." He said with a laugh.

Shikamaru laughed. "Yeah I know you'll be fine! I was talking about everyone else!"

Shikamaru looked over at Hanabi and asked. "What's this knucklehead been teaching you? Knowing him it would be how to level a mountain."

Naruto rolled his eye at his comment.

Hanabi set the menu down before speaking. "He is teaching me the Shadow Clone Jutsu." She said respectfully while looking at him.

Shikamaru didn't even flinch. "I was kind of expecting he would teach you a forbidden jutsu. That explains the force feeding of chakra." He said.

"How's she doing so far?" He asked.

.

Naruto looked over at her and smiled and she smiled right back knowing what he wanted her to do.

She got up from her seat and yelled. "Shadow clone jutsu." A clone of her appeared right next to her.

Naruto smiled even bigger and said. "After two days...I'd have to say she's not doing bad."

Hanabi just released the clone and sat back down.

She picked up the menu and began going over it again.

.

"Only you would figure out how to teach someone a forbidden jutsu in two days." Shikamaru said while shaking his head.

Naruto replied. "Well I am the keeper of the Shadow Clone Jutsu now."

Hanabi looked at him and said. "Keeper? What does that mean?"

"I'll explain it Naruto." Shikamaru said.

"You see forbidden Jutsu is only forbidden to those of us that can't handle it.

We would hurt ourselves learning or using it.

If you actually master it you're allowed to use it if it was taught to you by someone that has master it, in some cases.

Now in Naruto's case he has gone well beyond what anyone has ever taken the Shadow Clone Jutsu too.

In essence he is the grandmaster of it.

.

The Hokage named him the Jutsus Keeper, now he can teach it to whomever he wants to without permission.

As it stands right now only four people in the village knows that jutsu, including you that I know of.

If any of them wants to teach it to someone else, they have to get the keepers permission first." He said taking a piece of meat off the grill in the center of the table.

Hanabi asked while looking at Naruto. "Who's the last user of the jutsu then?" She asked.

"Kakashi sensei." Naruto said taking a few pieces of meat and putting them on his plate.

.

They ate and mostly it was Shikamaru and Naruto talking.

Choji remained quiet the whole time.

Sometimes Hanabi would answer a question, but largely she stayed out of the talking.

"Are you finished Hanabi?" Naruto asked as he stacked his plate at the end of the table.

"Yes Sage Naruto." She said respectfully.

Naruto put some money on the table and said. "I'll see you guys later. Let's go Hanabi."

Hanabi followed Naruto out of the restaurant.

.

"Hey Choji what did you think about how that girl acted around Naruto?'' Shikamaru asked.

"Hmmm they seemed to be pretty close. They have confidence in each other and it shows from just the way they move.

I think that's more impressive then her learning the Shadow clone Jutsu in two days.

I wonder how Naruto got so close to her in such a short time." Choji said while stuffing another piece of meat into his mouth.

Shikamaru watched them from the window as they left. "How indeed ...how indeed?" He said while nodding his head.

.

Naruto looked at Hanabi. "What was all that?" He asked as they were walking down the street.

Hanabi looked at him and said. "All of what?"

"That whole trim and proper act." He said.

Hanabi looked over at him. "That's actually how I normally act. The way I am with you is the weird act.

I guess you've had a strange way of growing on me." She said with a slightly puzzled look.

.

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah I guess I have a way of doing that."

"Where are we going? The training ground is the other way." She said

"You know I forgot to give you that gift last night and I forgot to get it before we left.

So seeing as how you wanted a tour of my compound… I figured we knock off early and go back to my house." He said while looking over at her.

She tried to hide her smile, but didn't come close. "That sound like a wonderful idea." She said with stars in her eyes.

.

Twenty minutes later they arrived back at Naruto's compound.

Hanabi was in awe all over again.

_"This place is even more beautiful during the day._

_I didn't really have a good look at it this morning seeing as how Naruto was in a hurry to get to the training ground." _She thought as she gazed out at all the flowers.

.

Naruto turned around about twenty feet up the cobble stone path and said. "You coming or are you going to just zone out on me?"

Hanabi blinked a few times and said. "I'm coming." She quickened her pace to catch up to him.

She followed him back inside the house and took her shoes off at the door.

"Come on it's in my bedroom." He waved for her to follow.

Hanabi reluctantly followed. _"I'm not sure if it's a good idea to go into his bedroom...He might total flip personalities... What the hell am I thinking? _

_He called my handler over here last night. He is not going to do anything to me. Where do these thought come from?" _

.

She thought it was strange, but he was leading her down the hall of the first floors of the east wing side of the mansion.

He went to the first door on the right and said. "It's in here."

He opened the door and walked in.

Hanabi stood at the doorway looking into his bed room. It wasn't anything at all like what she was expecting.

.

The room was smaller than she expected.

It was only ten feet by ten feet, there was a small singles bed pushed all the way up to the only window in the back of the room.

On the right of the bed was a old beat up nightstand and on top of it was a clock and a picture on it.

One the left side of the room was a medium sized beat up square desk with a folder and a few pieces of paper on it.

Just to the left of the desk was a small bookshelf that was only half full of books and the bottom shelf had some scrolls messily arranged in disarray.

On the right wall was a sliding door closet made of bamboo and it was open on the side nearest to the door.

Inside of what she could see was a few orange sets of cloths then it was nothing, but his Sage outfits. A few pairs of black sandals were in the bottom of the closet.

The only other item in the room was a old chest in the small space in between the right wall and the foot of the bed that Naruto was digging through.

.

Hanabi walked in to the room seeing as how Naruto had invited her in and walked over to the desk.

She didn't want to touch anything, but she did look at the paper that was on top that wasn't covered by the others.

I was a diagram as best she could tell.

It had the basic five elements wind, water, earth, lightning and fire in a circle and it told which was weak and strong to each other.

The strange thing was that it also had lines going in between the basic elements that seemed to show what combining them could make in a circle outside of them,

then there was curving arrows that pointed to basic elements.

In the very center was a Ying Yang symbol.

The only part of the diagram she understood was that using water and earth you could create wood that could be burned to enhance fire jutsu.

It hurt her head to look at it look at the complex diagram.

The only other thing of note about the diagram was that all the combinations dealing with lightning were blank.

.

She didn't notice it before, but in between the small desk and the bed was a calendar with the dates of April 22 circled with Choza Akimichi's B-day written in the small square and the

same thing for the 13th ,but with the name Hana Inuzuka.

_"The 13th is next week_. _I guess he sends a card or something for their birthday." _She thought.

.

There was a loud bang as Naruto tossed something heavy and made of metal onto the floor.

"I know it's in here somewhere." He said continuing to digging for the item in the chest.

Hanabi decided to see whose picture was on his bedside table.

_"I bet its Ino." _She thought as she picked up the picture and turned it around were she could see it.

It wasn't Ino at all...It was a picture of The Hokage and she was smiling and it was an honest smile.

Not an evil grin like she had been wearing yesterday at lunch.

.

"Found it!... Umm Hanabi-Chan."

He said while looking at her staring at the picture on his nightstand.

"Please don't touch the pictures in my house; some of them are charge with something that will turn you into a stone frog." He said.

Hanabi looked at her hand, then the picture, then her hand, then Naruto in shock.

"You're lucky I didn't charge that one with it. It is one of my favorite pictures though." He said. "I don't normally invite anyone into my bedroom."

_"Note to self don't touch ANYTHING in his house!"_ She thought.

.

"Your room isn't what I expected… Why don't you live in the master bedroom? Isn't that on the top story?

Why do you live in a servants quarters?" She asked intently.

Naruto sighed and pulled a small golden key out of his pocket.

"It's on the second floor not the third. The third floor is nothing big empty ball room that never gets use like most of this house." He said slightly sadly.

"Go up the stairs to the second floor, turn around and go to the last set of doors on the left at the end of the hall. That's the master bed room if you want to see it." He said.

"I'll be in the living room when you come back down." He said handing her the golden key.

Hanabi took the key and eyed it for a moment and left the room.

.

She walked up the stairs to the second floor of the house that ended into another kitchen that never seemed to be used, but it was clean.

She turned around just like she was told and passes four doors on each side.

The last door on the right was open and it looked like a small library with a red chair and a table in it from what she could see.

She turned to the dark oak double doors and unlocked the lock that was golden just like the key.

The double doors slowly creaked open.

Inside was a grand four post bed right in front of her and there were several dressers. Three of them were short and two were over six feet tall.

The room was almost as big as the living room; it was about twenty-five feet square.

In the corner was a large strange bathing area that looked like a fountain made of marble with a few statues of pretty young mermaids around it.

The thing that creeped her out about the room was all the faded pictures of the same girl...They were everywhere, the ceiling, the floor and on every inch of every wall.

.

_"This is it...This is the room he nearly descended into madness in... It's just like he described it…_

_He really did put pictures of her every wear... it's too creepy ...I'm just going to lock the door and leave." _

She thought as she closed the door and locked it.

She went back down the stairs at a faster pace then she had come up.

"So do you understand why I don't sleep there anymore?" Naruto said once she was almost down the stairs.

Hanabi stopped on the last step of the stairs.

"You should have told me it was THAT room." She said a bit up set. "The.. the room you almost went insane in!" She yelled.

.

Naruto sighed. "I've visited that room many times sense that happened.

You probably thought it was creepy, but it's a lesson I can go back and look at any time I feel weak." He said kindly.

"Besides it's not like this place doesn't have plenty of rooms for me to live in." He said with a smile.

"Yet you live in the smallest room in the house closest to the door like you want to flee this place!" She yelled at him.

Naruto laughed. "Well I always thought it was because I wasn't comfortable in bigger rooms and that I'm a bit lazy in the morning. I don't want to walk up and down stairs...

Does that room bother you that much Hanabi-Chan?" He asked her with concern in his voice.

.

"I'm sorry Naruto, but it does bother me that you would keep a room like that when you nearly descended into madness in it." She said.

Naruto sighed. "So... Then would you mind cleaning it out with me then?" He asked her reservedly.

"What?" She asked like it was haunted.

"Hanabi it's more of a reminder for me, but if it bothers you then help me remove the pictures. They aren't that important to me." He stated.

"... I really don't want to go back into that room again Naruto..." She said fearfully.

Naruto stood up and walked over to Hanabi on the stairs.

"Come on, it just a room with pictures on the walls." He said taking the key out of her hand and he went up stairs.

She reluctantly followed him back up stairs.

He went down the hall and opened the door to the master bed room with Hanabi behind him.

.

Naruto took a moment to look at the room before entering. Old photos cracked under his feet as he walked.

He took the photo album off the bed and put it in the library across the hall.

He came back and summoned a three feet tall whirlwind to suck up all the pictures from the floor.

Hanabi felt silly for being scared of the room and went over to the wall and started pulling the pictures off the wall.

She could barely touch the pictures on the wall and they would fall off as the tape holding them was so old it had lost most of its stickiness.

.

Surprisingly it only took about twenty-five minutes to remove all the pictures.

Hanabi thought it would take hours from the sheer number of them.

Naruto had already taken them down the stairs and out the back door of the kitchen with his whirlwind jutsu.

Hanabi followed him out into the back yard.

The back yard wasn't all flowery like the front yard.

There was a small stream that flowed through it with a short bridge over it.

Sixty yards past the stream was four small houses lined up in a row and behind them was a wooded area.

.

In front of the houses was a small camp fire area that Naruto stopped his whirlwind jutsu so all the pictures fell into a pile in the camp fire pit

Hanabi looked at the pile of old faded pictures and was surprised how small it was.

She thought the pile would be five times bigger, but it was only about the size of a full garbage bag.

Naruto used a small fire ball jutsu to light the pictures on fire and they quickly started to burn with a sickly plastic smell.

Naruto sat down on one of the four wooden benches around the fire pit and watched the flames.

"Naruto are you ok?" Hanabi asked.

Naruto looked up at her. "Yeah I'm fine; I guess I just needed someone else to tell me it was time to get rid of them for me to realize it needed to be done.

Thank you for helping." He said with a weak smile.

.

"You know you're the first person since Tsunade that has seen that room that way besides me." He said with his eyes still watching the fire.

Hanabi sat down next to Naruto and watched the fire.

"Are you going to move back into the master bedroom again?" She asked a bit concerned.

.

Naruto laughed slightly and then shook his head. "No I'm not...I told you I like my room of the first floor, it's the closest room to the kitchen.

This house is too big for me. I mainly stay on the first floor and in the basement." He said softly.

"Well, if you're not going to use it I'll move in and take it." She playfully teased.

Naruto never took his eyes off the fire and said. "Sure, you can move in and use that room if you like."

Hanabi eyes widened then she gave a strained laughed.

"You kind of had me going there Naruto, it almost sounded like you were serious..." She said worriedly.

"That because I was. There is thirteen bedrooms in this house that aren't even used...They're just going to waste.

Besides it gets lonely here in this big house all alone.

I've still got a standing invitation for Sakura-Chan to move in and use one of the rooms too." He said.

_"I see his point, but there's no way I'd move in with him even if father would let me." _She thought.

.

"Umm what ever happened with you and Sakura?... I kind of fell asleep during that story." She said feeling kind of guilty about it.

"Oh...Well she realized she thought of me more like a bother then a lover is the long and short of it.

She actually does all my shopping for me and drops it off at the house a few times a week." He said looking over at her.

"Do you think I'm hopeless too for having someone else do my shopping for me?" He asked with a smile nudging her with his shoulder.

She smiled back and said. "Not really, I'm guessing you train so hard that you forget to get the shopping done and come home to a house with only instant ramen."

"Wow Hanabi-Chan you got me pegged there." Naruto said clearly surprised.

"Well, I did hear Hinata talking about your eating habits one time." She said.

.

"Oh before I forget again here this is what I wanted to give you." Naruto pulled out a cobalt blue kunai with dark blue runes on it and handed it to her.

Hanabi took the kunai and blinked a few times expecting an answer to the strange gift.

"You remember my Yellow Flash jutsu Hanabi-Chan? Well it uses marker to let me teleport to that spot.

That kunai I just gave you is one of those markers.

I only give them to the most important people to me because they are so expensive to make.

If you're ever in danger just run some chakra through the blade and I use my Yellow Flash jutsu to get to you instantly." Naruto said.

.

She looked at the blue kunai in amazement.

"How many other people have these markers of yours?" She asked curiously.

"Sakura, Hinata, Lady Tsunade, Konohamaru, Rock Lee, Kakashi sensei, Shikamaru and I managed to get Sakura-Chan to give one to Ino-Chan.

I also sent one to Gaara in the sand village.

There is also one burred outside of Ichiraku's ramen stand and I've got a few more in other places." He said.

"Thank you Sage Naruto." She said with a bow of her head.

"Just make sure not to throw it." He said with a strained look on his face.


	7. Chapter 7: The Agreement

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**

**Chapter 7: Chapter 7: The Agreement**

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Author's notes:

* * *

.

Ergh this chapter was a pain in the butt to write. My inner anime (alter ego) just wouldn't come out for most of it.

It seemed to get mad that I cut down the first part of the chapter...but hell the tour was boring to me. I wanted to sum it up in a few sentences.

I've left most of it intact as my inner anime probably has plans for it later though.

.

Reviews/Questions:

* * *

_**.**_

_**Lednacek  
2009-04-23 . chapter 6**_

_**great story. unusual pairing. i like it. but man so many typos. get your wife to read it. **_

_**or your child. you make at least 10 mistakes per chapter. and by the way any other author uses Hiashi as the head of the Hyuuga clan. **_

_**You use Haishi. first i thought you made a mistake but you use it all the time. Mind telling why?**_

Wow I'm close to ten mistakes per chapter. I'm getting better then lol. It wasn't even readable after I first typed it.

The first chapter has been gone over more than twenty-five times looking for typo's and mistakes and people still keep finding them.

The story is a work in progress and I do keep going back to edit them. Normally I do this after every chapter I post.

Oops I must have typed Hiashi into the dictionary wrong. Thanks for catching that.

_**.**_

_**Juria  
2009-04-19 . chapter 6**_

_**Hmm, while I like this chapter as much as the others, I do wish you would have done a bit more backstory on the Sakura x Naruto relationship.**_

_**However, I understand needing to progress the story and how draining that task would be.**_

Who said you're not going to get the rest of that story later? =p

_**.**_

_**Cenright  
2009-04-24 . chapter 6**_

_**Only 52 reviews? I almost want to go back and put a review for each chapter, to pump up your numbers.**_

_**I am really loving this piece of work, and can't wait to see what you do with it. It is well thought out, has great character development,**_

_**and the only thing I can complain about at all is a few spelling errors that are actually probably just typos.**_

I hope you realize that I've only been writing this for a months and I've gotten close to 70,000 words so far with this chapter added.

The longer it is up the more reviews it will get.

Rest assured I'm still going back over the story to look for typos. It's like a never ending task that will never be done for me.

.

Last Chapter

* * *

.

She looked at the blue kunai in amazement.

"How many other people have these markers of yours?" She asked.

"Sakura, Hinata, lady Tsunade, Konohamaru, Rock Lee, Kakashi sensei, Shikamaru and I managed to get Sakura-Chan to give one to Ino-Chan.

I also sent one to Gaara in the sand village.

There is also one burred outside of Ichiraku's ramen stand and I've got a few more in other places." He said.

After a few moments of looking at the kunai she said. "Thank you Sage Naruto" She bowed of her head to him.

"Just make sure not to throw it." He said with a strained look on his face.

.

Chapter Seven: The Agreement.

* * *

.

Naruto and Hanabi were sitting on a wooden bench in the back yard watching the pictures burn in silence for a few moments.

"Naruto what are those houses for?" Hanabi asked.

Naruto looked over from the fire to the houses and said. "They are just normal houses. The one on the end is just used for storing yard tools like a shed.

Out back behind them are just some woods and a small pond with some fish in it." He stated.

"Do you want to go see the rest of the house?" He asked looking over at her.

She looked over at him. "I wouldn't be opposed to it." She said smiling.

"Ok then let's go." Naruto said getting up and walking back over the bridge with Hanabi in tow.

.

Once they were back inside Naruto said. "I guess we can start from the top of the house and move down."

Naruto led her up the two flights of stairs to the third floor.

The room was huge open room running the nearly the whole length of the house.

Every twenty five feet there was a pillar for structural support and the floors were made of a light hard wood.

The curtains were white and very dusty and faded.

There was a twenty foot long bar with empty shelves behind it on the north wall.

The only other thing in the huge room was the two bathrooms all the way on the left hand wall.

.

"Doesn't look like you clean up here very often." Hanabi stated with disgust while running her finger over a nearby window seal, covering her finger in dust.

"Hehe, no I haven't even come up her in years. I don't really have any use for this room, it's just too big.

Even when I do have a party there is only like twenty to thirty guests so my living room is plenty big enough for that.

I thought I might use it for a training area, but that's not a good idea if I want to keep my house standing.

So it just sits here unused." He said casually.

.

"Come on." He said heading back to the second floor.

Naruto lead her all the way down the east wing of the house to the open door at the other side of the master bedroom.

Naruto walked into the room with Hanabi. The room was only about twelve feet square.

The room had red drapes and red carpet. There were five floor-to-ceiling bookshelves full of books of every size and shape on the north wall.

On the east and south walls were windows and in front of the center window on the south wall was a three feet round wooden table with two red leather chairs next to it.

"This is the fiction library. This is where all the novels and stories are kept." Naruto told her.

.

"Fiction library? You mean you have other libraries here too?" She asked curiously.

Naruto looked up and thought for a moment. "Yeah there is three total here. I'll get to the other two later though."

Hanabi looked at the bookshelves for a few minutes inspecting the titles.

"Have you read many of these?" She asked.

"Most of them yes. I prefer a different kind of book to read, but that's the last stop in the house." He smiled.

Hanabi got a confused look on her face then asked "So which one is your favorite in here?"

"Oh it's not in here anymore, its down in my bedroom." He smiled at her. "I'll let you borrow it, just remind me after I'm done showing you the rest of the house."

.

Naruto walked down the hall pointing out which rooms were bed rooms and which were bath rooms.

He didn't open them he just kept going until he got to the last door at the end of the west wing.

Naruto took out the golden key and opened the double doors.

He led her inside.

The room was about forty feet by eighty feet long. There was nothing on the floor save for the white carpet.

The walls however were covered with art paintings. Here and there some of the paintings were missing.

It was easy to tell this because the wall would have a square that was whiter than the rest of the wall.

There was close to a hundred paintings in the room evenly spaced out on the walls.

.

"This is the art gallery." He said.

"I haven't really messed with this room much; it was like this when I moved in." He said.

"Take your time and look around. Don't touch the black curtain on the north wall though." He said and eyed her seriously for a moment.

"Umm ok Naruto," She said slightly uncomfortable.

Hanabi wandered the art gallery looking at all the old paintings.

.

About one in three of them were portraits of people she didn't know of, but a few, mainly of the first through third Hokage's, she did know.

There was everything from the most boring fruit basket to a twelve feet long eight feet tall epic depiction of the battle of the First Hokage at the Valley of the End.

Hanabi made it to the end of the gallery to find two black curtains messily tacked up to hide about twenty feet of the north wall.

_"I wonder why he would hide some of the paintings. He said he didn't really mess with this room. I guess it's not the weirdest things he's done though." _She thought.

Naruto leaned against the door frame watching Hanabi with a smile on his face.

Hanabi spent about twenty minutes looking before coming back over to Naruto.

"Why are some of the paintings missing?" She asked.

"I loaned a few of them to the ninja academy for teaching." He said casually.

.

"Did you like it?" Naruto asked.

Hanabi said. "Yes, thank you for letting me see your gallery." She said with a bow.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You don't need to be so formal with me." He said then smiled at her.

Hanabi blushed slightly and felt a bit silly while following Naruto down to the first floor.

Naruto pointed out more bed rooms and bath rooms going up the west wing of the house and stopped at another door.

"This is one of the two game rooms." He said opening up the room.

Inside was a pool table and a few chairs around the wall, but not much else.

Hanabi looked inside, but didn't enter. So Naruto closed the door and moved to the next set of doors.

.

"This is the other game room." He said opening up the double doors.

This room was much bigger about thirty feet square, along the north wall were five tables about three feet square with chairs placed at either end of them.

Just passed the chairs was a weird looking shelf that had about forty board games neatly stacked in it.

On the west wall was a fire place and the carpet was white.

Most of the room was open and there were five large bull eyes targets on the east wall and a red strip carpet near the wall of the west wall.

"It's mainly for board games and kunai throwing games. It's only been used for my last birthday party. I almost never come in here." He stated.

Hanabi asked. "So where are these other two libraries you were talking about?" She hinted with a smile.

Naruto smiled back at her. "Ok ok, it was the next stop anyway." He said closing the double doors.

.

Naruto led Hanabi back to the east wing and all the way down the hall to where the library on the second floor was and opened the door.

"This is the historical library. It's mainly full of educational books." He said.

This room looked just like the small library on the second floor, but instead of the theme being red it was a dark blue and had seven bookshelves, not five.

Hanabi looked around the room for a bit, and then walked out of it.

_"Apparently this room isn't her cup of tea." _He thought.

"So you didn't like this library as much?" He asked her.

"Well I've been forced to read those kinds of books a lot for my Heiress training, so I've read most of them." She said unimpressed.

Naruto gave a slight giggle. "I guess it would bore you then, but the last one shouldn't." He said confidently.

.

Naruto went back to just outside his bedroom on the first floor and opened the door across the hall. He went down a stair case to the basement.

Hanabi shyly followed behind the sage.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and Naruto pulled out a midnight blue key and opened the solid metal door and walked in.

The first thing she noticed was the floor was stone not carpet. There was a short hall way led to a very messy desk that was about four feet wide and three feet deep.

Naruto led her right passed the desk into a huge underground room.

.

"Welcome to the Jutsu Archives." He said. "This is the place where I like to come and read." He said with a huge smile on his face.

The room was about forty feet wide and Hanabi couldn't see the end from where she stood.

The room contained row after row of books and scrolls as far as she could see.

"This is actually the backup archive for the Hokage vault under the Hokage tower." He said.

" N.N... Naruto should I even be in here? I heard the archives are some the most guarded places in the whole village..." She stammered.

Naruto smiled at her trembling. "It's fine Hanabi I'm the keeper of this archive.

Unlike the Hokage archive that is known, this one isn't and all the clan scrolls have very nasty trap jutsus on them that only someone from that clan would be immune to.

Instead of using a lot of Shinobi to guard it, it relies on traps and its secrecy.

So you're not to tell anyone what you saw down here ok?" He said.

.

"Yes sage Naruto." She said a bit too stiffly.

_"Oh good job forgetting to tell her she can't talk about what she saw down here BEFORE I brought her down here!" _Naruto cursed himself.

Naruto led her down the rows tell he found the one he was looking for.

"Here we are." He said stopping at a shelf of scrolls. He pulled one off of the shelf and said. "Take a look at it."

Hanabi opened the scroll and it was blank to her.

"There is nothing on it." She stated with confusion.

Naruto said. "Oh there's something on it all right, but only someone from the Hyuuga clan can read it.

Not all of them traps per say, some are just protections."

Hanabi looked at him confused for a moment.

.

"Come on Hanabi-chan if you were a clan head and you didn't want anyone else to know about your clan jutsu, what would you require for someone to read it?" Naruto asked.

Hanabi looked at him questionably before saying. "Byakugan!" She activated her clan jutsu.

She could now read the scroll. It was just the basics of the Gentle Fist, nothing special to her.

"I see so there's a lot of this kind of stuff down here?" She asked.

"Yes most of it is protected. I tend to read up on the elemental jutsu myself." He stated honestly.

.

"Do you spend a lot of time down here? I noticed the messy desk at the entrance." She asked.

"Sometimes I do." He said. "Anyway that's my house in a nutshell."

Naruto and Hanabi left the room and headed back to back to the entrance to the house.

"Hey Naruto." Hanabi said shyly. "You said something about letting me borrow a book…"

"Yeah, give me a second I'll get it from my room." Naruto went into his room and came back with a book.

"Here you are. It pretty old, but it's the original copy. Jiraiya's writing can be a bit messy so you might need to get used to it to read it."

Naruto handed her the tattered green book.

.

"The Legend of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi." She said. "I don't think I've ever heard of it before."

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Well it wasn't a big seller, but it is a good book." He said he assured her.

Naruto led Hanabi back to the entrance of the house.

"Why aren't there a lot of things in any of the rooms?" She asked while walking through the living room.

"When you have a house this big you tend to have a room for each thing you need and not one room for a few different things.

It's not like I have enough stuff to fill the house up." He stated.

"Don't forget to ask Lord Hyuuga about the contract." He said to her at the entrance.

"I won't and thank you for showing me your house." She said then smiled at him as she left.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi arrived home a just before six pm and found Shizan waiting for her outside her bed room.

"Shizan what are you waiting here for?" Hanabi asked in reserved surprise.

"You should know very well why I'm waiting here. You need to tell me how you ended up sleeping on the Sages lap." She stated bluntly.

"I didn't have time to ask you about it before, but now your home so spill it." Shizan stated intently.

Hanabi got a tensed and weird look on her face.

_._

_"I really don't want to tell her this, but I've got no choice"_ She thought.

"Well I kept scratching my head in the same spot over my visit and Naruto picked up on it.

He asked me to lay my head in his lap and he went through my hair until he found what was bothering me."

Hanabi got noticeably shy looking.

.

"It was a...ingrown hair, I didn't want him to take care of it...,but he held me still and pulled the hair out and healed me...It was so embarrassing!" She said frustratedly.

Shizan started laughing, but was trying to hold it in. She didn't last long before entering a laughing fit.

"Grrr what so funny Shizan?" Hanabi yelled madly.

"You two already act like an old married couple. He's even popping your zits HAHA!" Shizan laughed.

Hanabi became irate and went into her room and slammed the door.

"The nerve of her laughing at that..." Hanabi fumed.

.

* * *

.

Naruto was sitting at the desk in the corner of the living room going over jutsu scrolls when a knock at the door came.

"Come in Sakura-Chan." Naruto yelled already knowing who it was.

Sakura came in with a few bags of groceries.

"Hi Naruto, Tsunade told me she gave you a new team mate for the Chunin exams." She said. "How are things going?"

Naruto put down the scroll he was reading and looked over at her.

"Pretty good, she is starting to get over getting shocked around me all the time." He said.

"She... so it's a girl? Who did Tsunade put you with?" She asked curiously.

"Oh its Hinata's younger sister Hanabi." He stated.

"Are you two getting along well?..." Sakura said in a teasing manor.

Naruto rolled his eyes at her comment. "Yes we are now that I've put her in her place."

.

"What did you do Naruto?" She said in a flat questioning manner.

"I seduced her." He said casually.

"YOU WHAT? She's only like thirteen how could you? I thought you had better manners then that!" She scolded him.

"There you go again making assumptions just like the rest of the village." He stated, his patience was obviously wearing thin with her.

_"Oh Kami I'd forgotten how much he hates it when people treated him like a playboy... I'm so stupid! I know better than that!" _She thought.

"I'm sorry for saying that Naruto." She said hanging her head. "I know you wouldn't do something like that without a reason."

.

Naruto sighed. "She's fifteen with raging hormones still and she was already stalking me before we got put on the same team.

I had to do something to let her know where she stood. I scolded her later for her reactions to my seduction of her.

Telling her she could be killed by any guy with a cute smile and a poison needle." He said.

Naruto stood up and walked over to her.

"Come on lets go make dinner. I can tell you all about her." He said taking the bags from her and heading into the kitchen.

.

Naruto took a cat fish from the tank near the stove and began cleaning it in the sink, while Sakura got out two pots and began boiling water and heating oil.

Within thirty minutes they sat down at the dining room table with fried fish with noodles and bread.

"So are you teaching her anything dangerous yet?" Sakura asked crushing up her fish into her noodles.

"Just the Shadow Clone Jutsu. I'm kind of having a hard time figuring out what to teach her.

She is the exact opposite of my style." He said then picked up the bread.

"Yeah I just don't see you training a Hyuuga either. They don't have a lot of chakra and they tend to have a lot of chakra control.

I can see how you're out of your element there." She said as she ate.

.

"I'm thinking of asking Kakashi for ideas, but I've pretty much spent the whole last day and a half with Hanabi.

So I haven't had a lot of time to go ask him." Naruto stated with a smile.

Sakura took note of Naruto's smile.

"Well she had to have gone home sometime. You could have just went then or sent a clone. She couldn't have had you that tied up." Sakura stated.

"Actually she did, she picked my brain for hours and then ended up falling asleep on the white couch in the living room.

I didn't want to wake her so I sent a clone to get her handler and she spent the night." He said honestly.

Sakura laughed. "Wow, don't spread that around Naruto.

Hanabi will be the hero of the stalker girls if they find out she not only got to spend the day with you, but also got to spend the night at your house." She teased.

.

Naruto laughed. "I see your point." He said as he rubbed the back of his head innocently.

"How's work and Sasuke?" He asked honestly.

"Work is the same as always. Sasuke is getting better slowly, he can now use his chakra to kind of see for about twenty minutes straight a day.

He's just broken those twenty minutes into one second flashes to find his way around most of the day.

I'm just glad he's finally trying to get better instead of sulking, waiting for death to take him." She stated knowingly.

.

"I'm glad he's finally starting to improve as well." He said honestly.

"How well is she doing at the Shadow Clone Jutsu? Still making puffs of smoke I assume." She said while taking another bite of food.

"She got the clone down and now she's working on dispelling them correctly." He said looking at his food that he was eating.

Sakura quickly look up from her food in shock before saying. "Do I even want to know?" She asked dreading the answer.

Naruto looked up in thought before saying. "No, you don't." He stated while shaking his head.

"Ergh that just makes me want to know more." She stated at him slightly flustered.

Naruto flashed his brows up then down and said. "Doesn't matter I'm not telling you."

Sakura rolled her eyes pretending not to care anymore.

.

"Naruto?" Sakura suddenly sounded serious. "How do you feel about this Hanabi?"

Naruto raised his left eye brow questioningly. "Why are you asking me that?"

"I ran into Shikamaru and Choji not long ago and they told me that you seemed pretty close to your new teammate...

Unusually close for two people who hardly knew each other a few days ago...If it wasn't them saying it I wouldn't have asked." She said apologetically.

Naruto laughed. "Well, telling someone nearly anything they want to know about you tends to bring you together faster than normal." He said taking his plate into the kitchen.

Sakura followed him into the kitchen with her own plate which Naruto took at the sink and washed it while Sakura dried them.

Naruto went into living room and sat down on a white love seat and Sakura sat down in a black wingback chair near him.

.

"Did you tell her about Kyuubi?" She asked worriedly.

"Of course not, but she did ask why I had pictures of mother and father on the mantle.

Oh there's a picture up there of Hanabi from last night as well." Naruto said.

She walked up to it and looked at it and then covered her smile with her hand.

"Oh I see so you DO like her...If your stalkers ever found out she made your mantle in the first day, they might just give up on you." She teased.

"If only that was all it took to keep them away." Naruto rolled his eyes.

She looked at it for a few seconds. "That's soo cute Naruto, but that's a bit more then falling asleep on the couch. How did this happen?" She eyed him.

.

Naruto sighed. "She kept scratching her head in the same spot and I asked her to let me take a look. It was just an in grown hair.

Sheesh she was such a baby about letting me treat it.

Afterword's she told me to make it up to her and I just keep running my fingers through her hair while answering her questions until she fell asleep." He stated honestly.

"Yeah then why did you get one of your clones to take that picture?" She asked clearly unconvinced as she pointed at the picture.

"I told you I didn't want to wake her up. I sent a clone to get her handler so there wouldn't be any misunderstandings about her staying the night.

She took the picture." He stated.

.

Sakura said. "Still that a pretty sweet look you're giving her..."

"I never said she wasn't beautiful in that moment." He said kindly. "I am allowed to look after all."

Sakura got very serious and asked. "How do you think she will take it when she finds out about Kyuubi?"

Naruto's shoulders slumped. "I don't know... That is why I'm refusing to tell her anything about father and mother. I know Hiashi wouldn't tell her either.

When the time is right I hope to tell her. I think I'm strong enough not to need Kyuubi's power anymore so I don't think she will find out like the rest of the rookie nine did." He said hopefully.

Sakura eyed him carefully and said. "Let's hope so Naruto".

.

* * *

.

Hanabi was that the dining room table with Hinata and Hiashi Hyuuga eating dinner at a huge table that could seat fifty people.

They all ate at one end of the table.

Hinata asked. "Umm Father are you feeling well? I heard you were in the hospital this morning."

"Yes I'm fine now." He said stiffly.

Then the table was quite for a long time with only the sounds of chopsticks on plates until Hanabi spoke up.

"Father?" Hanabi asked carefully.

"Yes Hanabi?" He said.

"Naruto would like to teach me the Shadow Clone Jutsu, but he wants me to sign a ninja contract to not teach it to anyone else as long as he is alive.

I wanted to make sure it was a good idea before signing it.

I did not want it making trouble for the Hyuuga clan later if I signed it." She said respectfully.

.

"You will need to get the contract to show to me first.

As long as there is not anything other than what you told me in it. Then it's more than likely acceptable." He stated.

"Is it ok if I go visit him after dinner to get a copy of the contract father?" She asked quietly.

"I don't see a problem with it, but you're not spending the night again tonight." He stated sternly with a knowing look.

Hinata suddenly dropped her chop sticks in shock, but said nothing and refused to meet Hanabi's gaze.

Hanabi looked at how uncomfortable Hinata was and smiled.

.

"Be warned Hanabi, the entrance is more than likely sealed with jutsu.

So if you cannot get in, do not try to force your way in." Hiashi warned her.

"Yes, father I am well aware that he places trap jutsus on things...Especially on his favorite pictures." Hanabi said looking over at Hinata knowingly.

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Sakura were in the living room still talking when there was a knock on the door.

Naruto eyed Sakura questionably.

"I'm sorry Naruto I think I forgot to relock your front gate." She said with a grimace. "I'll answer it and send the fan girl away."

Sakura got up from the black chair and answered the door.

She saw a girl in her middle teens with dark brown hair and milky white eyes.

.

"Hello Sakura I am here to speak with Sage Naruto." She said with a respectful bow.

Sakura was caught off guard by the girl's manners.

"May I ask who's summoning him?" She asked awkwardly.

Hanabi raised her head and spoke. "I am Hanabi Hyuuga."

"Ohh sorry I didn't recognize you when you're awake." She said with a smile.

"Naruto you lap ornament is here!" She yelled loudly back into the house.

_"Damn that picture!"_ She thought as the gritted her teeth.

"Send her in please." Naruto said from inside the house.

Hanabi's left eye twitched as she entered the living room.

.

She found Naruto sitting on a white leather love seat and went to sit next to him.

Sakura thought curiously. _"Of all the places to sit, why does she sit right next to him? _

_That's kind of bold of her with all the other places to sit in the room. I think Shikamaru and Choji were right about them." _She thought.

Sakura sat back down in her chair.

Naruto looked over at her. "What do you need Hanabi-Chan?" He asked.

"I spoke with father about the contract and he said he wants to look it over before giving his blessing on it." She said respectfully.

"Ok that's fine. How about I just come over there and show it to him now?" He said.

_"Wow Naruto just drop everything your doing and leave with her why don't you."_ Sakura thought.

"So when's the wedding?" She teased.

.

Hanabi didn't miss a beat. She looked over at Sakura and said. "Naruto thinks we should live together first.

He has offered to let me live here in the master bedroom." She said seeming dead serious.

"WHAT?" She said in shock.

_"Oh Kami we could really mess with Sakura-Chan if I play along with Hanabi on this one." _He thought mischievously.

.

"It's true, I did offer to let her live here with me." Naruto said calmly on the outside and roaring with laughter on the inside.

"Then..Then that contract..." She stammered.

Naruto just nodded his head up and down knowingly.

Sakura was shocked and couldn't speak.

.

Naruto grabbed Hanabi's hand and led her to the doorway and then turned back to Sakura.

"We are leaving to go speak with her father about OUR contract. See you later Sakura-Chan." He said hinting manner.

"_Oh Kami I can't hold it in much longer. I never thought Naruto would play along like that. _

_That prissy woman got what was coming to her with her constantly teasing us." _She thought while trying to hold in her laughter.

.

Once they were almost to the entrance of the compound they both busted up laughing and couldn't stop for a few minutes.

"I never thought you were going to play along!" She said while still giggling.

"I never thought miss 'trim and proper' would bend the truth like that... All I did was imply, I never told her what the contract was." He said still trying to contain his laughter.

"Well serves her right for constantly talking down to me like that. She doesn't even know me." Hanabi said a bit annoyed.

"Now, now, don't get all high and mighty yourself, but yeah she has been teasing me a bit too much lately.

She sees me like a bother, so she's kind of feels like she needs to tease me.

She's just been taking it over board recently. Sorry she bothered you Hanabi-chan." He said sincerely.

She smiled back at him still trying not to laugh.

.

"It's ok, I do have to admit it can get rather tiresome having to meet new people and the first thing out of their mouth seems to be 'Who's your girlfriend'?"She said.

"Yeah, I've just gotten used to it I guess." He said as he casually shrugged.

Hanabi got a devious grin and said. "It was fun messing with Sakura. It makes me want to pretend to be your girlfriend more often." She said while smiling.

"I never get to have any fun at home it's always training, training, training of one kind or another.

This is so refreshing." She said in relief.

.

Naruto smiled back at her and said. "Well I wouldn't over use it if I were you. You might get harassed by my so called 'Fan Club'_. _

I'd get rather upset with them for that and so would your father.

Besides if you did become my pretend girlfriend the council would be all over it.

You know the Hyuuga Clan is already holding too much power for there to be real balance between the four clans or so the council thinks.

If the Hyuuga Heir was dating the 'Most powerful Ninjutsu user in record history' they certainly wouldn't like it."He said the quote like he had a bad taste in his mouth.

"Then it would cause them problems with my aspirations of becoming Hokage." He as they walked down the street.

_"Wow it's really true that he is trying to become Hokage._

_I heard he's been saying that since he was little too. That is some determination." _She thought.

"Umm how so Naruto?" She asked confused.

.

"They would see it as a political move to usurp complete control over the village and the council." He stated as he rolled his eyes.

Hanabi carefully said. "You don't like being referred to as the most powerful Ninjutsu user in history?" Hanabi looked him confused.

Naruto sighed. "Well it's not that I don't like it, but the way they say it seems to over glorify it and make it seem like its more than it really is."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Suure I can level a mountain. Big deal, there is just tons of missions that call for that... let me tell you." He said dripping with sarcasm.

"People are overly impressed with that kind of jutsu.

If you honestly sit and think about when it is useful, you'll find that it is only in the most rare and extreme circumstances." He said.

Hanabi looked at him like he was crazy.

"So if we are at war with a country, you think that a jutsu that can destroy an entire town wouldn't be useful?" She exclaimed.

.

Naruto looked over at her. "Think Hanabi, if you level a town you're going to kill a lot more civilians then ninja, innocent people that might be under the thumb of an oppressive ruler.

Do they deserve to die just for living in a town were ninja's are?

The answer is no they don't. I'd never use any of my jutsus like that on a whole town even if we were at war with them.

It doesn't make sense either humanly or for war.

If you level the entire village then you lose the civilians that could become loyal to you and could farther expand and strengthen your armies in a war campaign.

You would also lose resources that town may have had like food, man power and the building that could be used.

Any way I look at it that is stupidity not strength." He stated as he shook his head.

Hanabi seemed lost in thought before saying. "You are right... but if you don't believe you're the strongest Ninjutsu user in history...Then who do you think is?" She questioned.

.

Naruto thought about it for a moment and simply stated as he looked back over at her. "There is no strongest."

Hanabi looked confused and said. "What do you mean?"

"Let's take the Hokages for example...Who do you think was the strongest of them?" He asked.

Hanabi smiled. "That's easy it's the Fourth...no the First...umm the Third?" She asked with a strained look clearly not knowing.

Naruto smiled at her. "You see, it's not so easy is it?

The First was so powerful he defeated the Uchiha clan leader and even could subdue and control five of the tailed beast spreading them across the lands to stop warring nations.

The Second Hokage was a bit brash but was said to be the fiercest Shinobi that ever lived on the battle field.

He was also wise and working toward the noble goal of his brother's ideals.

.

The Third Hokage probably knew more jutsu than anyone in history.

I think he was only ten before taking on the title of Hokage.

He reined as Hokage longer then all the other Hokages combined. He ended up seeing the First and Second Hokage's dreams realized.

At the end of his life Orochimaru attacked the village and managed to summon the first and second Hokages from the dead to fight with him.

In the end the Third Hokage beat the First and the Second Hokages and dealt Orochimaru a devastating blow before passing on...and he was far past his prime.

The Fourth Hokage did not rule long before was faced with a being of ungodly power that he had to sacrifice his life to defeat.

Who is the most powerful? The right answer is none of them...The most powerful will likely be the next generation.

The Second had the First's jutsu to build on and the Third had the First's and Second's and later the Fourth's jutsu to build on ect." He said.

.

"What you will find that you are asking is which is the strongest in a game of Rock Paper Scissors, the rock, the paper or the scissors?

The answer is whatever you need to win." Naruto stated.

Hiashi clapped loud and slowly. "Very wise Naruto. You truly benefit the name of a Sage." He said.

.

Hanabi looked around. She was in the main house living room without a clue as to how she had gotten there.

"When did we get here?" She asked as she peered around.

Her father stated. "Partly through the explanation of the second Hokage, maybe if you would take your eyes off the Sage for a moment you would have realized where you were."

He gave his daughter a critical look.

She shied away from her father.

Naruto smiled at her reaction and pulled out a small ten inch scroll.

"This is the contract Lord Hyuuga." He said while handing the scroll to him.

Hiashi took the scroll and read it.

_"I will not teach the Shadow clone Jutsu in any form to anyone without the permission of the Shadow Clone Jutsu's Keeper."_

.

_"Just like Naruto to keep it simple."_ Hiashi thought.

"I don't see a problem with the contract. However I cannot agree to it until I see your training methods." He stated all too aware of the Sages extreme training methods.

Naruto expression never changed from his calm look.

"If you want to forgo your training with her in the morning to come watch us train, that would be an ideal time.

I know you have a council meeting tomorrow at eleven am like normal."

Hanabi was noticeable nervous at this prospect.

_"Oh Kami I hope he doesn't show father how he feeds me his chakra! Father would freak out." _She panicked.

.

"I will escort her there myself Sage Naruto" Hiashi stated with a slight bow.

Naruto got up and said. "Good night you two. I need to get back to my house and see if Sakura-Chan is awake yet."

.

* * *

.

Naruto made it back to his house and opened the front door.

Sakura was sitting in the black chair waiting for him.

"Naruto are you really going to marry that girl?" She asked critically.

Naruto smiled. "Well I never said it was a marriage contract Sakura-Chan.

You came up with that idea on your own." He said as he poked her in the forehead gently.

It took Sakura a few moments to get what he was saying.

.

Sakura started fuming. "Ergh I'm so going to get you for this!" She threatened.

Naruto smile faded. "You know if you weren't teasing us so much Hanabi wouldn't have reacted that way." He stated.

Sakura's anger subsided. _"Ohhh. I think I got carried away."_

Sakura's expression changed to an apologetic look and said "I'm sorry Naruto... I know you two must have already gotten that from…"

Naruto cut her off. "Everyone we have met together." He finished it for her.

.

Naruto sighed. "It's ok Sakura. She was just getting sick of being treated that way.

She is the Hyuuga Heiress. She's used to being treated with respect.

She isn't going to get used to the way me and my friends act for a long time."

Sakura relaxed. "Well, she did have me going with that 'Naruto said I could stay in the master bedroom' line." Sakura laughed.

"That was true Sakura-Chan." He stated seriously.

Sakura stopped in mid laugh and her eyes widened in shock.

.

"NARUTO! You didn't offer her to let you move in with you after two days did you?

How would that look on her reputation as a woman?" She shouted at him.

Naruto gave her a scolding look before saying. "It was just over one day and yes I did. She has helped me a lot.

It's not like she can even take me up on the offer even if she wanted to. She has to stay at the Hyuuga compound as the Heiress.

She can't just go moving out." He said.

.

Sakura let out a breath she had been holding. "I see now...It was just a gesture then." She said relieved.

Naruto thought about and said. "It's more like an open invitation."

"Naruto you can't be serious...You won't even go near that room. How could you offer it to her?" She questioned in an unbelieving tone.

Naruto smiled and grabbed Sakura's hands and said. "Come on follow me."

Naruto led her to the last door on the left of the second story east wing of the mansion and unlocked the door.

"Go on have a look." He said.

Sakura peered into the room.

.

She looked at the ornate room for a long time.

"I don't see why you wouldn't want to look at this room." She stated.

"It was kind of haunted, you might say, until Hanabi helped me get rid of the old ghosts in here." Naruto said.

"Haunted? I think I am a little old for ghost stories and Hanabi helped you?

I didn't know the Hyuuga clan was good for that sort of thing." Sakura said.

Naruto laughed, he crouched and pointed his flattened hands pointing at his head with his elbows held high and said.

"Yeah she's like a freaking exorcist!" He was clearly doing his best Gai sensei voice.

Sakura laughed at his wacky antics.

"I'll make sure to keep Hanabi in mind if I ever have a ghost problem." She said with a smile.

.

Naruto smiled back at her and then closed the door to the master bedroom and relocked it.

They went back down stairs to the living room.

"Naruto?" Sakura said while she went back to her chair and he laid down in the white sofa.

He looked over at Sakura. "Yes?" He replied.

"I was thinking...What if I took you up on your offer to live here?" She said slightly reservedly.

"Then I'd let you have your pick of the rooms save for the master bedroom and the first door on the left of the second floor west wing." Naruto stated.

"If you're getting crowded at your house, then of course my offer still stands. You know it's lonely in this big house all alone." He said a bit sadly

"Thanks Naruto." She said shyly.

"You want me to help you move in?" He said with a big smile on his face.

"No I was just thinking about it for now." She said shyly.

"You weren't just thinking about it because of Hanabi weren't you?" He asked in an accusing manner.

Sakura had a guilty expression on her face. _"Damn him, he's gotten so sharp lately. I kind of miss the dumb Naruto that wasn't so perceptive."_

_._

"Not exactly." She said knowing she had been caught.

Naruto laughed. "You're not fooling me." He stated

Sakura got a concerned look on her face and said. "I just don't want you to get hurt again Naruto. You seem to have given up after we dated."

Naruto sat up and leaned over with his elbows on his knees while looking at her.

.

"Well I pretty much have giving up on that kind of relationship anymore Sakura-Chan." He said slightly defeated sounding.

"I am thinking more like the old man these days. Everyone in the village is an important person to me now. I see them all like they are my children.

I think making things this way will help me be a better Hokage when my time comes.

If I don't favor one person over another then people can't say I'm playing a favorite's when I don't even have a lover or wife or even a family to play favorites with." He stated.

.

"Naruto you can't tell me you're giving up on love. Even the Third Hokage had a wife and children." She told him softly.

"The Third Hokage wasn't a Jinchūriki whose child would likely kill the mother before it could be born." He retorted.

"That's only a hypothesis from lady Tsunade!" She yelled at him. "It might not even be true!"

Naruto was dead calm even with Sakura yelling at him.

.

"Tsunade is right Sakura...Kyuubi told me the same thing..." He said as he looked away from her.

She replied. "What? How? How can you trust Kyuubi's words Naruto? Kyuubi is a mon..."

"Don't even think of talking bad about Kyuubi! I will not tolerate it!" Naruto spat as he turned his angry eyes one her.

His rise in anger caused Sakura to flinch and cower away from him.

"Kyuubi has more than made up for its attack on this village twenty years ago.

It wasn't even Kyuubi's fault, it was Madara's.

I've already told you that he could no longer control the nine tailed fox and use her like a weapon.

Madara went into Kyuubi's dimension and controlled her son with the Sharingan and forced him to attack her daughter.

She chased Madara into our village where he hid and she came into the village on a rampage to find him.

Madara just hid while Kyuubi was leveling the village looking for him. He had Kyuubi do his dirty work for him.

Then the Fourth Hokage sealed her within me.

Now she's stuck in our world in what is to her a weak frail form and she doesn't even know if her daughter is even alive.

Ruby is a victim in all of this too." He said in an angry voice.

_"Oh Kami Kyuubi is a girl! And Naruto has a pet name for her? I never knew that!" _She thought in utter shock.

.

Naruto took a moment to calm down.

"Kyuubi may be prideful and harsh, but she isn't a liar. She has far too much pride to lie." He stated calm once more.

Sakura spoke shyly. "Ummm I..I... well...you never told me Kyuubi.. was a girl." She stammered.

"It seems I let that part of the story slip out without meaning to...,but yes Kyuubi is female." He said still trying to cool his anger.

"You caller her by the pet name Ruby? How good of terms are you on with her?" She asked in a stunned manner.

"We have a begrudging respect for each other and we came to an agreement after the fight with Madara.

We aren't best friends by any means, but we aren't at each other throats either." He said.

"So..so you asked...her about how her chakra would affect you having...children?" She stammered.

.

"Yes I did, it was shortly after we started getting intimate." He said.

Sakura blushed at his words.

"I asked her If I could safely have children and she told me no.

The child would likely be like a mini version of me in my four tailed Jinchuuriki form because of what I did for our agreement.

No woman in the world could bare my child." He said sadly and looked away again.

.

Sakura blinked a few times before saying. "What did you do for your agreement with her to cause this?" She asked.

Naruto milled over telling her this for a few moments before saying "I'm sorry Sakura-Chan it's between me and Ruby...I will not tell you." He said with resolve.

Sakura took some time to stop reeling over the information Naruto had told her.

"N..Naruto...is that why when ever things were getting intimate with us that you would suddenly pull away?" She asked softly and curiously.

Naruto sighed. "Yes it is Sakura-Chan. That is exactly why. As much as I wanted you I just couldn't do it.

If having you for a night meant that you might die in three months. Then I'd rather have you as a friend for life then a lover for a night." He said sadly.

.

Sakura was stunned.

_"So that's why he let the relationship fall apart like that...it wasn't that he didn't want me...It's that he loved me so much that he didn't want to kill me!"_ She thought.

"It's not that I don't want children...I'd actually like quite a few of them. I've just come to face it that I might not ever be able to have them." He said.

"Might? So you still hold hope that it could happen?" Sakura asked slightly emotional as she turned back toward him.

"Yes there is always hope Sakura-Chan.

I still hold hope that Ino will run into my arms again and tell me that the nightmares are gone and that she still loves me.

I still hope that Hinata will do the same thing and tell me that she had dealt with her problems with me.

I never give up on the ones I love. It's just not the way things work with me." He said compassionately.

.

_"No one has had a harder life then Naruto and he can't even have a lover...Kami aren't you being too cruel to him?..."_ She thought.

A few quiet moments passed before Sakura asked in a much lighter tone. "So I don't have to worry about you seducing the Hyuuga heir again?"

Naruto grin at her mischievously and said. "I can't promise that. She may be too young for me, but it was pretty fun the first time." He laughed.

.

* * *

.

Hope you enjoyed it.

I know not a lot happened in this chapter compared to the others.

The story has been moving at a slow pace, but soon it will pick up speed...Otherwise it would end up being like a 4 million word story and I just don't have 5 years to devote to this story lol.


	8. Chapter 8:A Date With Hanabi

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**Chapter 8: Chapter 8: A Date With Hanabi**

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Author's notes:

* * *

Your about to see a new side of Hanabi in this chapter and it's something you might not expect.

.

Reviews/questions:

* * *

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Last Chapter

* * *

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"Yes there is always hope Sakura-Chan.

I still hold hope that Ino will run into my arms again and tell me that the nightmares are gone and that she still loves me.

I still hope that Hinata will do the same thing and tell me that she had dealt with her problems with me.

I never give up on the ones I love. It's just not the way things work with me." He said.

.

_"No one has had a harder life then Naruto and he can't even have a lover...Kami aren't you being too cruel to him?..."_ She thought.

A few quiet moments passed before Sakura asked in a much lighter tone. "So I don't have to worry about you seducing the Hyuuga heir again?"

Naruto grin at her mischievously and said. "I can't promise that. She may be too young for me, but it was pretty fun the first time." He laughed.

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Chapter Eight: A Date with Hanabi

* * *

.

Naruto was already training with his four hundred clones at the Hyuuga training ground when Hiashi and Hanabi arrived.

The lone Naruto under a tree reading a scroll looked up and greeted them.

"Good morning Lord Hyuuga and Hanabi-Chan." He said with a smile as he waved them over.

"Good morning Sage." Hiashi said as they walked up to him.

"Morning Naruto, where is Konohamaru? Shouldn't he be here?" She asked while looking around.

.

"Not today Hanabi-Chan, he's out on a mission. He should be back in a few days." He stated.

"Are you ready to get started?" Naruto said.

"Yes Naruto." She said a bit shy with her father there.

_"I hope he has a way around the way he feeds me chakra. Naruto can't be so stupid as to do that in front of my father...I hope he isn't that stupid at least."_ She thought.

.

She put up the crossed tiger seal and shouted. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She created a near perfect clone.

"Ok Hanabi-Chan you know the drill, try to take back your chakra." He said while going back over tree to read his scroll again.

Hanabi started working on the clone and Hiashi went over to Naruto to talk to him.

"How did you teach her that jutsu so fast?" He said eying him critically for a moment.

"I taught her the basics over the last two days. I haven't taught her anything else about it.

I needed her to sign the contract first before I reveal its secrets. She is still far from mastering it." He said.

.

"It is said that the Shadow Clone Jutsu uses up a lot of chakra and that normally you would only get a few tries per day before exhausting your chakra.

Is Hanabi unusually gifted at this jutsu or is there some trick to the way you have trained her." Hiashi asked stiffly.

Naruto gave him a strained smile. "There a trick to it and yes…. You heard right about the faults of learning Shadow Clone Jutsu.

It's rather simple really. When she runs out of chakra I just fill her back up with my chakra.

That way she can get months of training done in a day." He said proudly.

.

Hiashi thought it all made sense now.

"What jutsu do you use to refill her chakra?" He asked carefully.

Naruto cringed and hoped Hiashi didn't know this jutsu before speaking.

"The heart string raw chakra transfer." He said as he cringed.

"Is that safe for you Naruto?" He asked him carefully while leaning in toward him.

Naruto was relived at his question and relaxed from is cringe.

"It's safe alright. I have had to refill her chakra over forty-five times in the past two days, but you can see the result for yourself.

She can already make a clone." He said nervously while pointing his hands at her.

.

Hiashi's eyes widened slightly at his words.

_"Only Naruto would take a jutsu like that and use it for training. _

_It's something only he can do with all his chakra and still be safe, but Kami forty-five times in two days! _

_Even I did not think he had that much chakra." _He thought.

"I think I will read up on your chakra transfer jutsu. One other thing...Do you have to touch her chest when you do this Jutsu?

I am well aware were the heart string chakra line is." He said coldly.

.

Naruto got a bit nervous and said while waving his hand in front of himself defensively. "No, no I transfer the chakra into her back, not the front!

It would be weird to do the transfer from the front for a girl…" He blushed slightly at the thought of it.

Hiashi looked at him for a long moment.

"I will give you my blessing for her to learn this jutsu, but I am not sure about this chakra transfer method.

I want to speak with Tsunade about any possible side effects." He said formally.

_"Geee Thanks a lot Hiashi! I work my butt off training your Heiress and you're going to the throw me to the wolfs for using my chakra transfer to speed up the process. _

_Tsunade is going to be PISSED at me. _

_I'll have to keep that parachute on me again, so I can survive the fall and not be in the hospital for a week after she clobbers me." _He lamented.

.

Naruto sighed. "As you wish Lord Hyuuga. I'll get her to sign the contract after she dissipated that clone she working on." He said.

"I'll be off to talk to the Hokage. I will not have time after the meeting so I need to get it done now." He said before leaving.

Naruto was dreading the rest of the day now that Hiashi was about to tell Tsunade that he had been using that jutsu again.

.

It took Hanabi eighteen minutes to dissipate the clone.

"Good you're improving Hanabi-Chan. Your father has given his blessing for you to sign the contract." Naruto said pulling out the scroll.

"I heard him. He was worried about your chakra transfer jutsu though." She said taking the scroll and opening it.

"I take it this is a blood contract?" She asked while looking it over.

.

"Yes, it is. You just need to put your hand print on it."

Hanabi pulled out a kunai and cut the palm of the right hand closing it into a fist a few times.

She put her hand on the scroll just under the words leaving her hand print on the paper.

The scroll glowed slightly then went back to its normal state.

Naruto grabbed her cut hand and healed it.

"Ok let's refill your chakra and I'll explain all about this jutsu." He said sitting down by tree.

Hanabi went and sit down in front of him and let him refill her chakra.

.

"There are two main reasons this jutsu is forbidden.

The main reason is if you summon too many clones you can easily kill yourself though chakra exhaustion.

The other, I'll show you when you summon your next clone and it's the reason you had to sign the contract.

The Shadow Clone Jutsu can be a powerful training tool if used in the right hands.

It's also very useful for information gathering.

Your clone can use any jutsu you can use, but the disadvantage is if someone pops one of your clones you'll lose that chakra if you can't recover it.

In time you'll be able to summon more than one clone hopefully and you'll need to learn control of just how much chakra you can put into each one.

You can do formation attack with your clones and unlike a teammate were you need to converse in some way to set up the attack, your clones will know what to do." He said.

Naruto went on for some time about how he had used his clones over the year and how to use them in battle.

.

"Well let's get back to training Hanabi." He said patting her on the shoulder to let her know it was time to get up.

Hanabi begrudgingly got up and prepared to summon a clone.

Naruto summoned a single clone.

"Ok, summon a clone Hanabi-Chan." He said.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She said summoning her clone.

"Ok now what?" She asked.

"We wait here while our clones leave." He said smiling.

"Ok follow me." The Naruto clone said to her clone and led her well out of ear shot of the real Naruto and Hanabi.

.

The Naruto clone said. "Ok after training today I'll treat you to ice cream if you beat me at Rock paper scissors."

The Hanabi clone said. "At a place of my choosing?"

The Naruto clone grumbled a bit and said. "Sure, I guess."

"One Two Three." He said. Naruto had rock and Hanabi had Paper

She smiled. "Looks like I win." She said.

The Naruto clone laughed. "I guess you did, now release the jutsu."

They both poofed into smoke.

.

"Well what happened between the clones?" He asked.

Hanabi smiled. "You owe me some ice cream." She said with a smile as she turned toward him.

"So now you know that whatever your clone learns, you will learn when you release jutsu." He said.

"Why is that such forbidden knowledge?" She asked curiously.

"Hanabi look out over the training field and tell me why you think I have four hundred clones training out there?" He said unimpressed that Hanabi didn't get it.

Hanabi looked out over the field of all the Naruto clones doing different things.

.

"So when you release them you get four hundred days worth of training in one day?" She said in surprise.

"Exactly Hanabi-Chan. Now you see why I guard this secret like I do.

In the hands of someone learning this jutsu on their own they would likely kill themselves.

If they learned to use it this way, they could easily make Jonin level ninja's in a short amount of time if they could find people with enough chakra for the jutsu that is." He said.

"So this is how you got so strong?" She questioned him clearly rather shocked.

Naruto laughed. "Well its one of the main reasons." He admitted.

.

They trained until nearly one o'clock.

"Ok Hanabi lets go get some lunch." He said.

"Sure, how about we eat at my house today?" She said suggestively.

"That's fine with me." He said casually.

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Hanabi were seated at the Hyuuga dining room table waiting for the servants to serve the food.

"I wonder what we are having." Naruto asked in anticipation.

Hanabi rolled her eyes. "It seems our chef knows you well enough to know your favorite food...He is making ramen for you." She stated obviously not in a good mood.

Naruto smiled. "I guess that old man remembers me from the few times I came over for dinner with Hinata." Naruto stated.

"Well I hope you're happy, now I get stuck eating ramen at my own house." Hanabi huffed with her arms crossed.

_"Ergh the whole reason I suggested my house is so I wouldn't have to eat ramen...I didn't know he was in so good with Yakiha!"_

Naruto gave her a thoughtful look through his smile.

.

"You don't need to get mad Hanabi-Chan. I am treating you to ice cream after training today." He reminded her.

"Oh yeah, I guess I can handle ramen then." She stated with something mischievous on her mind.

_"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to pay for this when I take her out to get ice cream?"_ He mentally cringed.

.

Neji came into the dining room looking very tired and gave a big yawn at the door while stretching.

He walked over to the opposite side of the dining table from where Hanabi and Naruto were sitting right next to each other with his shoulders slumped.

He pulled out a chair and sat down not really noticing anyone else was there.

Naruto just stared at Neji. _"Man I've never seen him this wore out before." _He thought.

"Good evening Neji. How was your mission with your Genin Squad?" Hanabi asked politely.

.

Neji laid his forehead on the table and said. "It was a nightmare. It was like babysitting three young female Naruto's while trying to fight off bandits.

Kokori has a huge crush on Naruto and never shuts up about him, which doesn't bother Chikaro and Doniku in the least because they are the same way.

Why did I get three girl's on my squad?...Isn't this supposed to be Shikamaru's curse." He said in defeat.

Neji mumbled. "I hope Naruto gets married soon so they will give up on him."

Naruto's eyes widened and he blinked a few times before saying. "Well sorry to inform you, but I don't plan on getting married any time soon Neji!"

Neji's head snapped up off the table and looked at Naruto for a moment. Then he looked over at Hanabi then to Naruto again.

.

_"Hanabi is sitting right next to Naruto...There is no way she would forget her manners and do that...She supposed to sit on the other sides of the table._

_Which could only mean...they are DATING?...Well that IS a good move political move for Naruto and he would seriously boost our standing with the other Clans._

_It's actually a pretty good match."_ He thought finally.

.

The whole time Hanabi and Naruto was watching Neji.

His face went from puzzled, to shocked, to a deep thinking look, then finally he nodded his head like he was agreeing with himself.

Hanabi and Naruto were clueless as to what was going on in his head and just kept giving him a puzzled look.

Neji bluntly spoke. "You two should get married soon and get me out of my hell."

Naruto fell out of his chair from shock.

Hanabi eyes went wide and she just stared blankly at him.

"WHERE THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM NEJI?" Naruto said picking himself off the floor.

.

"What makes you think that we are even dating?" Naruto screamed while pointing a quivering finger at him.

Neji blinked a few times and flatly said.

"She is sitting right next to you...in a noble family a girl, least of all the Heiress,

only sits next to a male if there is not any other seat's or if they are married or dating the male they are sitting next to.

If you two aren't dating she should be sitting right next to me." He said pointing at the chair directly across from Naruto.

Neji got a depressed look on his face. "So that means you two aren't dating?" He said and dropped his head back on the table with a loud thud.

Hanabi was blushing. _"Crap, I am getting way too used to being near Naruto. _

_I'm starting to stay close to him without thinking of where I am! Good thing father didn't see that!"_ Hanabi thought in dismay.

.

"Man you noble families have a bunch of weird rules." He confused look.

"We are sitting next to each other because we are on the same team.

She just joined Squad Seven to take the Chunin exam with me." He said.

Neji didn't even pick his head up and shook his head as he replied.

"It's still not proper for a lady to sit next to you when there are open chairs on the other side of the table, teammate or not."

.

Two servants came into the room with several large bowls of ramen and placed them on the table with some bread and left quietly.

Naruto smelled the ramen. "Seems like he's getting closer to Ichiraku's ramen. Itadakimas!" He said smiling and started inhaling his food.

Hanabi rolled her eyes at him and quietly picked up her chop sticks and eat.

"What's for lunch? I've been stuck eating nothing, but crappy ramen for a week because of that Naruto fan club of a Genin Squad."

Neji said dragging of one of the bowls to look inside it.

Neji had two rivers of tears flowing down his desperate face and said. "RAMEN! Is there no GOD!"

.

After they had finished eating they left the exhausted Jonin sleeping on the dining room table.

Hanabi stopped one of the servants and told then Neji was sleeping at the dining room table and to wake him up before Hiashi sees him.

Then the two of them went back to training grounds and trained until it was almost five o'clock.

Hanabi had managed to get her clone dissipating down to around three minutes.

"You're picking up on this rather quickly Hanabi-Chan." He said while smiling at her.

Hanabi was covered in sweat. "Thank you Naruto." She said while she tried to catch her breath.

.

Naruto started walking off to the back of the training ground and the exhausted Hanabi followed out of habit.

Naruto stopped at the edge of a small river and started taking off his shoes.

Hanabi sat down and then fell over backwards resting on the ground for a moment letting her eyes close.

Hanabi had no idea what Naruto was doing until she heard a splash and some water drops hit her in the face.

She opened her eyes and looked over to see the water moving around violently.

Naruto clothes were in a neat folded pile on the river bank.

Hanabi blushed looking out over the water.

_"Oh Kami I don't think I was supposed to follow him…or maybe he is expecting me to bathe with him...I am not ready for that!" _

She thought nervously, but didn't take her eyes off the water.

.

Naruto finally surfaced shaking his head throwing water everywhere.

He was thigh deep in the water wearing nothing, but his white boxers with a frog pattern on them.

Naruto looked over to see Hanabi with a blushing and slightly perverted look on her face fading away.

_"Damn he left his boxers on!...What am I saying? Ergh I'm getting more and more like Hinata these days. _

_When did I get so perverted! I didn't even try to avert my eyes." _She thought.

.

Naruto splashed her in the face with water to wake her up.

"I didn't know you wanted to join me, but come on it the water is nice and cool." He said with a smile.

Hanabi averted her eyes down and said. "Umm I don't exactly wear a bathing suit under my clothes all the time Naruto..." She said shyly and blushed

Naruto laughed. "That never stopped Hinata." He said playfully.

"What? Did she swim with her clothes on?" She asked still looking at the ground.

"No she did the opposite." He said casually.

Hanabi blushed a very dark red and said. "I'm-I'm going back to the compound."

"Ok Hanabi-Chan I'll be there in about forty minutes to take you to get ice cream." He said in a teasing manner all too aware how embarrassed he had made her.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi took a long cold shower.

She got dressed in an ankle long loose, black ruffly skirt with a lace pattern on it with a black blouse of the same pattern that was tight fitting and low cut down the front.

She tied her hair up in a bun and put an ornate chop stick through it to hold it in place.

She put on a black pair of high heels that only had two crossing leather straps in the front of them and one U shaped strap on the heel to keep them on her feet.

.

She went down the hall and into a small study where she found Shizan sitting at her desk looking over some paper work.

"Hello Shizan." She said.

Shizan looked up and said. "Hello Hanabi what is it that you need and why are you dressed like that?" She gave her a confused look while eyeing her.

"Is it ok if I go out with Naruto for awhile? He said he wanted to treat me to ice cream for doing so well at training." She asked calmly.

Shizan looked at her for a long moment. "So you two are already that the ice cream date uh?" She said in a teasing manner.

"No it's just a reward Shizan, but for him making me eat ramen for lunch I plan on making it look like a date to get him back." She said evilly.

Shizan smiled at her. "Well go get him then. I'll let your father know if he gets home before you do and don't be too late.

It doesn't take two hours to get ice cream." She said with a knowing look.

Hanabi rolled her eyes at the comment. "Thank you Shizan." She said before heading to the entrance to the compound.

.

* * *

.

Naruto waited for Hanabi at the entrance to the Hyuuga compound for five minutes before Hanabi showed up.

"Are you ready to go Hanabi-Chan...Why are you dressed like that?" He asked with a confused look.

_"Wow she's really hot...What am I thinking? She's too young for me…Still she is really beautiful." _He thought.

"I'm going to make you pay for forcing me to eat ramen today." She gave him an evil grin.

_"I knew that lunch was going to come back and haunt me. Oh well it can't be that bad._

_I can just henge myself to look like someone else so the rumors don't go crazy."_

"And no hedging yourself to make you look different." She stated quickly.

_"Aww crap! I'm caught. I hope she realized this is going to start rumors all over the place and give me hell." _He thought in dismay.

.

"Hanabi...This will not go unnoticed by all those fan girls...It could put you in danger..." He stated with concern.

"Nope, that is not going to work on me. I am the Hyuuga Heiress, there isn't any way they will mess with me.

I am not some commoner that they can pull that crap with and get away with it." She stated confidently.

Naruto mumbled to himself. "I'm the so called hero of the village and they didn't care…"

Naruto sighed defeated_. "I guess I'll have to leave a clone at the Hyuuga compound for awhile until the rumors die down"_

.

Hanabi smiled. "I was thinking of going to Rumakirak's for icecream, but I've got to get you for Neji too. We of the Hyuuga Clan take care of our own.

So we are going to Kike's Couples Icecream Bar." She stated evilly.

_"Oh my god she is ruthless, that place is right in the middle of the highest traffic area of the village._

_It's a place only lovebirds go...really lovey dovey lovebirds that WANT to be seen like they are showing off their date. _

_To top it all off its expensive as hell too. This girl is a demon in disguise!" _He panicked.

_"That's right I'm going to make you wish you never saw ramen in your life Naruto!"_ She thought evilly.

.

* * *

.

Naruto was walking painfully slow through the village with Hanabi holding on to his elbow for support.

"What?" She said innocently. "I can't walk in three inch heels very well." She stated with an evil grin.

Naruto begged her. "Can we make a compromise here? You walk normally and we can hold hands. You'll get the same effect."

Hanabi blushed with embarrassment. "Naruto, I honestly can't walk in heels very well. I need your arm so I don't fall forward." She confessed shily.

It took them twenty-five minutes to get to the busy intersection in the middle of the village and everyone was staring at them

One older man said. "Looks like the Playboy Sage has got another one."

An older woman near the man said. "And it looks like he's robbing the cradle, so disgracefully"

The older man replied. "I wouldn't go that far. That girl is quite the looker."

.

Naruto was cringing with embarrassment and then what he was fearing the most looked like it was about to happen.

Naruto saw a group of six of his fan girls up ahead in an area two blocks from the ice cream shop.

He had no choice, but to walk right by them.

Naruto put on a fake strained smile like he was happy and proceeded forward.

_"Oh Kami why did I have to wear my sage outfit...I stick out like a sore thumb!" _He mentally cursed himself.

_._

When they got within thirty feet of them he heard them talking.

"Who the hell does that girl think she is dating Naruto without going through his fan club first?" A tall and thin blond haired woman in her early twenty's said.

Another said. "Yeah I hear you. Let's find out her name."

"I've been itching to try out my rotten egg sticky stink bombs on anyone trying to get close to Naruto." A much uglier, short, fat woman in her thirty's said.

A red head with a pretty face said. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. You know Naruto is trying to become Hokage right?

That is the Hyuuga Heiress not some branch house Hyuuga. I don't know about you, but I'm not touching that girl."

There was a cascade of groans where they all agreed they wouldn't want to incur the wrath of the Hyuuga house either.

The girls left to go sulk else were.

.

Hanabi had heard the whole thing and almost fell over getting up to the Sages ear.

Naruto had to lean down, even with Hanabi in high heels she was still three inches shorter than him.

"I told you soo..." She lightly whispered into his ear in a deep, seductive and cheeky manner, and then she giggled unable to keep a straight face.

_._

_"Wow she was right...those were some of my most diehard fan girls and they gave up right after they learned who she was...This might not be so bad after all." _He thought.

Naruto was actually in a good mood and didn't have to fake his smile.

Hanabi almost fell two times in the next block they traveled. So Naruto hooked his arm under hears and pulled her in close so she wouldn't fall over.

_"What the hell...the rumors are going to fly anyway. We might as well walk arm in arm so she doesn't fall down. _

_This might be fun, like messing with Sakura." _He thought.

Hanabi laughed. "You seem to have relaxed all the sudden. You're making this look like a real date Naruto."

"Truth be told I'd pretend to date a toddler if it would get the fan girls to leave me alone."

He smiled back at her as the steeped into Kike's Ice cream Bar.

"Hey!" She said offense. "I am not that young!"

.

They entered the ice cream shop and waited for a hostess to be seated.

Inside the shop was ten small tables lined up in front of the windows and a long bar on the other side of the twenty foot wide shop.

The whole place was about sixty feet long and the theme of the shop was red and white checkers.

It was also fairly packed with people today.

Soon a very pretty, cheerful, young blond that looked to be about seventeen in a red maid like uniform came up to them.

"Hello is it just one couple or two in your party?" She asked cheerfully.

"Just one couple." He said calmly.

At the sound of his voice the whole shop turned to look at the couple and gave them a collective gasp of surprise.

Naruto could hear many of the couples mumbling to each other for a few moments before most of them went back to their food.

A few kept leering in shock though.

.

"Would you like a bar seat or a window seat?" She asked with a smile.

"I'd like.." Naruto started to say something, but Hanabi cut him off.

"Don't even think of wussing out on me now." She said sternly with a smile.

Naruto sighed. "Window seat…" He said in defeat.

The hostess smiled and said to Hanabi.

"You keep a tight grip on him honey and I'll try to keep the onlooker from staring too much."

.

The hostess looked over at Naruto and said. "Usual window seat Great Sage?

"Might as well Kanika, she going to milk this for all its worth." He stated not overly pleased.

Kanika said. "Awww did you lose another bet Naruto?" She said while leading them over to an open window seat in the middle of the biggest window in the shop.

Naruto replied with a knowing expression. "No, this time it was Rock, Paper, Scissors." He took a seat.

"Well I know quite a few guys that would try to lose to her for a date like this." Kanika said and smiled at him as she set down two menus.

"I'll be back shortly for your order." She said and walked back behind the bar.

She slapped the counter loudly to get a staring customer to turn back around with a start.

.

Hanabi picked up the menu and started looking over it.

Naruto went to pick up his.

"Don't even think about it Naruto.

You forced me to eat ramen and I'm going to pick out what we are eating." She said with a smile.

Naruto pulled back his hand in defeat and sat there quietly.

_"Man she is bossy, but that might be a good thing here. Hopefully no other girls try to come up and hit on me. _

_Some of them have no shame and will do it right in front of their dates." _He thought.

.

Kanika came back a short time later.

"What will you two are having?" She asked with a note pad and pen in her hand.

"We would like the lovers strawberry banana split please." Hanabi said.

"What two toppings would you like?" She asked and Hanabi went back to looking at the toppings.

"I would like hot-" Naruto cut her off.

"Hot fudge and brownie chunks." He stated knowingly.

.

Kanika giggled and tried unsuccessfully to hide it with her hand that was holding a pen.

"What so funny?" Hanabi asked and was a bit annoyed at them knowing what she was going to order before she said it.

"Honey that is the same two topping almost every girl orders their first time here.

Trust me you don't want those two. You'll take three bites and be full.

A good rule of thumb is to pick either one heavy topping or two light toppings if you want toppings at all." She said with a smile.

.

Naruto smiled knowingly at Hanabi.

"Ok Mr. know it all Sage, you pick the toppings." She said in agitation as she tossed the menu in front of him.

Naruto just looked over at Kanika and she picked up the menus and went back behind the bar.

Hanabi was a bit confused and asked. "What toppings did you order?"

Naruto laughed. "None, she wouldn't even have them on the list, but the customers always asked for them.

So she gave up and started serving them.

The customers would eventually figure out that the ice cream was the star of the show here and not order them anymore.

Just look around. You can tell the regulars because they will not have any toppings of the ice cream." He said with a smile.

Hanabi looked around and saw most of the couples didn't have any toppings on their ice cream.

She even found two couples that had the same two toppings has she was going to get.

Just like Kanika said it looked like they had taken a few bites and then left it to melt in the bowl.

.

Kanika came back with a large three scoop Banana split with strawberries on it.

"Enjoy you two." She said with a smile and went over to seat someone else.

Hanabi picked up her spoon and eyed Naruto.

"You're going to eat with me like a normal couple." She gave him a firm, but playful look.

Naruto picked up a spoon and tried the split with her.

Naruto watched her eyes roll back into her head at the taste of it.

.

"Oh Kami that some of the best ice cream I've ever had. Is that normal vanilla?" She asked.

Naruto smiled taking another bite and said. "Nope, she doesn't serve normal flavors, this is vanilla cream cheese.

Aren't glad you didn't order topping to ruin the flavor now?"

Hanabi already had another spoonful in her mouth and nodded like a child, which made Naruto smile.

Hanabi finally slowed down after an Icecream headache.

.

"You know I thought you'd be a lot more embarrassed eating this girlie food Naruto." She said while eating.

Naruto finished savoring his current bite of ice cream.

"Nope doesn't bother me at all. Those other guys don't know what they are missing.

I am more a ramen man, but having this every once in awhile is nice too." He replied.

"How many times have to been here?" She asked casually.

.

Naruto said. "Quite a few times. Ino loved this place. That was when Kanika grandmother ran it though."

"Ino? I thought she was the biggest diet freaking in town?" Hanabi asked unbelieving.

Naruto laughed. "Yup why do you think she's always dieting...She's a grade A Sweets-A-holic. She'd live on the stuff if she could." He said.

Hanabi snickered. "I think I might follow her addiction." She stated eating again.

Naruto laughed. "Well don't get to hooked on this stuff.

We don't want a pleasantly plump Heiress. Your father would kill me for that." He jokingly said.

"Hey! Don't kill my sugar buzz! You should know to never tell a lady that kind of stuff when she's enjoying this kind of food." She said both angry and playful.

"Ok ok you win I'll talk about something else." He said in a laughing manner throwing his arms up in defeat.

.

They nearly finished the split before an Anbu guard came up to their table.

"Sage." He said before Naruto cut him off.

"The Hokage wants to see me...and she's pissed. I know." He stated rolling his eyes.

The Anbu said. "And Hanabi Hyuuga."

Naruto blinked a few times and repeated. "And Hanabi?"

.

Hanabi was on cloud nine with her sugar buzz and she had the giggles. To most people she would seem drunk.

Naruto sighed. "This is probably not going to end well." He said eying Hanabi with a cynical look.

He left two large bills on the table and went over to help Hanabi out of her chair.

Hanabi promptly almost fell down, but Naruto caught the giggling Hyuuga.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You're way to wiggly right now for me to use the Yellow Flash to get us here.

It looks like I'll have to piggy back you all the way over to the tower.

First I'm taking those heels off you.

I'm not walking four blocks with those things poking into me in the back." He said while he sat Hanabi back down and took off her high heels.

He set them on the table and helped Hanabi on to his back with the whole shop staring at him and Hanabi.

.

Naruto and Hanabi was quite a sight to behold walking down the street toward the Hokage Tower.

The beautiful and very giggly Hyuuga Heiress was lazily holding onto Naruto's neck with her legs wrapped around his waist and her bare feet poking out in front of him from under her skirt.

Her long lacy black skirt was hanging down to Naruto's knees in the back and she reeked of ice cream and cherry blossoms.

Naruto was wearing a calm peaceful look that was a bit strained.

Naruto was holding on to Hanabi's left thigh so she didn't fall off his back and he had her none too conservative black high heels in his right hand.

They were only a block away from the tower before Hanabi spoke up from her giggles.

.

"Naruto are you mad at me for what I made you do?" She asked and then went back to giggling a bit more shyly.

"No, not really. It's been awhile since I went out on a date. I had fun but..." He said in reserved defeat.

"But?" She questioned still quite out of it.

"I'm starting to think you're more trouble than your worth." He said eying one of the many people on the street that was just standing out in the street open mouthed in shock.

"Why would you say that?" She said giggling

"Well, call it a hunch from the way everyone is looking at us." He said casually.

.

It took Naruto a good fifteen minutes to get up the stairs to the Hokage tower with Hanabi on his back.

While he could have made it to the top in a few seconds he didn't want to be wearing the ice cream Hanabi had just ate.

So he took his time and much to his dislike more than a few of the council member's staff saw the couple.

.

Naruto finally made it up to the Hokage's door and he met the same Anbu guard that came to tell him to come see the Hokage.

The guard sweat dropped and said. "Please great Sage, tell me you didn't walk all the way from Kike's to here on Main Street without henging the both of you?"

Naruto sighed loudly.

Hanabi giggled and said. "Nope, I told him at the start of the date that he couldn't henge us...Naruto never goes back on his word." She went into a giggle fit.

"This is the first time that I'm actually regretting my Nindo." He said in defeat.

The Anbu just opened the door to the Hokage's office to let them in.

.

Inside the Hokage was fuming mad and Hiashi Hyuuga was sitting in a chair at the far end of the room waiting quietly.

Naruto walked into the office in all his awkward glory with the giggling Hanabi on his back.

"NARRRUUU...to?" The Hokage yelled, but barely said the last part while her face went from mad to totally confused.

Hiashi was so calm it was eerie.

Naruto sighed. "Please let me explain before you blow up at me Tsunade." He begged.

Tsunade did something that even Naruto didn't expect...she busted up laughing...A very rare thing for her to do.

Hiashi blushed a bit.

Hanabi started giggling loudly.

_"Oh Kami...Tsunade laughing is giving me a bad feeling like she's just snapped and lost it..." _He lamented.

.

Naruto took the giggling teen over to the ugly green sofa at the far end of the office and laid her down.

She was so loopy that she was waving her hand in front of her face laughing at it.

Naruto quickly went back in front of The Hokage's desk. "She's not drunk. Smell her breath, it was just ice cream.

It's just a sugar buzz." He stated defensively with his open palms pointed at the laughing Hokage.

Hiashi's eyes widened in shock before saying.

"Naruto, do you remember what I told you about what NOT to feed Hinata when you two were dating right?" He said sternly.

Naruto thought for a moment.

"Yeah you told me she has that hypo-whatever-its-called and to not feed her sweets because it would make it act like she was drunk." He stated.

Then about a second later it clicked and he cringed looking over at Hanabi.

"So she has that problem too?" He asked already knowing the answer.

.

Hiashi was talking through gritted teeth. "Well I'd say it's pretty obvious now! You better not have done anything immoral to her!"

Naruto sighed. "Well if you're talking about sex then you have nothing to worry about.

If you're talking about carrying her piggy back style from Kike's Icecream Couples Bar with the whole town in shock because she looked drunk...Then I'm in trouble." He stated.

.

"And I've got six rolls of film on the whole four block of the shock fest." Kakashi said from open window with a camera in one hand and a bag of film in the other.

Tsunade finally stopped laughing enough to say.

"Kakashi I've got a B ranked mission for you... You are to have those developed and on my desk in the morning." She said with an evil smile.

Naruto twitched.

.

Tsunade was all smiles when she looked at the very loopy Hanabi and asked. "So tell me, how did you beat Naruto into doing this?"

"Haha I tricked him into taking me on a date and got him to promise not to henge us for the whole thing." She started a giggling fit.

Hiashi blinked a few times absorbing that his daughter was to blame for this.

"Hanabi! Why in Kami's green earth would you do that to the Sage? Did you suddenly forget your duties to the Clan?" He yelled at her.

She giggled. "I didn't forget at all.

Naruto is always shocking me, but yesterday we played a prank on Sakura to make her think the contract for me to learn the Shadow Clone jutsu was actually a marriage contract.

Oh you should have seen her face!" She giggled and barely got out the next part.

"It was so funny to be on the shocker end of the joke instead of being the one shocked." She laughed hard.

.

Hiashi was fuming mad with his daughter.

"How does that explain your actions Hanabi?" He nearly shouted.

"Well that's easy. Heheh if I get to be Naruto's pretend girl friend then it will boost our Clan's reputation.

Besides you can't complain that I'm with some weak Shinobi if it's Naruto.

It will also keep all those hopeless bimbos away from him." She giggled.

"He doesn't seem to like them very much." She stated before entering another loopy laughing fit.

"If I can sucker him into marrying me I can sleep on his comfy white couch all I want." She began giggling again.

"I tricked the Sage, I tricked the Sage." She started singing to the tune of nanny nanny boo boo and she started laughing again.

.

Naruto and Hiashi looked like mirror images of each other holding their heads in their hands for a long time before Hanabi laughed herself out.

Naruto finally glanced over at him and said. "Hiashi did you know your daughter was such a trickster?"

Hiashi sighed never taking his head out of his hands and said. "I had an idea, but this is a new low for her."

.

Hanabi sniffed the arm rest of the couch.

"Miss Hokage you really should get a new couch. This one is ugly and it smells like moth balls and old people." She stated and then laughed

Tsunade laughed. "Well it's the couch that is the Second Hokage use to sleep on.

He was famous for over working himself and falling asleep on that couch." She said.

Hanabi replied. "The Second Hokage smells funny." She said nodding off.

.

"Hiashi is it good for her to sleep with so much sugar in her system." Naruto asked.

"No it isn't." He stated without thinking.

Naruto grinned evilly and said. "I think I've got just the jutsu for her."

Naruto summoned a five feet tall vortex of wind.

"Say hello to the whirl and hurl Hanabi!"

He said to the sleeping Hyuuga while picking her up and spinning her like crazy with the jutsu leading her into the bathroom.


	9. Chapter 9: Hanabi's Life Before Naruto

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**Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Hanabi's Life Before Naruto**

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Author's notes:

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Reviews/questions:

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_**Cenright  
2009-04-26 . chapter 8**_

_**I sure enjoyed it. I only have one correction for you.**_

_**The transformation jutsu is "Henge", not 'hedge'.**_

_**Since Henging for the '...ing' form of the word doesn't look right, because it is mixing a japanese and american word, you could just use 'transforming' for the '...ing' word, or change the **_

_**sentence structure to the noun form: "use a henge".**_

Thanks for the quick catch on that typo. I fixed it, but still got another review on it before I reposted the chapter.

Geese you guys are getting faster at stuff like that the more popular this story gets.

.

Sense I really like this review I'm going to take it apart line by line and answer it.

_**J0hnnyTh3F0x (**_spell check edited...sorry it's just force of habit now for me_**)  
2009-04-26 . chapter 6**_

_**Thus far I like the story. I feel Naruto's emotional instability is too blatant at times and it should also be emphasized where that comes from(f-ed childhood and murder for a living).**_

I thought I have been pretty clear on why some of his emotions are so blatant.

The only times I use it as implied is when it is something I expect everyone to know... like his childhood being incredibly hard.

If there is some place in the story you feel I need more clarification on his actions just let me know.

_**I am mystified that you seem to be the only writer on ff that is capable of characters having more than one relationship(yaoi doesn't count I don't read so I don't know) and it NOT being a harem.**_

Yeah I know. It bugged me that others couldn't come up with the idea that maybe a relationship didn't work out and the character would move on eventually date someone new...like

in Real Life! And maybe they would learn and grow from each relationship in different ways like a real human.

This is one of the reason's I started writing my own fanfic.

Most of my first reviews were "How can you have a NarutoxIno NarutoXHinata NarutoXSakura and NarutoXHanabi story and it not be a harem?"

I was like ummm haven't you had more than one girlfriend/boyfriend in your life not at the same time.

This isn't creativity's to me, it's just logic.

_**Seriously tell the ff world so many other fics fail by making a child's puppy love be fate blah blah blah. **_

Look I like a good fated love story as much as the next guy, but yeah they do tend to be a cookie cutter designs that in the end( as far as romance is concerned). They seemed to be how

much BS can I put in between the main love interest before they hook up. Then they end it at the part you want to see it continue the most.

_**Sorry for the mini-rant**_

Hate to tell you man, but this is in no way a rant. It's a critic. So if you call this a rant by all means keep sending them my way.

_**but really the only thing I would encourage more in your fic is subtlety in relation to complex character relationships.**_

I'm only guessing that you are talking about my over use of internal thought in the characters.

I'm just not that great at writing. I use that, but I do make sure not to reveal too much where I can.

_**(fyi I have no literary background so these suggestions are just from an average joe)**_

I'm just your average Joe writing a story. Thank you for your critique.

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Last Chapter

* * *

.

"Hiashi is it good for her to sleep with so much sugar in her system?" Naruto asked.

"No it isn't." He stated without thinking.

Naruto grinned evilly and said. "I think I've got just the jutsu for her"

Naruto summoned a five feet tall vortex of wind.

"Say hello to the whirl and hurl Hanabi!"

He said to the sleeping Hyuuga while picking her up and spinning her like crazy with the jutsu leading her into the bathroom.

.

Chapter Nine: Hanabi's life before Naruto.

* * *

.

The Hokage's office was dead quiet save for the horrible heaving noises coming from the bathroom.

It was a good ten minutes before Naruto emerged from the bathroom with a very sick looking Hanabi.

He had her arm over his neck and was steadying her with his other hand on her waist.

He led her back over to the couch and sat her up right at one end of the sofa.

Naruto sat down at the other end of the couch.

Hanabi blinked a few times while swaying back and forth.

"I don't feel so good." She said before falling over into Naruto's lap.

.

Naruto sighed leaning his head back to look at the ceiling and spoke to himself.

"Great...now what am I going to do? At least fifteen of the council staff members saw me carrying her."

"I'm sorry for my daughter's behavior Sage. We are going to have to find a solution to this problem soon.

When word get around of your date with her the council will have a problem with it." Hiashi said.

Naruto rolled his eyes.

.

"To say nothing of the whole town seeing me carrying a fifteen year old girl here when she obviously looked drunk." He stated sarcastically.

Tsunade said. "Well I don't see any way around it Naruto. One way or the other you have got yourself a new girlfriend."

"Tsunade that isn't what I wanted to hear... You're supposed to be the smart one...Please, tell me there is another way." He said as he shook his head back and forth.

"For Kami's sake! I just got some of my close friends to believe me that I wasn't dating her.

I don't want to have to go back and tell them that we are dating." He said in frustration.

.

"Naruto I don't see any way around it either. If you don't do this it will look bad on my Clan and you." Hiashi stated clearly not too thrilled with the idea.

Naruto sighed. "It's going to look bad on me regardless. I can just see what everyone will say 'Village playboy robs cradle'."He said sarcastically.

Kakashi laughed from the window.

"Look at it this way; at least she will keep some of those girls away from you." Kakashi said.

Naruto rolled his eyes.

.

Tsunade spoke. "You know it's your own fault this happened."

"Yeah I guess you're right. I should not have played rock paper scissors with her." Naruto said sourly.

"That's not it Naruto. It's more than likely that you kept using the Raw Chakra Transfer on her over and over.

She has probably gotten used to having your chakra in her. In short she's likely addicted to your chakra.

This sometimes happens when a ninja repeatedly steals chakra from the same person. They will get very close to that person very quickly.

There are even accounts where the chakra stealer could recall memories of the person they were stealing from.

In your case you just kept willingly feeding your chakra to her, but I believe the side effects are the same.

Like her sticking to you like glue." She said while looking at Hanabi sleeping in his lap.

"That's one of the many reasons why I told you not to use it!" She scolded him.

.

"Is she going to be ok?" Naruto asked a bit worried.

"I don't know Naruto, we don't even have any accounts of someone stealing or giving their chakra more than one time in a day.

You've been feeding her chakra constantly for the last three days.

From the information we have, all the cases took a long time before the chakra stealer became an addict.

Likely she just developed a crush on you and this point…which would explain her behavior tonight.

.

That's why when Hiashi told me, I sent the Anbu to go get you before you basically made her fall head over heels in love with your chakra.

I swear Naruto only you would take a forbidden jutsu like that and turn it into a training tool!

You are more reckless then Gai and Kakashi combined with your students!" She spat.

"Should I take her to the hospital?" Naruto asked clearly concerned.

"No she's Hypoglycemic, she doesn't have alcohol poisoning. She will be fine in the morning." Tsunade stated like she was tired of talking to him.

"Now take your new girlfriend home!

Hiashi and I have to figure out what we are going to tell the council tomorrow when this whole thing blows up in our faces." She demanded while pointing at the door.

.

Naruto sighed in defeat. _"How did this happen to me?"_

He carefully removed Hanabi's head from his lap and shook her gently to wake her up.

She stirred a bit and finally opened her eyes.

"Hanabi please tell me you left that special kunai I gave you at home tonight?"

She was really out of it.

She rolled over flat on her back and straitened her legs out on the couch.

Then in front of Kami and everyone she pulled up her skirt revealing her lacy pink thong underwear to everyone in the room.

She reached down on her left thigh and unhooked the kunai holster and sleepily handed it to Naruto.

"It's in here. You told me to keep it on me and I did." She then fell right back asleep without even bothering to cover herself back up.

.

Kakashi nose became a blood fountain and he promptly fell backwards out the window with a few dense thumps and a loud crash as he fell off the Hokage tower.

Hiashi put his head back in his hands and the Hokage signed.

Naruto only blinked a few times without moving and mindlessly said. "Thanks Hanabi-Chan."

He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder and reached down to pick up her high heels.

Naruto wore a tired, defeated look and trudged out of the office with his new girlfriend.

.

He got out of the office only to find Gai sensei and Rock Lee waiting to see the Hokage next.

Gai sensei started freaking out speaking like a squirrel on amphetamines again.

Naruto didn't even look at him and just held out his free hand out to his side and blasted him with an air bullet jutsu that sent him flying off over the Hokage monument.

Naruto's shoulders slumped and he proceeded to carry the sleeping Hanabi down the stairs.

Lee had one finger up like he was going to speak, but did a double take of his flying sensei.

"Wow that's some distance."He mumbled to himself.

"Naruto!" Lee said running up to him until he got a good look at the very depressed looking ninja.

"Naruto?" He said concerned, "Are you ok? You look pretty down. What's wrong?"

.

"Well just about everything. I got a new girlfriend for starters and it's the very beautiful Hyuuga Heiress Hanabi." He said in sarcastic defeat like he hated his life.

Lee blinked a few times before saying, "You don't sound too happy about it."

"I'm not, she tricked me into it." He stated flatly as he looked over at him.

Lee thought for a moment. "Who knew all it took to defeat the great Naruto was a pretty face.

I shall go out and buy me a dress, high heels and make up and to challenge you to a duel!"

Lee said in his righteous voice with his fist shaking in front of him obviously trying to cheer Naruto up.

Naruto gave him an honest laughed. "Thanks Lee, I needed that after the day I've had." He said.

.  
"Naruto how did she trick you into being her boyfriend?" He asked curiously.

"Well as a reward I told her I'd take her out to get ices cream for doing so well with her training.

When I came to get her she was all dolled up like it was a date.

She told me she was going to get me back for making her eat ramen for lunch.

She made me promise not to henge us to look like other people, so it would start rumors and give me a hard time later as punishment."

He stated holding up her high heels in his left hand. "She wore these and she could hardly walk in them.

So I had to walk arm in arm with her just so she wouldn't fall over, making it look even more like a real date.

We finally got to Kike's ice cream shop…" He said before Lee cut in.

.

"She made you go there! That's the biggest lovey dovey place in town. She is totally cruel." Lee stated while nodding his head in agreement.

"Tell me about it." Naruto said sarcastically.

"We had ice cream, but what I didn't know was that she was Hypoglycemic." He said.

"Hypo what?" He asked in confusion.

.

"Hypoglycemic it's a medical condition were if the person blood sugar get too low they faint and if it gets to high the act like they are drunk." He said.

"We nearly finished a lover's banana split when an Anbu guard came to get us to see the Hokage.

Seeing as how she had eaten a lot of sugar packed ice cream she seemed drunk as a skunk.

She couldn't even stand. I had to carry her all the way to the Hokage's office with her giggling the whole way down Main Street." He said.

"That Hanabi is a downright evil person for doing that to you." Lee said nodding his head.

"Speaking of which...If this is a whole misunderstanding then why are we walking down Main Street...getting all these...looks?"

He looked at a bunch of the same type of shocked faces Naruto has gotten on the way to the Hokage tower.

"Don't you want to take a more discreet way back to her house?" Lee said curiously.

"I'm getting to that." Naruto said.

"I finally made it there and Tsunade, Hiashi and Kakashi basically all decided that the damage was done.

Me and Hanabi had to at least pretend to be dating so it wouldn't ruin my reputation anymore and so it wouldn't ruin the Hyuuga Clan's Heiress reputation." Naruto stated.

.

"Ohhh, you're so lucky Naruto!" Lee said with his quivering fist in front of him and flames burning in his eyes.

"WHAT? Haven't you been listening? Look what she did to what was left of my reputation?" He stated in shock.

"Yeah, but you always get the cute ladies and I'm twenty-one years old and I have never had a girlfriend." His shoulders slumped.

"You've already been with three of the most beautiful girls in the village.

Now another one just as pretty shows up and tricks you into being her boyfriend." Lee cried.

.

"If there wasn't political ramifications for our relationship, I'd just hand this little one right over to you." He stated.

"I don't think I'll ever find a girlfriend." He said defeated.

Naruto sighed and tried to think of a girl that would fit well with Lee.

_"Well it would have to been a ninja that trained a lot. _

_She would need to have a big heart to see Lee for what he is and not a ninja with no Ninjutsu or Genjutsu._

_So she would need to be perceptive and like his silly antics...poor guy, I don't know anyone like that."_

_._

"Sorry Lee. I thought about it and I don't know any woman that would fit well with you.

You're just too unique." Naruto said empathetically as they entered the long winding road that lead to the Hyuuga compound.

"I think I need to change myself, maybe then I could find a girlfriend." He stated depressed.

"Lee that is really the last thing you should do. If she can't accept you for who you are then she isn't worthy of dating you.

But maybe it is time for a new wardrobe and an eyebrow trim." He stated putting his hand on his shoulder.

.

"You know I only had one date while I was wearing that ugly orange outfit...Guess what?

That outfit was actually a old road traffic uniform. I mean come on bright orange so says ninja stealth.

I can't believe I didn't know until Kakashi told me almost four years ago when I started wearing my Sage uniform." He laughed.

"He thought I wore it just because I was the village's most unpredictable ninja. Honestly I had no clue.

I mean it's got lots of pockets just like a normal ninja outfit." He stated.

Lee laughed.

.

"Hey Lee?" Naruto said right outside the main gate to the Hyuuga compound.

"Yes Naruto?" Lee replied.

"Thanks for walking me back here. I didn't get near as many bad looks with you with me because of your good reputation." He stated honestly.

"No problem Naruto. Thank you for the advice." He said.

"Well I'm going to warm up a bottle of milk and get a pacifier ready to put my new girlfriend to bed. I'll see you later Lee." He said waving good bye with his free hand.

"Good bye." Rock Lee said.

.

The gate guard stopped Naruto.

"What happened to Hanabi?" He asked concerned.

"She ate too much ice cream. I'll go put her to bed or hand her off to Shizan." He stated.

"That's alright Sage, I can take her from here." He said.

"Trust me, I need to talk to Shizan and you're going to have some extra help guarding the compound tonight.

By tomorrow everyone will have heard about our date." He stated none too thrilled.

The guard gave him a puzzled look and said. "As you wish Sage."

.

The butler Minaskai greeted Naruto at the door.

"Hello." He said in a drained defeated manor.

"Can you lead me to Hanabi's room so I can put her to sleep then I need to see Shizan.

I need to talk to her." He said.

The butler just stood there unmoving.

Naruto got right up to his ear and yelled. "HELLO!"

.

The butler jumped and said. "Right away, her room is on the third floor. Follow me."

Naruto followed the butler though the winding house until he got to a wooden door on the third floor.

"It's right in here." He said then unlocked the door and waving Naruto in.

Naruto went inside the twenty foot square room and spotted a huge girlie four post king size bed.

Naruto laid the sleeping Hyuuga on the bed and started pouring healing chakra into her so she wouldn't be sore in the morning.

Naruto tucked her in and said. "Good night you clever little demon."

**"Who's Little?" **The booming sinister voice of Kyuubi entered his head**.**

Naruto put his head in his hand and thought. _"No, not you Ruby, just go back to whatever you were doing."_

Kyuubi's voice fell silent once more.

.

Naruto got up and stretched out his arm that Hanabi rode on and went out the door into the hall.

"I put her to bed. The Hokage said she will be fine in the morning.

I need to talk with Shizan if you would please lead me to her." He asked politely.

The butler led him down two doors and knocked twice.

.

"Yes?" He heard a woman's voice say.

"Sage Naruto is here to see you Shizan." He said.

"Send him in please." She replied.

Naruto entered the small ten feet square study were Shizan was sitting reading some papers at her desk.

"Good evening Sage, what can I help you with?" She asked.

Naruto told her the whole story, but left out the parts that pertained to any of his forbidden jutsu.

.

"Aww that kind of sweet, now you two are officially a couple.

I can't say I'm surprised with the way she left the house dressed." She said with a knowing smile.

Naruto mumbled. "Is no one on my side here?"

.

"Anyway I'm going to go help guard the compound tonight. I don't need any of my fan girls coming to give the Hyuuga clan trouble." He said and rolled his eyes.

"I think our guards are more the capable of keeping a few disgruntled girls out Sage." She said.

"Still I need to make sure. I'll only have eight clones out guarding the main house." Naruto said with a yawn.

"Are you sure you don't want me to make you up a room to sleep in?" She asked.

"No thanks. I'm fine. The real me with be at the gate if you need me for anything." He said.

Naruto headed out of the mansion and made eight clones.

Four clones took up there places the bottom corners of the house and the other four took up the same places on the third floor of the roof.

Naruto then headed for the gate.

.

"Hello again." He said to the Hyuuga guard

"Hello Sage Naruto." He said.

"I'll be helping you out tonight.

After my date with Hanabi tonight all those fan girls that chase after me are likely to be put off.

I just need to make sure none of them try anything." He said.

"Do you think they will try to do anything?" He asked.

"Hell with the way today's been going I'm just not taking any chances." He stated.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi woke up and her stomach wasn't feeling too well.

She didn't want to, but she got up and went to the bathroom and got sick.

_"Ergh what the hell did I eat last night. I remember Naruto taking me out for ice cream._

_I think I ate too much of it and from there I'm not sure if it was a dream or not." _She thought.

She got up and took a shower once her stomach calmed down.

.

_"I feel a little better now." _She thought.

She crossed the room in the nude to her walk in closet and got dressed.

She looked over at her clock and it was only seven am.

"Ergh I wish I could remember what happened last night! I hope I got him back for that ramen." She said out loud.

She went out of her room and down the hall two doors in to the study looking for Shizan.

.

Shizan was at her desk with a cup of hot tea in her night cloths.

She had apparently just woken up.

"Morning Shizan." Hanabi said.

Shizan looked over at her. "Well if it isn't the little Sage trapper. Good morning."

Hanabi blinked a few times and she said. "Sage trapper? What do you mean...What happened?

The last thing I remember clearly was us nearly finishing our ice cream. It gets hazy after that.

I think I ate too much sugar." She said with a strained look.

.

Shizan picked up a stack of pictures and handed it to her.

"Kakashi took these pictures of your date with Naruto... look them over." She said handing her the pictures.

Hanabi went through the pictures and by the time she finished looking at all of them she was blushing.

"Oh my...That wasn't a dream? I wanted to mess with Naruto, but nothing this extreme!

My reputation is ruined and father is going to kill me...

I take it Naruto is mad at me?" She asked cringing.

.

"He's probably too tired to be mad at you right now. He has been guarding the compound from his fan girls all night.

He managed to stop all three that tried to enter and pull pranks on you.

They are most likely spending a few days in jail.

You should go talk to him though." She said eying Hanabi with a smile.

.

Hanabi quickly rushed out of the house and headed for the gate.

She found a very sleepy looking Naruto guarding the gate with the morning guard.

"Umm Naruto?" She asked shyly.

He looked over at her and rubbed his eyes.

.

"Morning." He said as he yawned.

"I don't remember all of what happened last night. Are you mad at me?" She asked while cringing.

"I'm not sure yet and I'm way too sleepy to think right now.

Just be a good girlfriend and let's go back to my house so I can sleep.

You can start your practice there today, seeing as how Hiashi is trying to save both our reputations by talking to the council this morning."

He said as he sleepy started walking down the road.

.

Hanabi caught up with the slow moving Sage and asked. "Umm did you say girlfriend?"

"Yes to save our reputations we are officially a couple, so I don't look like a playboy and you don't look like a loose woman." He stated nearly falling asleep on his feet.

"Oh Kami we are a couple? What did I do? How did that happen?" She asked totally shocked.

"Shizan showed you the pictures right? Well half the village saw you like that. We have to pretend to be a couple now because of that.

Hiashi is going to talk to the council and try to calm them down. He is going to try to let them know our relationship is not a political move." He said.

.

Naruto reach down and grabbed Hanabi's hand.

She gave a slight start when he did this, but quietly walked him back to his house.

They made it inside the house and Naruto walked to the opened the door of his bed room.

Naruto headed right to his bed and collapsed on to it face first.

Within a few seconds he was fast asleep.

.

.

Naruto woke up around four in the afternoon and yawned.

"Maybe it was all just a nightmare." He said to himself.

He got up and went to the bathroom then headed to the kitchen.

Naruto made some instant ramen that he had hidden and ate.

Naruto could feel Hanabi's chakra nearby in the direction of the living room.

He sighed. _"So much for it being a dream."_ He thought.

.

Hanabi came into the kitchen a shortly there after.

"Hello Naruto are you feeling better?" Hanabi asked him with concern.

"Yes I feel much better. I just need to eat and I'll be back to 100%" He said.

Hanabi waited quietly until Naruto was done eating.

.

"Sage Naruto, I am so sorry for my behavior last night.

I didn't mean to eat that much sugar, as you might have guessed I basically get drunk off of sugar." Hanabi said while bowing.

Naruto sighed. "You mean you didn't actually plan on that whole getting drunk off of sugar thing?" He asked.

"No I only meant to have a few bites of it and stop...It was just so good that I didn't stop.

I'm sorry Naruto please believe me. I wouldn't want to act like that in public." She stated honestly.

.

"I believe you on the in 'public' part, but I've seen your other side...You're a trickster." He stated.

Hanabi sighed. "Yes I have that side of me and I keep it in check most of the time." She said.

Naruto kept eying her. "Hanabi this is important, I need to know exactly how you feel about me." He stated.

_"Why is he asking me this?...How can I tell him how much I'm fallen for him after three days? _

_That I feel lonely in a crowded room when he's not around. That I've been dreaming about nothing but him for three nights straight!_

_I can't tell him that!"_

.

"Hanabi I need to know…" He stated very seriously.

"I..Umm like you..a lot." She said shyly. "I..I don't like being away from you ...for long and I feel unusually close to you after just three days." She stammered.

Naruto sighed. "It just like Tsunade said... Hanabi I think you're addicted to my chakra." He stated bluntly.

She blinked and then said in offense "...What?"

"The Raw Chakra Transfer can in rare cases cause a false...well feeling of love for the person that feeds you the chakra.

It can also cause a strong desire to be close to that person.

It can even give you some of the memories of that person if it is used too much over a period of time." He said.

.

Hanabi was clearly getting upset. "So you think I'm a chakra junkie now?"

"How would you describe how you feel about me, like an obsession, like a crush or even just as a friend?" He asked calmly and intently.

Hanabi took a few breaths to calm down. "Like something I don't understand and want to know more about!... It's more of a... curious like with hints of obsession of wanting to know more."

She said honestly.

.

"Then let's conduct an experiment then. I'll slowly get closer and closer to you and you tell me when I'm in your personal space." He stated seriously.

"There is no need for that. As long as I'm wearing clothes you're not in my personal space." She stated with her eyes closed and slightly ashamed.

"Do you feel that's normal for knowing someone only three days?" He scolded her.

"No, if they were any other person, but you Naruto." She clutched her elbows while looking at the ground and said still unable to meet his gaze.

Naruto stared at her.

.

"Naruto I think I should explain something." She took a long breath and finally looked at him.

"When you're a noble, no one invades your personal space unless you are sparing or you invite them to.

You were the first person to invade my space and you did it a lot.

After awhile I just came to trust you, to get used to you there Naruto, especially after that seduction and lecture.

I just knew that you weren't interested in me as the Hyuuga Heiress.

You only saw me. You only saw Hanabi. You didn't care that I was a noble...to you I was just a human.

You might not believe me, but in the Noble's world that is a very very rare thing.

I haven't been to the academy, so I haven't had the chance to really make any friends my own age.

.

My days before I turned fifteen years old consisted Taijutsu from eight am to noon and study on everything you can imagine from one pm to eight pm.

I would eat and shower from eight pm to nine pm.

Only one hour a day during the week was mine...only one.

I was allowed to read, practices my jutsu, sit in the garden, talk to the people in the house or go to sleep early.

I wasn't even allowed to go out into the village without at least two Jonin level Hyuuga guards and that very rarely happened.

I was just too important to the clan's future to be set free to live like everyone else does.

It has been like this since I was eight years old when father named me the Heiress over Hinata."

She stated while Naruto listened quietly.

.

"On weekends father would take me with him when he handled political matters some times and I was expected to sit there quietly and watch.

I was expected to take living examples from watching him for hours on end debate and haggle through all types of situations.

Most of the time it was at the main house of our compound, so I didn't even get to leave the house.

Only a few times a year during the seasonal festivals and the Chunin exams could I leave the house and only if Father or later Neji accompanied me.

This was my life as the Heiress of the Hyuuga clan.

.

All the time I walked in a political mine field.

I constantly got suitors after I became twelve years old that wanted to court me into marriage to put their own clan in better standings.

Some of them were over forty years old.

Each time I was expected to go through this whole long ordeal of compatibility before I could reject them, just because of politics.

It is lucky for me that the Hyuuga clan is the most powerful clan in the village.

Otherwise a more powerful clan could practically demand marriage out of our clan.

Father knows it's been hard on me being the Heiress, so he decided I should at least be able to pick my suitor as long as he is the strongest of ninjas and father approves.

.

Just over two weeks ago I turned fifteen and father told me I would be getting put into a Genin squad soon.

He started giving me the afternoons to myself and told me I could go anywhere that was on our lands.

He wanted me to increase my non-political social skills so that I could make friends my own age.

I ended up finding out that the Legendary Sage Naruto was using one of our training grounds.

So I went to spy on you.

.

I've already read all the books written about you.

If I couldn't see you with my own eye I would say all those stories are fairly tales.

You weren't what I was expecting, all you did was train and teach Konohamaru.

I kept expecting you to use some amazing jutsu like that spinning white and orange star jutsu depicted in a book I read.

You never did, it was the same boring routine for two weeks." She stated.

.

"It wasn't until after we met three days ago that I got to meet the legend from the books I read formally and not has a dinner guest I was forbidden from speaking to.

You seemed much more like the local talk about you then some great hero that I had read about in my books.

At first I thought you were the brashest and rudest person I'd ever met.

I too felt that the village had you nailed with the playboy rumors.

.

After that first night when you told me of your three loves, I saw you in a whole new light.

You weren't the playboy everyone made you out to be or the invincible hero the books made you out to be.

You ...you seem more like...like a person that had endured so much pain that just keep going no matter what.

You seemed human to me and unlike anyone I'd ever meet or heard about.

.

People said you were a playboy and yet your really very tight moralled.

Books say you're an invincible hero and yet I watched you cry telling me how scared up inside you were inside."

Hanabi smiled. "You can level a mountain, yet you needed my help to take down the pictures in the master bed room.

How could I not want to be near you? You the first real friend I've made.

I've been shackled to my duties sense I was eight years old!" She said in frustration.

.

Naruto could see that Hanabi really didn't have the life experiences to know whether she had a crush, like or even loved him.

Naruto walked across the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Hanabi in a hug.

"I'm sorry Hanabi. I didn't know what kind of life you led before I met you.

My question was an unfair one to ask you." Naruto stated with Hanabi in his arms.

Hanabi didn't speak for a few minutes. She just enjoyed being held by Naruto.

Naruto said. "Wind Released Rasenshuriken"

"What?" Hanabi asked.

"That's the name of my Spinning Star jutsu." He said.

.

She finally asked. "Naruto are you still mad at me?"

Naruto looked at her like she was crazy. "Of course not, but this is going to cause us a lot of trouble." He said.

Hanabi rested her forehead in the center of his chest and sighed. "Again I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen." She stated honestly.

Naruto squeezed her tightly and let her go.

.

"How about I take you to some of my favorite places around the village?" He said.

Hanabi gave him an almost fake laugh as she looked up at him. "Do you really think that is such a good idea?

Maybe father has patched things up enough so we don't have to pretend to date."

Naruto gave her a cynical look. "Do you realize what you looked like last night? Trust me we are stuck as a couple for awhile.

Frankly I'm surprised we didn't have to get married after the way you acted last night." He said with a teasing smile.

She buried he head into his chest in embarrassment. "Was I really that bad?" She asked.

Naruto looked down at the top of her head and poked her gently in the ribs to get her to look up at him.

"We looked like we were on our honeymoon." He stated.

"That is the nice way of putting it."

.

"I'm not so sure I want to go out into the village today if it was that bad." She said.

"That doesn't sound like someone that's been chained to the Hyuuga mansion for most of her life.

Besides with me with you there's no way your father could complain about you not being safe." He teased.

"That's true." She stated.

"So are you ready to go?" He asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." She said with a sigh.

_"This might be nice, but I've got a feeling it's going to take awhile for villagers to get use to the idea of us as a couple." _She thought.

.

Naruto and Hanabi walking into to village hand in hand.

They were getting stared at a lot... The older people that knew who Hanabi was were staring in open mouthed shock.

While most of the younger ones either rolled their eyes or watched them for a moment then went back whatever it was that they were doing.

Hanabi tugged on his sleeve. Naruto leaned down so she could whisper into his ear.

"Naruto they are giving us some pretty strange looks...Are you sure this is a good idea?" She whispered.

.

"Of course it is, we are supposed to be a couple. Besides who cares what they think.

If they bug you too much we can step it up and make them faint." He hinted with a smile.

Hanabi blushed and whispered. "What were you planning on, taking me out for ice cream again?"

Naruto looked up in thought. "That's an idea." He teased.

"Absolutely not!" She hissed into his ear.

Naruto laughed.

.

Naruto led her to the entrance of a park at the other end of the village.

"Were you intentionally taking the most public way here?" She questioned.

"Oh, so you noticed that?" He stated coyly.

"It was hard to miss, why did you do that? Just because we are a couple doesn't mean everyone needs to know today." She said.

"It is better to answer all those flying rumors from last night as soon as possible.

If everyone sees us like we are now, then it's obvious we are a couple and our incident from last night will look like young love.

Not raging hormones, like everyone seems to think." He said.

.

Hanabi grinned knowingly. "I think you were just showing me off as your girlfriend to the whole village." She teased.

Naruto shrugged at her and then started leading her into the park saying. "That too."

Hanabi blushed. _"Ergh I hate that I can't tell when he's joking or not."_ She thought.

Naruto led her though a wooded area with a dark orange brick walkway that curved back and forth for seemingly for reason.

He led her for close to five minutes along the walk way.

Sometimes the forest was so thick that the canopy of limbs over head made it look like a dark tree tunnel.

When they came out of a particularly long one of these tree tunnels Naruto stopped.

.

"This is it." He stated.

There was a one acre shallow pond with cat tails and lily pads in it.

A large four feet long stone in front of them looked like someone had cut the top of it at about two feet high that was right next to the shore.

The top of the stone was nowhere to be seen though.

.

"Come on Hanabi, this place is way better then my fish tank at home." He said leading her by the hand over to the cut stone and sat her down.

Naruto reached into his pack and pulled out some kind of bread loaf.

He reached his hand down into the water and splashed his hand back and forth.

"Give them a minute." He said.

.

At first nothing happened. Then a fifteen inch long butterfly coy fish was swimming in front of them.

Within a minute there were so many coy and goldfish in front of them that they could no longer see the bottom of the pond.

Naruto broke the loaf of bread in half and gave half of it to Hanabi.

Naruto started pulling small pieces of the bread of and tossing it into the water where the fish would all dart over to trying to beat everyone else there to get the bread.

.

"This is a place I like to come to every now and then. I can't say it's my special place, it's actually Choji's.

He showed it to me a few years ago and told me that no one ever takes the fish out of here because they aren't good to eat.

I've actually spoiled one of the goldfish in here." He said then laughed.

Hanabi smiled at him while tossing more bread into the water before asking. "How do you spoil a fish? That isn't something I've heard of before."

Naruto chuckled. "I'll show you later, for now let's just enjoy these guys." Naruto said.

They sat there quietly feeding the fish until they both were out of bread.

.

"Hey Hanabi what does your name mean?" He asked seemingly out of nowhere breaking the silence.

Hanabi sighed. "It means Fireworks." She stated sourly.

Naruto gave her a puzzled look. "You don't like your name?"

"No I don't. Why would I? I am named after something a races into the sky and explodes only to never been seen again." She said.

"Well that's not how I see it.

I always thought fireworks were something rare and beautiful that you only got to see on special occasions.

Something that made you want to share them with someone else.

Something that brought people closer together and made them remember a special moment." He said.

.

Hanabi couldn't stop smiling at him. "I guess I like my name a bit better now. Thank you Naruto." She said shyly.

"What does your name mean? I know there is a dish named Naruto, is that all there is to it?" She asked.

"'Naruto' can mean maelstrom, and is also the name for a sliced stick of Kamaboko with a pink whirlpool design in the middle that is used as a topping for ramen.

'Uzumaki' means..well it means this." He summoned a three feet high whirlwind.

"So it means whirlwind?" She asked.

"Or whirlpool...What's the word I'm looking for?...Vortex... that is what it means." He stated.

.

Hanabi gave him a puzzled look before asking. "What kind of last name is that?

I know that many last names refer to what their family does, but I've never heard of a job that has anything to do with a Vortex."

"My mother was from a clan in the former Whirlpool country. It was a Noble clan well known for their uses of wind and water jutsu.

That's about all I know of her of her clan.

The country was taken over and she was likely a refugee that came to the Land of Fire." He said without really thinking.

"So who was you father?" She asked curiously.

Naruto sighed. "Against my better judgment I will tell you later tonight, but for now let's enjoy the fire flies.

.

Hanabi looked out over the pond and there was hundreds of fire flies flashing green light in a totally random pattern.

"Pretty isn't it?" He asked her.

Hanabi leaned her head over on his shoulder and said. "Yes it is."

They sat there in silence for a long time each of them just enjoying watching the fire flies and each other company.

.

"Hanabi we need to go before its pitch black out here." He stated.

She groaned. "It so pretty out her though." She said.

"Hanabi..." He retorted.

She sighed. "Ok then, let's go." She said getting up.

Naruto looked around. "Within a few minutes it's going to be dark out. We aren't going to make it." He said.

Naruto looked over at her and smiled before saying. "I hope you don't mind another pervert snuggle?"

"I thought you'd never ask." She said smiling and moved over to lean her back on his chest.

Naruto wrapped his arms around her and drew a kunai and then they were gone.

.

Hanabi was in awe, she was looking down at the whole village just as the lights lit up the streets.

"This is one of my other favorite places to be. It's on top of a depiction of my father's head." He said.

Hanabi took a moment to make sure her feet were stable on the spiky haired of the monument.

Hanabi smiled never looking down to see which of the Hokage's heads they were standing on.

"I had a feeling you were the Fourth Hokage's son Naruto...It all makes sense...You're looks, your jutsu and even your attitude."

.

She said holding his hands around her so he didn't remove them.

"Those hand aren't going any were you know." He stated while pulling her closer to him.

Hanabi smiled. "I was just making sure...It is a long way down." She said looking over the edge.

.

They stayed there for almost a fifteen minutes before Naruto heard her stomach growling.

Naruto looked over at her and laughed while Hanabi got a shy look on her face.

"Hanabi I think it's time to get you some food before your stomach gets any louder." He said into her ear.

She groaned and leaned back into him. "I don't want to go home. I've spent way too much time there anyway." She stated is displeasure.

Naruto laughed and said. "I was thinking of a restaurant for tonight seeing as how I was too tired to make a clone to go fishing."

"Let's go see Tsunade. Maybe she's done with her work for the day and wants to get something to eat with us." He said with a knowing smile.

.

Hanabi glance over her shoulder and asked. "Do you normally just go up to the Hokage and ask her to dinner like that?"

Naruto stated. "Well yeah. We normally eat together a few times a week.

If I don't come rescue her from her paper work every once in a while I think she'd go insane.

She complains most of the time that she has too much work to go out to eat with me, but she always gives in.

Besides we need to find out if her and your father smoothed things over with the council." He said.

.

Hanabi grinned. "I think you're just showing me off again." She stated with a smile.

"Hey! You got to admit it's fun shocking the whole village like this." He said while smiling.

Hanabi laughed. "Maybe it is...just a little bit. So how close to the Hokage's office can you blink us?" She said slightly flirtatiously.

"I can probably land us in her lap, but she would not be happy about it. The safest route is about a block from the Hokage tower." He said while smiling.

Naruto pulled out a kunai and they vanished.

.

In less than five minutes Naruto and Hanabi were at the door to the Hokage's office.

Naruto greeted the guard and after a few more minutes they were allowed to go inside.

"Hello Tsunade-Chan." He said.

The Hokage's sighed from behind her mountain of paper work. "What do you want Naruto?

I've got enough work right now without you bothering me and your little escapade last night made the council meeting run late, so I'm even farther behind." She stated slightly annoyed.

"Did you have lunch today?" Naruto asked her.

.

The Hokage put her head in her hands. "That is not the point Naruto. I'm behind on my work and I have to get it done." She said.

"Well that's even more of a reason to come have dinner with us. You'll never get it done if you pass out because you're not eating." He said.

She took her head out of her hands and glared at him. "Then I'll just get an assistant to bring something up later!" She snapped at him.

"Are you really going to make me drag you out of this stuffy office?" He retorted planting both of his hands on her desk and getting inches from her face.

"GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!" She yelled and threw her tea cup at him.

Naruto grabbed Hanabi into a running hug and darted out of the office before more things came flying out at them.

.

Hanabi was stunned. She blinked a few times before saying. "I thought you said that she always gives in and comes to eat with you?"

"She does, just wait a few minutes you'll see." He said causally while staring at the door.

"Umm are you really going to try to drag her if she doesn't come?" She asked awkwardly.

Naruto looked over at Hanabi for a second then busted up laughing.

Tsunade came out of the office door while Naruto was still laughing.

.

"What so funny wart Sage?" She stated curiously.

"Hanabi-Chan thought I was serious about physically dragging you across town to come have dinner with us." He said while still laughing.

Tsunade laughed for a minute before saying to Hanabi. "He's actually already tried that one time."

They started walking down the long stair case.

.

Hanabi curiously asked. "What happened? Did you nearly kill him?"

Naruto laughed again. "No we didn't come to blows. It was me and ten thousand of my clones verses her and one of her earth jutsus." He said.

"Well who won?" She asked the Hokage.

Tsunade just looked over at Naruto and smiled and Hanabi looked back over at Naruto for a answer.

Naruto rolled his eyes at the Hokage still wearing a smile.

"I guess if you'd say physically dragging her across the town to have lunch with me that day is a win...then I lost.

She used some weird earth jutsu to make her stick to the ground.

Even with all my clones in a tug-a-war line and her willingly holding my hand, we still couldn't move her.

I tried for almost a hour and some of my clones were already popping from exhaustion." He said smiling at the Hokage her smiling back.

.

Hanabi looked from Naruto to the Hokage smiling at each other. "Why do I get the feeling I'm not getting the entire story here?" She asked.

Naruto looked back over to her and said. "Because I feel like I won.

She was smiling and having a good time watching me fail. This is when Kakashi snapped that picture on my night stand by the way.

So I dissipated all my clones while I was lying at her feet panting.

She asked me if I was ready to give up yet and I told her that I don't go back on my word and I'll try all night if I have too." He stated.

.

He looked back over to Tsunade and she nodded her head.

Hanabi caught this, but did not ask what the silent question was.

"I decided to try to get her to break the jutsu by breaking her concentration instead of trying to breaking it physically.

I grabbed her hand making her think I was just using it to help myself up, but I came up quickly and gave her a full blown kiss right on the lips." He said.

Hanabi stood there in open mouthed shocked while Naruto and Tsunade waited for her to recover before walking farther down the street.

.

"You..you Kissed the Hokage like that? Like a lover?" She stammered.

"Hey it worked!

She fell right on her butt with me on top of her...She was about to kill me before I said 'Happy mother's day and pulled out that bracelet she's wearing." He said all the while smiling.

Tsunade held up her left wrist and jingled it back and forth at Hanabi.

On it was a simple lose fitting gold chain bracelet with a tear drop pearl on it.

"I had heard that pearls were great for storing healing chakra.

That's why I picked that bracelet, but it turns out that's just a myth as she later told me over lunch." He said

.

"I can't believe she didn't kill you for that." Hanabi said is disbelief.

Naruto got a very strained look on his face before saying. "She did break four of my ribs in the bear hug she gave me after giving her that bracelet ..."

"I only broke one of them, the other three were only fractured and I healed you right afterwards." Tsunade said like he was being a sissy.

Naruto laughed. "So where are we going to eat at?" Naruto asked Tsunade.

Tsunade smiled at him and he rolled his eyes knowing the answer.

Naruto and Tsunade said it at the same time. "Taki's Seafood and Bar."

.

* * *

.

After notes

I would have edited out more mistakes, but my eyes hurt too badly from going over this chapter for over ten hours trying to get it perfect as far as grammar is concerned.

I honestly can't stand the way I've got the sentence structure done in this chapter, but I did get a published author to briefly help me with my sentence structure.

I'm not sure if I understood her right, but I believe this is how she told me to do it.

.

This is the way she told me to write it if I understood her right.(minus the brackets)

Example:[ "She wore these." He stated holding up her high heels in his left hand. "And she could hardly walk in them."]

The way I would have written it is the same way I think inside my head.

["She wore these" he stated holding up her high heels in his left hand "and she could hardly walk in them."]

Like it was a complete thought...because it is in my head.

I honestly can't stand using "He said" or "She said." as a sentence.

I was taught that "See spot run." was the simplest of sentences in kindergarten, not "He said".

I've got a feeling that this sentence structure is wrong too, but I didn't have part of my story handy when I asked her to show me how to form a complex sentence like what I use in the

story.

Rest assured though one day this story will be grammarly perfect.

She even forced me to borrow four books from her.

"The Elements of Grammar" by Margaret Shertzer.( When my eyes stop hurting I'll probably read this one cover to cover.)

"The Elements of Editing, A Modern Guide for Editors and Journalists" by Arthur Plotnik (Copyright 1982...hope you got a laugh out of that...I kind of did)

"Creating Short Fiction" by Damon Knight.

and "Writing To Sell" by Scott Meredith. ( LoL Imagen published author having this book.)

.

Thank you all for reading this far into my story( even with my bad grammar) and especially those that post to help me with my grammar and writing.


	10. Chapter 10: A lesson on the Forth Hokage

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**

**Chapter 10: A lesson on the Forth Hokage**

* * *

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**

Author's Notes.

* * *

.

I actually found out what most writers call what I've been calling my Inner Anime. They called it your inner muse.

Now I've got correct term for it.

I almost wanted to scrap most of this chapter. I wanted the pace to pick up and it was like it slowed down. *pulls hair out*

Unfortunately every time I try to scrap a lot of the writing my inner muse cuts me off and gives me writers block.

It's not like I can beat up my inner muse and tell it to stop going so slow with the time line.

Though sometimes I wish I could.

.

Reviews/Questions:

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.

_**Cenright  
2009-04-30 . chapter 9**_

_**It seemed like the admission of who his father was, was almost glossed over.**_

_**It was like a huge secret in earlier chapters, so I thought he would say more to Hanabi about the subject while on the monument.**_

_**I really loved how you described her life so well, but... heiress at age 3?**_

_**that would mean that Hinata was age 9 at most, and so only maybe halfway thought the academy when you have Hiashi alter who the heiress was.**_

.

Well Hanabi had pretty much figured it out by that point. He looks just like his father and the statue in front of his home she even mistakes for Naruto.

She a pretty smart cookie and there are things in Naruto's living room that are a dead giveaway.

Hiashi didn't so much name Hanabi as the heir because she was more qualified. It's more of he found Hinata unworthy of it and Hanabi was his only other heir.

At least that's the way I saw it. FYI this isn't my writing it's from the cannon. I had to guess on the age though.

.

I normally don't answer comments, but this one was way out there. So...

InARealPickle  
2009-05-01 . chapter 8

_**Awe!  
They're perfect for each other.  
Now all Hanabi has to do to land Naruto is to get a horrific injury resulting in the loss of her uterus. Then she won't be eligible for clan head because she can't produce a heir and Naruto won't have to worry about killing her or losing his shot at hokage.**_

*laughs*

Wow lay off the soap operas.

Though I can't guarantee that's not going to happen, I don't think my inner muse has anything like that planned.

Just keep reading:)

Shalk Zailackar

.

Your typo list is too long for me to post, but thank you for helping me with my work.

Are you a English teacher by chance?

You seem to catch a lot of mistakes like that, like you are a teacher for a living?

.

Last chapter

* * *

.

"I had heard that pearls were great for storing healing chakra.

That's why I picked that bracelet, but it turns out that's just a myth as she later told me over lunch." He said.

"I can't believe she didn't kill you for that." Hanabi said.

Naruto got a very strained look on his face before saying. "She did break four of my ribs in the bear hug she gave me after giving her that bracelet ..."

"I only broke one of them, the other three were only fractured and I healed you right afterwards." Tsunade said like he was being a sissy.

Naruto laughed. "So where are we going to eat at?" Naruto asked Tsunade.

Tsunade smiled at him and he rolled his eyes knowing the answer.

Naruto and Tsunade said it at the same time. "Taki's Seafood and Bar."

.

Chapter Ten: A lesson on the Fourth Hokage.

* * *

.

Naruto's shoulder slumped.

"What wrong? Is the food bad there?" Hanabi asked.

"No it's not that...The food is pretty good there.

I've just been there so many times that I've gotten sick of it and lucky for me they DON'T serve ice cream." Naruto eyed Hanabi.

Hanabi showed him an embarrassed and playful smile.

.

"Tsunade-Chan likes it because it serves one of her favorite types of sake." He stated.

"Don't complain Naruto. You're the one that dragged me away from the office to come eat with you." She said with a sideways glance at him as they walked.

"Oh yeah I'm really twisting your arm here!" He said sarcastically and then they both laughed.

"I should warn you before we get there.

That even though it's a rather nice restaurant, it's near the docks and a lot of rough and tumble sea dogs type of people go there. "He stated.

"Not to worry Hanabi, with me there no one will start any trouble." She said.

"Definitely not, especially after that fight with Red Scar you had two years ago." Naruto said.

"Red Scar?" She asked.

.

"Yeah he's a ship captain. The guy is HUGE, his bicep is as big as my chest.

He got a bit too drunk one night and started picking on one of the waitresses while Tsunade was there.

Tsunade intervened and told the guy none too nicely to leave.

Problem was Red Scar wasn't from our country, or anywhere near here and he had no idea Tsunade was the Hokage.

.

He told her to make him and even offered her the first shot...Big mistake for him.

Tsunade hit him and he went flying forty feet across the room out the door and into the street.

Turns out he's actually a really nice guy and never drinks. He has recently lost his first mate and was drinking to forget.

He later apologized to her for his behavior and explained himself.

Now Tsunade is quite famous with most of the sailors that come up the river to sell their goods." He said.

.

They arrived at the large establishment a few minutes later.

Hanabi thought it looked slightly out of place as most of the buildings looked kind of run down. This one was recently painted white and looked much newer.

One of the things that looked out of place was there was two entrances not twenty feet apart.

They entered the right entrance. There was no hostess here, they just walked up to an empty table and sat down.

Hanabi thought it was the weirdest set up for a restaurant she had ever seen.

.

They were sitting in a fifty feet square room that had ten tables in it and a small bar fifteen feet long with a formally dressed bar tender.

There was only a small wooden railing separating it from the much bigger eighty feet long L shaped bar in the other room.

The giant bar area was packed with sailors just like Naruto told her.

Most of them were sitting at bar stools at the bar, but some were playing kunai throwing games on the far wall.

Hanabi took note of the sign stating that ninja's were not allowed to gamble at the kunai throwing games with sailors.

The bar side was rowdy and loud and it totally ruined the atmosphere of the dinning side.

.

"Why would anyone set up a restaurant like this? It makes no sense at all." She asked while everyone took a seat at a table.

Tsunade said. "This place isn't really for civilians Hanabi. It's strictly for sailors.

The bar side over there is for a ship's crew mates to unwind after a long voyage.

This side is the officer's lounge. It's where the captains and officers of the ships come to eat and drink." She said.

.

"I don't see why the officers would want to eat in such a noisy area if they have money to go elsewhere." She stated.

"Hanabi being a sailor is a lot like joining an army of a country.

They have ranks and are organized so other sailors can tell who is who at a glance, from the lowest rank of cabin boy to the highest rank of fleet commander.

Being a sailor isn't the safest line of work. It is a dangerous job and they depend on each other with their lives out at sea.

They have very close bonds with each other not unlike our ninja squads have,

but then again they do tend to get on each other's nerves with them being copped up on a ship all the time with the same people.

It is inevitable that they will fight with each other.

This place is set up so that the officers can keep an eye out on their crew while still enjoying the food and drink of their station." Tsunade said.

.

"Why would this be your favorite place to eat?" Hanabi asked.

Tsunade smiled. "If you want to know about the finest liquors, then ask a sea captain.

They travel all over and tend to know what drink comes from where and which is their favorite, sometimes even how it's made.

As such the officer's lounge is a place to find the rarest types of fine liquors if you are looking for them.

Sea captains will always go to the bar with the best selection of liquors." She said knowingly.

.

Hanabi obviously wasn't comfortable in this environment.

Naruto leaned over to talk quietly with Hanabi. "No one is going to bother you.

Trust me, no one even talks to anyone that's with Tsunade unless you address them first.

Watch I'll show you.

Hey Gekian. How is your shipping business going?" He asked to an old wrinkly dark skinned man wearing a blue uniform with shinny buttons at a nearby table.

"Pretty good save for the land slide at the port of Yakiranin that blocked off the port.

I tell you the mermaids where having their way with me crew that day." The old man stated and went back to his charts that were on the table.

.

"What did he mean with that mermaid line?" She whispered into his ear.

"Oh, sailors have a lot of their own sayings. They are a very superstitious bunch.

The way he used it meant that they were having bad luck that day." Naruto stated.

A waitress came up and handed everyone menu's.

"What will you have to drink young lady?" She asked directly to Hanabi.

Hanabi wasn't expecting to be put on the spot but said. "Aged grape juice please."

.

The waitress gave the Hokage a puzzled look.

"Take your weakest wine and cut it in half with water." She said to the waitress.

She shrugged her shoulders and wrote it down before heading for the bartender in the dining area.

"Why didn't she ask you two what you wanted?" She questioned.

"Because we are regulars, she already knows what we want. I told you this is Tsunade's favorite place to come to." He said.

.

A few moments later the waitress came back with their drinks and asked Hanabi.

"What would you like this evening?"

"I'll have the sampler platter." She said while pointing to the menu.

"The usual for you two?" She asked Naruto and Tsunade

They both nodded their heads. The waitress turned and left.

.

Tsunade had a big smile on her face as she uncorked the large bottle of sake and started pouring herself a shot.

"Now don't get drunk Tsunade-Chan...I don't need any more rumors about me surfacing...like taking a sauced up Hokage home always ends up doing." He stated.

Tsunade gave him a playful scowl.

"I'm supposed to be with Hanabi...Remember..." He said as he reached his arm around Hanabi and pointed at her.

"You really know how to kill a girls fun...Fine I'll only have one bottle tonight." She said unhappily.

.

* * *

.

Soon they got their food and the waitress was gone.

"So let's hear it...How did the council take the news?" Naruto asked.

Tsunade wiped her mouth while still chewing on some fish she was eating before saying.

"They were totally opposed to it of course. They wanted Hanabi to renounce her Heiress title or you to stop trying to pursue being Hokage.

Hiashi told them that he wouldn't let Hanabi renounce her Heiress duties and that she could date anyone she pleased.

He told them this was a clan matter and not a council matter...Which he's right about that.

And that this wasn't even something for the council to stick it's nose in.

.

I reminded them that there was no way in hell that you were going to stop trying to be Hokage.

Basically they just stood there a bitched about it for three hours, but there's nothing they can really do at this point.

Bunch of old farts caused me to get even farther behind on my paper work." She stated in annoyance.

.

Naruto said. "So our reputations are not smeared by what happened last night?" He asked.

"I wouldn't go that far, but it's not as bad as it could have been for Hanabi. People still think your being a playboy...even the council." She said while pouring another shot.

Naruto sighed and hung his head. "Sometimes I wish I would have never dated Hinata.

Her insecurities damaged my reputation so bad that even after all this time people think I'm a playboy...It's just not fair."

.

"Hinata is the one that got you branded with that name?" Hanabi asked in surprise.

"Yes I told you she kept thinking that every girl I talked to was my girl on the side...

Well a lot of those fights happened in public. So I got branded as a playboy and the villagers never let it go." He said sourly.

"Oh, I kind of wondered how you got that reputation when you've only dated three girls." Hanabi replied.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Now you know." He stated.

.

"Let's move on to a more pressing issue Naruto. Tell me what you learned of Hanabi's condition." Tsunade asked.

Naruto sighed. "I'm not sure, but yes I believe she has chakra addiction to some degree."

"I figured as much. How bad do you think it is?" She asked and Hanabi was almost offended at the way they were talking like she wasn't there.

"I don't think it's that bad...I feel it's mainly an over whelming urge for closeness for her to be honest." He said.

.

"Hmm let's hope that's all it is. She should be happy with the arrangement of being your pretend girlfriend then." Tsunade said taking another bite of her fish.

Naruto smiled at Hanabi and her annoyed look faded away into a shy one. "I think she's happy with it." He stated.

"That's good especially since Hiashi wants her to stay with you until this whole thing blows over." She said.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I had a feeling that was coming. Why didn't he tell me directly though?" He asked.

"You probably just haven't seen him today...Can you honestly fault his logic on the matter?" She asked.

"No I can't. I'm all too aware that my home is one of the safest places in the village because of the trap jutsus father put up around it." He said.

"Would you both please stop talking like I'm not here? What is this about me staying with Naruto for awhile?

There is no way that my Father would permit that." She said in disbelief.

.

"He did because he knows your safe with Naruto. No one in their right mind would try to break into his estate." She said.

"Why is that?" Hanabi asked.

Naruto sighed. "I guess you don't know how powerful the Fourth Hokage was...

I already told you about how the Third Hokage fought the First and Second Hokage's and Orochimaru at the same time.

What I didn't tell you was that he also tried to summon the Fourth Hokage

The Third used his superior chakra reserves over power that one part of Orochimaru's jutsu to block that summons.

Remember when I asked you. 'Who was the most powerful Hokage'?_"_ He asked Hanabi.

.

"Yes you said the next generation would be because they had the previous generation's jutsu to build on." She replied.

"This is true to a degree...,but if you put all the Hokage's in their prime in a battle against each other...

There is little doubt the Fourth Hokage would win and he would win easily.

This is why the Third Hokage blocked Orochimaru's summons of the Fourth Hokage at a huge sacrifice to his chakra during their final fight...He knew he was no match for him.

He knew that it didn't matter how many jutsus he knew, they were all pointless if his enemy could cut him down in a instant before he could use the first hand sign.

The Yellow Flash jutsu I use...The one you call the pervert snuggle...is of the hardest jutsu ever created.

It takes insane amounts of chakra to use time, space jumping jutsu, even by my standards and Jiraiya told me I had more chakra than anyone he'd ever meet, even my farther.

.

I inherited my father's scroll of forbidden jutsu. It was my clan scroll after all.

It was supposed contain all the jutsus he knew, but even though it contained his Yellow Flash jutsu it must be its most primitive form.

Yes I can do my father's Yellow flash jutsu, but he could wipe out more than just a platoon of men with it as the history books say.

In his journal he spoke of nearly wiping out at battalion of men using it over a two weeks time.

.

In the third ninja war he was the most feared person ever on the battle field, more feared then even the Third Hokage himself.

He is the only person that ever lived to get the rank of FOS by his enemy's in the third ninja war." Naruto said

"FOS?" Hanabi asked.

"Flee On Sight... Not that it did our enemies any good to give him this title.

He was so feared that he could turn the tides of battle merely by showing his face.

.

He had a completely different outlook on how to use jutsu and this outlook is what made him so feared.

Even though he was considered a genius of using elemental jutsu that is not the type of jutsu he ended up trying to invent himself, at least at first.

Look at when I use the Yellow Flash...Notice anything missing form it for such a powerful jutsu Hanabi-Chan?" He asked.

She gave him a puzzled look before saying. "Umm not really? Is there something missing from it?"

Naruto gave her a thoughtful expression before saying. "How about hand sign's Hanabi-Chan?"

.

She blinked at him a few time before asking. "Why would that be important?"

Naruto sighed. "Think about it. If you need to do two hand signs to make a B ranked jutsu and I don't, then I will get my jutsu off faster.

Which means you're going to be dodging my attacks while looking for an opening to use your jutsu.

The deciding jutsu in a battle isn't always the last one, most of the time it is first one. Especially when the first jutsu is one that can easily kill you.

Then it becomes a one jutsu battle.

.

The Fourth Hokage knew the one simple truth about a human body...it's actually quite weak and easily killed if you know where to hit it.

He focused on two things in a battle, speed and precision.

With my father's Yellow Flash jutsu and a kunai, I can kill almost anyone regardless of rank because if they don't have time to react or move...

Then they are dead from a kunai through the heart." He stated.

.

"Did the Fourth Hokage make any other jutsu like that?" Hanabi asked.

"Yes he was the only one that ever created a non-elemental A ranked jutsu...The Rasengan.

To this day it's still hailed as the perfection of shape manipulation.

He also created a new type of triggered unsealing jutsu." Naruto said.

"Why would that be useful?" Hanabi asked.

.

"If I could seal a Rasengan into say a stone and make it to where then next person that touched the stone would unseal that jutsu..."

He paused to give her time to see where he was going with it.

"You mean the Fourth Hokage put traps like that all over your estate?" She asked.

"Yes Hanabi he did. Not even I know where all of them are or what they do.

I do know that most of the ones on the lower outer wall are fairly mundane like them getting slippery so you can't climb up them.

There is another that blows you off the wall with a gust of wind, but the higher up you go the more deadly the trap jutsu get.

One of my fan girls nearly died from a boulder trap seal, when she didn't take the hint of the other jutsu she got hit with.

You wouldn't believe the trap jutsu that was on the master bedroom door when I first moved in.

.

When fighting he didn't use elemental jutsu often, but he almost exclusively use them for traps.

His feelings on the matter were that if he could perform the jutsu.

Then seal it away, then he could call it back later in a instant no matter how many hand seals it took to make, then jutsu then it would make a good trap." He said.

"Why doesn't everyone learn sealing then if it's so useful?" She asked.

"Well you can't just use any paper and ink to seal something. Each type of jutsu can only be sealed with certain type of paper and ink.

To put it bluntly that special paper and ink is freaking expensive.

Just one drop of the ink used to seal high level fire jutsu cost over two hundred thousand yen." He said.

"WHAT? That much?" She stated in shock.

.

"Yes it's that much. Otherwise you'd probably see every ninja with a scroll that had twenty fireball jutsus lined up to be fired off in rapid succession.

To date there's only been one to the legendary universal scrolls found that could seal any jutsu.

You have probably seen it in action before too." He said.

"I have? Who has it?" She questioned.

"Tenten has it. She didn't even know it was one of the legendary sealing scrolls until I ended up asking her if I could try sealing one of my jutsu in it.

.

_Flashback_

* * *

_._

Naruto found Tenten laying out all kinds of weapons in even rows across a training ground_._

.

"Hey Tenten! Got a minute?" He asked while running up to her.

"Ergh damn you Naruto! Now I've lost count and I'll have to start all over!" She snapped at him.

"Uhh...What are you doing out here anyway?" He asked.

"I WAS sealing my weapons back into their scrolls for my Twin Dragon jutsu, but now I just wasted most of the morning because you interrupted me!" She yelled at him

"What? What is it?" She said crossing her arms totally pissed off.

"Whoah hold on a minute...What did I do?" He asked defensively.

.

"Naruto you don't honestly think that I can just seal my weapons in their scrolls any old way and have them come out for a attack do you?" She said.

"You mean you can't just seal them and have them come out any way you want?" He asked unknowingly.

Tenten gave him the 'you're an idiot' look.

"Of course not! You have to seal them in a very special way to have them come out the way you want them to.

Otherwise when I summon them they will just poof out in a pile...That's not a very effective attack.

Now I have to start all over laying out these weapons so I can seal them for my jutsu." She stated.

"I'll help you then." He said smiling. "That should put you in a better mood."

"I'm not sure this is even a good idea, but against my better judgment...Come over here and look at this scroll." She stated with a cringe on her face.

.

Naruto looked at the small red scroll and saw lots of tiny marks all in neat lines of different weapons.

"How far apart do you need them laid out?" He asked.

Tenten blinked a few times before cautiously saying. "About six inches for the kunais, eight inches for the halberds and seven inches swords."

She eyed him intently to see what he was going to do.

Naruto scratched his chin in thought while looking at the scroll she handed him.

"Ok I'll have it done in a minute. Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He yelled and over a thousand Naruto's appeared.

.

Within four minutes he had every weapon set out like it should be and Tenten only had to tell him once that he was laying a weapon out wrong.

She reluctantly sealed away all the weapons and was slowly going over the scroll to make sure it was right.

The more she went over it the bigger her smile got.

By the time she reached the end weapons scroll she was smiling ear to ear.

"If you weren't dating Ino I'd kiss you right now." She stated.

Naruto sweat dropped. "Umm no, no that's ok Tenten. I just came to ask you a question about sealing." He said defensively with his hands out in front of him, open palmed.

"Sealing? What are you trying to seal and what are you using to seal it with." She asked curiously.

.

Naruto unceremoniously dumped four scrolls ten inches long and two ink wells on the ground." I'm trying to sea.." Naruto started to say before he was cut off.

"Naruto you moron! Those are writing scrolls and that's normal ink, you can't use those!" She stated.

"Ohhh that explains why I keep shredding them when I try to seal my jutsu into them." He said innocently.

She put her head in her hands. "What element of jutsu are you trying to seal?" She asked.

"Hmm I guess its wind and normal chakra." He replied.

.

She took her head out of her hands and pulled the large tan and green scroll off her hips.

"Ok this scroll can handle wind element sealing." She said while digging in her pocket and pulling out a vial of white ink.

"This is called cloud ink and it's not cheap, but it's not expensive compared to some of the other inks out there.

Just write down the basic seal, then do the jutsu and finally seal it into the scroll." She told him.

"Ok that sounds easy...Wait if its white ink on white paper how will I be able to see it and know what jutsu it is later?" He asked curiously.

"The ink changes to blue once it hits the paper." She said already expecting this question.

"Ohhh!" He said pulling the scroll over to him to write down the seal.

Tenten was looking over his shoulder as he wrote down a very complex four point seal in the form of a Y.

.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" He yelled and three clones appeared.

He held out his hand while one clone formed the Rasengan and another clone recomposed it into its wind released form.

Tenten was covering her ears from the sound that she could only describe as metal being sheered away at an insane speed.

_"Oh Kami he's not trying to seal his Rasenshuriken!... No scroll could hold that monsters of a jutsu!" _She thought.

.

"Rasenshuriken seal!" His clone yelled through the turret of wind and noise as Naruto slammed the jutsu into the scroll.

There was a white flash that blinded them.

After it was all done the scroll was there smoking with symbol of his Rasenshuriken in the center of the Y seal formation.

When Tenten came to her senses she yelled at Naruto. "You Idiot! What do you think you were trying to do! No scroll could ever hope to hold that jutsu!"

Naruto looked down at the seal on the scroll at his feet and gave her a puzzled look before stating. "This one did…"

.

* * *

_End of Flashback_

.

"No way! What did she use your Rasenshuriken on?" Hanabi asked.

Naruto got slightly embarrassed scratching the back of his head and said. "Well it seems I didn't actually seal it in the way I should have for it to be thrown so...

If she unsealed it to use it, then it would probably blow up in her face."

Hanabi started giggling.

"Hey that's not funny, Tenten is still mad at me for putting my jutsu on her scroll.

She says it takes up too much room near the end of her scroll." He stated.

Hanabi finally stopped laughing and asked. "Were you planning on using them in battle?

I thought you had plenty of chakra already."

.

"Yeah, but I mainly wanted to give a few of them out to my friends.

You know, as a just encase scroll if they ever got into a pinch." He said.

Tsunade had finished her food and had a buzzed smile on her face before saying. "Only you would ever think to seal a jutsu like that to hand out to your friends.

They likely would have killed themselves trying to use it."

Naruto's embarrassed look returned. "I know I wasn't thinking right at that time... I mean it sounded like a good idea...At first anyway." He stated.

"Until you remembered you use Sage chakra to throw it and that you use wind chakra to maintain it." She stated in a critical way.

.

Hanabi spoke up a bit confused after a long pause. "Umm am I supposed to move in with Naruto?"

Tsunade laughed. "No, no it's just for a few days tops. I can't believe you thought your father you would want you to move in with him." She stated.

"I didn't, that's why I was asking." She said slightly relieved.

"I guess we should go find your father Hanabi-Chan and we are going to need to see Tenten so I can get another key made for my estate." He said while standing up from the table.

"Why do we need to go see father?" She asked with a puzzled look on her face.

Naruto gave her a critical look. "Did you forget you're my 'Girlfriend' and you're also the Hyuuga clan Heiress?

We do have our reputations to think about.

You don't think your father hasn't planned out an excuse for this that's politically acceptable?" He said.

_"Well now that I think about it, of course he would have...Where is my brain today?" _She thought.

.

She gave him a shy look. "I see your point, but do I really need a key if I am only staying a few days?" She asked.

"I was thinking of giving you one anyways because we are on the same team now.

This is just a good reason to get one made now, but first we need to talk to your father and find out what he's planning." He replied.

Hanabi stood up from the table and Naruto made one clone to stay with Tsunade.

.

"You two don't have too much fun tonight." The Hokage teased.

"Come on Tsunade-Chan you know me better than that." He said while looking at her and summoned a clone with a knowing look.

He looked right at his clone and stated. "Whatever you do, don't let her get you drunk. Just escort her home after she's done."

"Naruto...I'm a bit old for a chaperon..." She said giving him a bored look.

"If you pick up a nice date for the night, then I'll release my jutsu...Otherwise he's here to make sure that's the only bottle for the night." He said giving her a knowing look.

"Phooey." She said shaking the large bottle that was almost empty back and forth. "You're no fun."

.

Naruto and Hanabi were soon out walking in the most public streets on the way back to the Hyuuga compound hold hands and not getting quite as many stares.

"Looks like they are getting used to us as a couple." She whispered into his ear.

Naruto whispered back. "It's a village full of ninjas, what do you expect. News travels fast."

"Of course, especially when you're helping it along. I still say you're showing me off." She whispered back.

"And for good reason to. You seem to be enjoying it." He whispered back.

"I nabbed _'The Great Sage Naruto'_ for a boyfriend...What's your excuse?" She stated with a smile.

"I'm a prankster too." He retorted with a laugh.

.

Soon they were in the Hyuuga's main living room and they were waiting for Hiashi to come down from being summoned.

Naruto and Hanabi were sitting right next to each other on a white cloth love seat still holding hands.

Hiashi came down a few minutes later.

.

"I presume you are here about the arrangement of my daughter staying with you for a few days?"

He asked while he walked down the west stair case and took a seat in a black leather chair.

"Yes I am." Naruto said. "What political excuse are we going to use for this?"

He got a strained expression on his face and said. "I've been so busy with my work I haven't actually thought of one."

Naruto's face faulted. "You don't mean you want ME to come up with an excuse do you?" He questioned as he got up and pointed at himself.

Hiashi's expression became even more strained before saying. "I had hoped you would at least have some ideas." He said hopefully.

.

"Well I do, but I don't know if you will like them.

Stink bombs in you and Hanabi's room and you both live with me for a few days while it clears out." He said.

"That is no good as there are plenty of extra bedrooms in the estate." He said.

"You're remodeling and I offer to take you in for a few days?" He stated.

"Again we have other buildings to live in...So it is no good again." He said sternly.

"The Hyuuga compound is under siege from happy, walking, talking stuff bear people with strange jutsu?"

"Hmm no I don't think that will work either." He stated with an awkward look.

"How about you're worried about my training techniques and you want to oversee my training of her for a few days?" He stated.

.

Hiashi opened his mouth a few times like he was going to object, but never said anything.

"That is actually a pretty good idea. Why are you insistent on me coming with her?

I was just going to send her handler with her." He asked.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Because it seems like everything I do starts rumors of one kind or another.

Even if Shizan is there, rumors could still surface because they are both girl's.

If another guy is there, especially her father, then it will likely stop most of them." He said.

.

"I see your point Sage Naruto.

I am afraid I simply cannot go on a three day vacation to help stop rumors about you two." He stated.

"What could you possibly need here that you wouldn't have at my estate for your work?" He mumbled loudly.

"If you are referring to your library, then I must remind you it hasn't been updated in twenty years.

Yes it is very big, but it lacks any current information.

The main thing that isn't at your home is my clan. This is the thing I will not have access to at your home that I need for my work." He replied.

.

Naruto sighed. _"Man I was really hoping to get her father to come too. It would have almost killed any rumors." _He thought.

"Let hope that none of my fan girls figure this out or the rumors will hit an all time high." He said clearly unhappy about it.

Hanabi gave him a questioning look and said.

"Here I thought you wanted to start some rumors with the way your dragging me through the most crowded area's showing me off."

Hiashi gave him a critical look.

.

Naruto gave her slightly annoyed look and said. "That was to replace rumors that were even worse."

"Sage Naruto I must get back to my clan duties. Please take good care of Hanabi as you know she can be a handful at times."

He turned to look at his daughter giving her a stern look.

"You be on your best behavior for your stay. This includes in public.

I'll send Shizan to Naruto's house in an hour with your things." He stated.

"Well then we better hurry along then Hanabi-Chan. We still have to go see Tenten about getting a key made."

He said while looking at her and standing up.

.

"Yes Naruto." She replied and stood up to follow him.

"Good night Lord Hyuuga." He said and turned to walk away.

"One last question Sage if you wouldn't mind?" Hiashi asked slightly curiously.

"Yes what is it?" He asked curiously.

"Do you feel the need to keep up the...relationship act in front of me?" He asked politely.

Naruto looked down at his hand that was holding Hanabi's hand and got an awkward smile on his face.

"I guess I just forgot about us holding hands. It's kind of becoming a habit over the evening."

"I see." He said slightly critical.

Naruto waved goodbye to him.

Naruto turned back to the door and led Hanabi back out into the village.

.

A short while later they arrived midsized stone building with a chimney that had smoke coming out of it.

In front of the building was a three feet tall prop up A frame sign that said. "Weapon Master Tenten's shop of metal working and jutsu sealing."

Naruto led her inside to a fifteen feet square shop area.

There were weapons all over the walls with a glass counter in front of them with more weapons in them.

The ringing of a hammer on hot steel could be heard coming from the other room.

Tenten wasn't at the counter so Naruto walked up to the door next to the counter that led to her forge.

.

"Hey Tenten!" He yelled to calling her.

"Give me a minute to finish this stage of metalworking. I can't put it down until it's done or I'll ruin it." She yelled back.

"Why are we coming to her to get a key made? Why don't go to a lock smith." She asked.

"Because the village doesn't have a ninja lock smith with sealing jutsu to make a copy of my estate key.

Tenten can make a copy with my help." He replied.

.

"What do you need to do to help her make it?" She asked curiously.

"Mainly she just needs my blood, but I help her with the sealing so it doesn't take so long." He replied

"How many of these have you gotten made before?" She asked.

"Only two. One for Sakura-Chan and one for Tsunade-Chan encase of emergencies.

Ino's family and the hospital have two of the originals keys that came with the house.

You're going to have to choose how you want the key made though." He said while leaning on the glass counter.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

.

"Well Tsunade's key will crumble to dust if anyone, but her tries to use it.

Sakura's key turns into a tattoo mark on her forearm when she isn't using it.

You need to pick one or the other for how it will be made." He said.

Hanabi thought for a moment before asking. "How expensive are they to make?"

"No wear near as expensive as that kunai I gave you, but they aren't cheap at sixteen thousand yen each." He said in a casual tone.

"Then I don't want it turning to dust. So I'll go with the tattoo style." She said in a reserved manner.

Naruto nodded his head.

.

Soon a very soot covered Tenten came out and got behind the counter.

"How can I help you toda...What do you want Naruto?" She said as her tone went from friendly to cold.

"I just need a key made Tenten...Come on that was years ago, can't you let it go?" He pleaded.

.

"I only found out about it at your birthday party a few months ago, so no.

I think you should have just let the guy kill you instead of breaking the Second Hokage's sword."

Naruto sighed and hung his head. "So you won't make the key for me then?" He asked in a defeated manner.

"No I'll make it alright, but I'm charging you extra for it this time." She huffed.

"How much is extra?" He asked carefully.

.

"Fifty thousand yen." She stated bluntly.

"FIFTY-THOUSAND? That's robbery!" He exclaimed.

"Pay it or you get no key made or you can get someone else to make it..." She said with an angry scowl.

_"Oh Gee thanks Tenten. You're the only one in town that can make one...You're really giving me a lot of options."_ He though.

.

"Sorry for bothering you then." He said with a respectful bow.

Naruto walked back over and took Hanabi's hand.

"Come on Hanabi-Chan. We will just have to share a key for a few days." He said leading her out the door.

_"SHARE! He was getting a key made for that little Hyuuga girl! That couldn't be his girlfriend… _

_Even Naruto wouldn't stoop that low to date a girl barely in her teens._

_There is no way the Hyuuga Clan head would just let a young girl like her just move in with Naruto..." _She cringed.

_"Without a good reason... I hope I didn't just mess up."_ She lamented.

.

Once they were out sides and down the road a bit, Hanabi bluntly stated.

"What a bitch, was it that time of the month or something for her?"

Naruto just stared at her in shock of her using profanity like that.

"Hanabi...That's not a very nice thing to say about her." He scolded her.

"Well sorry I just don't have a lot of nice things to say about someone that treats the village's great Sage like that." She stated bluntly.

_"I can't believe she even knew those words ...Let alone would say them..." _He thought in shock.

"Moody or not she is still one of my friends. Please keep comments like that to yourself Hanabi." He stated.

"Sorry said them, but I will not take them back. What I said was true." She said stubbornly as she turned her head away in defiance.

Naruto rolled his eyes then sighed as he led her back to his house.

.

When they arrived at the gate they saw a giant brute of a man with ugly unkempt brown hair that went to his shoulders wearing a black ninja outfit.

His eyes were very close together and his brow stuck out making him look very unintelligent.

This might have been a imposing sight for most people if he wasn't carrying a few things.

Under his right arm was a pillow in a fine white silk sham and another pillow was under his left arm with a very girlie flower pattern on it.

In each hand the giant man had a suit case.

.

One of them was a dull faded pink and the other was a much newer one that was a light red with a single black rose on it.

_"I never felt this persons chakra before and it's a weird chakra at that...His posture is all wrong to be a ninja unless he's using that to throw me off._

_He looks pretty strong... I better be on the safe side for this."_ He thought.

.

Hanabi was trying to stop giggling and her mood suddenly changed when she saw the look in Naruto's eyes.

Naruto had crouched into a springing cat like pose and had drawn one of his cobalt blue kunais.

"Who are you and what are you doing in front of my home?" His tone was sharp and threatening.

Hanabi's eyes widened in horror.

.

The big man started trembling and dropped the things he was holding.

"Please don't attack. It's me Shizan. Lord Hyuuga sent me over with Hanabi's things." The big man had Shizan's voice, but Naruto did not drop his guard.

"Naruto its Shizan, I can tell by her voice. My father wouldn't have sent her over without someone henging her first." She stated.

"A voice can be replicated." He stated. "She doesn't have Shizan chakra signature either."

"Well she has my pillow and my luggage..." Hanabi stated a more then bit uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, but I can't believe you until your henge is released and I feel your normal chakra." He stated coldly.

"Naruto, just ask her something only the real Shizan would know. I don't like you in that attack pose with her as you target." She pleaded.

.

Naruto's cold eyes never left the ugly man before asking.

"What is the last picture on the right side on my mantle?"

"It's..it's a picture of Hanabi sleeping on your lap from two days ago." The big man answered very uncomfortable with Shizan's voice.

"When is Hanabi's birthday?" He asked

"March twenty-seventh." She replied.

"What is Hanabi's favorite flower?" He asked.

"She likes tulips, but she has never told me that they were her favorite." She stated

"What color underwear is she wearing?" He said seriously.

.

"She should be wearing a pair of red thong panties made of simple cotton if you haven't gotten her out of them yet...Hey! How dare you ask me that?"

She said offended that he had gotten that out of her.

Naruto's eyes never wavered from the man.

"Is that last one true?" He asked Hanabi without looking at her.

Hanabi went from totally scared to completely mad and embarrassed. She was blushing a dark red and was ready to punch Naruto.

"Pervert! How dare you ask me that! "She huffed in offense.

Shizan's henge ran out and the poofed back into her normal self wearing a awkward and fearful look.

.

Naruto finally eased his attack pose. "To avoid this happening again please just come as yourself.

It seems the way they henged you messes with your chakra signature.

That's a feat in and of itself." He said while he slipped his kunai back into its holster.

"Yes Sage." She said slightly jumpy.

"Naruto why did you react that way? It was fairly obvious it was Shizan." She said

"Hanabi-Chan think about what's in my house that I'm the keeper of. I have to protect that.

If someone showed up claiming to be someone you knew and you could feel their chakra was all wrong. Would you be inclined to believe them so easily?"

Naruto said as he walked up to the door and pulled out his key and opened it.

.

"Well I do agree, but I still feel your methods were too harsh." She said like she was still unconvinced.

"Sorry if you feel that way. I've just been in so much combat were little things like that matter a lot when your life is on the line." He said

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He said and four clones appeared and took the luggage.

"Coming Shizan?" Naruto said at the dazed older woman.

She blinked a few time and said. "Yes Sage." She walked through the door.

Naruto relocked it and led them into the living room.

.

The Naruto clones set the luggage just inside the door and they went in all directions inside the house.

Once they were all seated Naruto said. "What kind of room do you prefer Shizan?

"Any room is fine. I am not very picky about it." She said quietly

"Hmm ok then follow me." Naruto went down the east wing of the first floor.

He passed his room and another door before stopping at the next door.

He opened it up and held his hand out ushering her inside.

She went inside the ten wide fifteen feet long room. It was set up almost exactly like Naruto's own room.

On the east wall was a desk, then there was a small bookshelf just passed it.

There was a queen size bed pushed all the way up to the window with a trunk at the foot of the bed.

.

On the west wall close to the door was a sliding bamboo double door closet.

The only thing on the walls was a lone picture scroll of a tiger standing on a rock near a stream.

"It's one of the few rooms that is actually clean right now. I keep it this way just encase Sakura-Chan needs to stay over." He said.

"Yes this is fine Sage Naruto." She said as two of Naruto's clones brought in her luggage.

He smiled at her and went back to the living room.

.

"So where do you want me to sleep? Unless you'll let me have the couch." Hanabi said hopefully.

Naruto gave her sarcastic look before saying. "You already should know where your room is."

He went over to the door and got her luggage and headed up stairs.

Hanabi looked a bit nervous and followed him up stairs.

.

"Naruto I not so sure I am going to be comfortable in that room...I mean..." She stammered looking at Naruto's back.

"It's just a room Hanabi-Chan. Didn't you want to live in this house when you were a little girl?

Now you get to stay in the master bedroom. Besides it is the only other clean bedroom in the house."

Naruto stopped and turned sideways to look at her and said.

"Unless you want to sleep in my singles bed with me." He gave her a mischievous grin and a flirtatious wink.

Hanabi's eyes went wide. "That would almost be preferable. Why can't you just let me sleep on the couch?" She asked uncomfortably.

.

"What kind of host lets his guest sleep on the couch when there is thirteen other bedrooms is his house?

Your father would scold you for sleeping on the couch anyway."

He stated as he put down the red suitcase and unlocked the large double doors at the end of the hall.

"Here you are. Remember it's just a room. There's no reason to be scared of it." He said like he was talking to a child.

_"Ergh I hate went people do that to me!"_ She thought angrily.

.

Naruto put her things on one of the three shorter dressers just inside the door.

Hanabi walked into the room annoyed at Naruto's comment and plopped down on the bed.

She wasn't expecting to sink almost a foot into it and she fell over backwards with her arms flailing on the bed.

_"Oh Kami it's like laying on a cloud. I have got to think of a way to trick him out of this bed...Ergh what am I thinking!" _She thought.

Naruto laughed. He walked up and straddled her on the bed.

He whispered right into her ear. "Still think the couch is the softest thing you've ever felt now?"

.

She blushed at him.

He laughed again and got off of her.

Hanabi feebly tried to get up, but everywhere she placed her hands on the bed sunk in almost a foot.

She finally gave up and awkwardly slid off the bed with Naruto laughing at her.

"So how do you like the fluff monster?" He said while smiling at her.

.

"It's hard to get out of, but it is softest thing I've ever felt." She said clearly still annoyed at him.

"Yeah it takes some getting used to. You need to roll out to the edge and sit up just using your back to get out of it." He said.

"Leave it to you to have a bed that you need directions just sleep on. What is it made out of?" She said.

"It's made out of some kind of feathers that look more like fur from a bird in a far off land." He said.

"I'll leave you to unpack. I need to go change some of the trap jutsus around the house to make them...less deadly." He said with a thoughtful look.

He went out and closed the door behind him.

.

Naruto went back down stairs and went to the third door on the left side of the east wing.

He knocked a few time and waited for a reply.

"Come in Hanabi" She said.

"It's Naruto Shizan." He said respectfully.

"Please give me a moment then Sage." She replied.

Naruto waited for a few moments before she said. "Please enter."

Naruto opened the door and it seems that Shizan had just put her clothes in the closet and shut it as her faded suitcase was empty on the floor.

.

"What did you need Sage?" She asked politely.

"I just wanted to apologize for what happened at the gate earlier.

I've seen a lot of combat and my habits sometimes get the better of me in these peaceful times." He said with a slight bow.

Shizan eyes widened slightly at his actions.

.

"It made me very scared when you did that, but I understand that the war with the Akatsuki left you with some scars.

I take no offense to your actions great Sage." She said respectfully.

"Still I wanted you to know. Also please don't touch the things in my house. Many of them are trapped.

There are no traps in the kitchen or in the library down the hall or the one in the same place on the second floor.

So feel free to read if you get bored.

.

I will keep a clone in the kitchen of you need anything.

Also there are no traps in the bathroom across the hall or this bedroom." He added almost as an afterthought.

"Yes Sage Naruto." She replied.

"Good night, I'll be stepping out do my nightly training." He said with a nod.

"Good night." She said.


	11. Chapter 11:What Makes a Master

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** Chapter 11: What Makes a Master**

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Authors notes:

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Questions/Reviews:

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_**Cenright  
2009-05-09 . chapter 10**_

_**Gosh, it is like the house is a ticking time bomb. DON'T TOUCH!**_

_**You wouldn't think there would be such deadly traps on so many things INSIDE the house, except for the jutsu library of course. Other things just need to knock the person out. **_

_**I mean, touch a photo of his and you die? I can see a lightning jutsu with enough power to zap you to the floor, but the rest seems like overkill.**_

Well it may seem that way, but that is actually not true. Most of the traps in the house were left by his father not Naruto.

Almost all of them aren't deadly that are inside the house.

The few that Naruto left on his most valued possessions, mainly the pictures on his mantle are deadly.

Naruto isn't gifted like his father with trap jutsu. He just seals his Sage chakra into them and if anyone touches them they get injected with Sage chakra...

That will turn them into a stone frog.

Leave it to Naruto to turn a side effect into a trap.

Naruto is far too lazy to point out were each trap is in his house, so it tells them were there isn't any traps instead.

_**.**_

_**ferduran  
2009-05-09 . chapter 10**_

_**something happened to the chap 9, now only shows the chap 2 in that places.**_

_**Xi3  
2009-05-10 . chapter 9**_

_**Um... Why is chapter 9 a replica of chapter 2? I think you need to repost it...**_

Thank you both for informing me of this. It has been reposted and I hope you enjoy it.

_**.**_

_**Lednacek **_( I'm answering this line by line as best I can.)  
_**2009-05-09 . chapter 10**_

_**Ok there where a few mistakes here and there, but in this chapter you screwed up totally.  
Konohoa is in the fire country, in side.  
It doesn't even have a river in it.**_

Well I have to disagree with you on this. There are many of the anime episodes that show rivers in it, mainly during training.

The main place this idea came from was the PS3 game Naruto:Ultimate ninja storm,

there is a big river running thought the south end of the village and it is large enough for small ships to use to bring seafood and trade supplies.

_**Where the hell did you get your idea of a port and sailors in. **_

It was a dock with sailors, not a port. This was my fault that you thought this as I cut out the description my inner muse gave me of the docks.

It wasn't very impressive, so I cut it out,

but it seems to have miss led some into thinking I was talking about a port town and not a small dock that sailor would travel up river to sell their stuff at.  
_**Man, check your ideas with the canon. **_

Which I did, but didn't express them as good as I could have, it seems.  
_**Have you ever seen a picture or a map of Konoha?**_

Yes several and almost none of them match. I not sure which are fan done or are just for a game or which are for the manga.

There is a ton of them out there and it is hard to figure out which of them are right.

_**MechenManachewagan  
2009-05-08 . chapter 9**_

I feel your summery of my over all work is very accurate.

As such I am going to post your review at the beginning of chapter one to give others a feel for my writing.

I hope that more than one in four that read my first chapter will continue to read the story and see that this isn't some run of the mill hentai story.

_**neko-kougal**_

A special thanks to Neko-kougal for help with names and such

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Last Chapter.

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"Still I wanted you to know. Also please don't touch the things in my house. Many of them are trapped.

There are no traps in the kitchen or in the library down the hall or the one in the same place on the second floor.

So feel free to read if you get bored.

I will keep a clone in the kitchen of you need anything.

Also there are no traps in the bathroom across the hall or this bedroom." He added almost as an afterthought.

"Yes Sage Naruto." She replied.

"Good night, I'll be stepping out do my nightly training." He said.

"Good night." She said.

.

Chapter Eleven: What Makes a Master.

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Naruto and Shizan were talking at the dining room table the next morning.

Naruto was drinking tea and Shizan was sipping on some milk.

"Does she always sleep in this late?" Naruto asked.

"It is unusual for her to sleep past nine am." She stated.

"Well breakfast is almost ready. Do you want to go get her out of the fluff monster or should I?

.

"Fluff monster?" She asked curiously.

"Yes, it's the bed in the master bedroom." He said quietly.

"I'll go get her Sage, please don't worry about it. It's the last door in the easy wing up stairs right?" She asked.

"Yes that's the room. It's a double oak door with a lotus carved into it." He said.

.

Shizan knocked on the extravagant door a few times before she heard a moan on the other side.

It seemed Hanabi wasn't even out of bed yet.

"Hanabi breakfast is almost ready. Please come down soon." She said loudly.

She heard another moan, and then heard Hanabi say. "I'll get dressed and be down in a few minutes."

"Ok, dear." She replied then went back down to the dinner table.

.

Naruto's kitchen clone had already set out a breakfast of eggs and rice with toast.

"Sorry it's kind of simple today. I had forgotten to send out a clone to go hunting or fishing for the last two days." He said.

"Oh this is fine." She replied.

"We should be having fish tonight. I already asked my clone to try to get some clams for dinner.

I hope I can get enough to make some soup." He said hopefully with a smile.

.

A few minutes later Hanabi walked into the dining room with pillow marks on her face and sleep in her eyes.

"Morning Hanabi-Chan. I take it you slept well?" Naruto said trying to suppress his urge to laugh at her.

She yawned and stretched before sitting down next to Naruto.

"Kind of. It took me awhile to get to sleep since it's a new place, but then I just didn't want to get up.

By the way how do you work that weird fountain shower?" She asked.

"Oh yeah, it took me awhile to figure that out too. The biggest statue in the corner has knobs on its back.

You just turn them, but be warned they are both cold water. I never figured out how the thing works to make hot water come out.

I think the thingy that makes the water hot is broke.

I just would use jutsu to heat the water and never got it fixed." He said as he went back to his food.

.

Hanabi sighed and picked up her chopsticks to eat.

"I guess I'll take a shower down stairs again like last time." She said.

"Don't get too comfortable with the one down stairs. With me and Shizan's stuff in there it's getting rather packed.

I need to do some house cleaning and get a few more of the bathrooms cleaned out and back in working order.

I never use them, so they have just been sitting." He said while eating.

.

"Dear you look terrible are you sure you slept well?" Shizan asked.

"Yes I think I almost slipped into a coma sleeping on that bed." She said in a tired tone.

Naruto made a humpf noise, then swallowed his food before saying.

"When it gets hot out you will hate that bed. It's so warm it will roast you alive if it gets over eighty-five degrees outside." He stated.

"It's only spring, so I think I'll be back in my old bed by then." She said while picking up her fried eggs.

.

"What are you going to teach me today Naruto?" She asked.

"Seeing as how I don't think it would be a good idea to keep doing the Raw Chakra Transfer on you.

I was thinking of clone draining in the morning and teaching you how to walk on water in the evening." He said almost finishing off his plate of food.

She yawned again showing that she was still sleepy.

"Shouldn't you teach me how to walk up trees first? I heard that is how most ninja's are taught." She questioned.

"It is, but with a sunny day like today is likely to be its going to get hot. So practicing walking on water should keep you cooled down.

Besides, the file I got from your father said you already knew how to walk up and down trees." He said and eyed her.

_"Damn father for giving him my jutsu file! I was hoping to have a easy day." _She thought in dismay.

.

"Don't tell me you were going to sandbag on me and play hooky." He stated critically.

"Hehe I guess not." She said in a strained voice.

"Good make sure you wear a bathing suit under your uniform today. Well unless you want to pull a Hinata that is."

He teased while he picked up his plate to take it into the kitchen.

.

Hanabi's pale morning cheeks turned bright red before she shyly said. "Umm yes Naruto."

Shizan noticed the exchange between them and asked quietly. "What did he mean by that?"

Hanabi turned her head, refusing to look at her and said. "You don't want to know."

Shizan smiled knowingly before saying. "I think I already know what he meant."

Hanabi blushed even harder and picked up her plate and went into the kitchen.

.

Hanabi took a shower and then got dressed with a swimming suit under her uniform.

_"Ergh why did Shizan only bring my most childish bathing suit...I hate this blue one piece with white dots on it. _

_It looks like something a toddler would wear. I'd almost prefer to go naked than wear this."_ She thought in disgust.

Hanabi went into the living room where Naruto was waiting. "You ready to go now?"

"Yes." She said showing more annoyance then she wanted to.

Naruto took her by the hand and they left the estate and headed to training ground thirty-six.

.

"I see you're not taking me through the most populated areas on our way to the training grounds.

What gives? Did you get tired of showing me off already?" She said making a fake pouting face.

"The training ground is only a few block away and that's why I asked your father to let me use it.

The way isn't very crowded, but I can make a loop passed the Hokage tower if you feel you're not getting enough attention." He said with a smile.

Hanabi laughed. "No, I think I'm good for now. We can get me some attention during lunch." She said with a bright smile.

.

They were almost to the entrance to the training ground when Shikamaru walked right in front of them holding a sealed document.

He walked right by and didn't even notice them.

"Morning Shikamaru." He said loudly.

.

Shikamaru jumped slightly before turning around to look at Naruto...Then he looked at Naruto's hand that was holding Hanabi's.

He shook his head back and forth for a moment before saying. "Good morning Naruto...I thought you two told me you weren't dating.

I had heard a rumor about you two going out for ice cream two days ago, but I discounted it.

Are you guys an item now like everyone has been talking about?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

"Ha you can't fool me. What did you do to piss off Kurenai?

You may be able to fool people's eyes with the henge, but not my chakra sensing abilities.

I know you two were at the ice cream bar when me and Hanabi came in." He said smiling at him.

.

"Umm... just because you go there doesn't mean it HAS to be a date..." Shikamaru said keeping calm.

"Well _"Couples Icecream Bar" _pretty much sums it up. I don't see why you two try to hide your relationship.

It's already the worst kept secret in the village. Hell you guys even live together and Asuma Jr. calls you papa in public." Naruto stated.

Shikamaru got visibly uncomfortable and shifted back and forth on his feet.

He finally put his hands together and closed his eyes, like he always does when he thinks about a problem.

.

Naruto just waited and Hanabi had a confused look on her face.

Shikamaru suddenly opened his eyes and stated loudly. "I am sorry I have to leave. I have rectal bleeding and must get it treated right away!"

Shikamaru quickly turned and started walking off pretending to hold is rear.

Naruto said "Oh..." He then loudly yelled to the fleeing Shikamaru.

.

"I didn't know Kurenai was in to the whole sodomizing her boyfriend with dildos thing!

Make sure you tell her to lay off the spiky ones and to clean them after each use or you could get an infection!"

Shikamaru cringed so bad that he stopped in his tracks for a moment.

The few people that were in the street with them were all staring at Shikamaru with a look of disgust and shock.

_"Oh Kami all that thinking and that was the best excuse I could think of to get away?" _He lamented.

Shikamaru leaped away at high speed.

.

Hanabi was still reeling from what Shikamaru said and Naruto was laughing.

"What is with him?" Hanabi finally said.

When Naruto finally stopped laughing and said.

"I'm not sure how it happened, but I imagine since Shikamaru took such an interest in Asuma Jr. over the years, that those two just fell into each other's arms.

You see Asuma Sr. was his master and he was killed in a mission when Kurenai was pregnant with his child.

Shikamaru took it upon himself to make sure she was ok because he was going to train Asuma Jr.

I think it might have been Asuma's dying wish...I never asked him though.

.

So Shikamaru kept coming to check on her every day while she was carrying Asuma Jr.

I heard she was annoyed at it at first, but eventually accepted it.

He just kept helping her with Asuma Jr. all the time until it was common place to see them together.

The rumors were out there that the two were dating for a long time, but they would always deny it.

Most of the village believed it until they had a lover's fight in the park and word got out.

Now everyone pretty much sees them as a couple in denial." He stated.

.

"There isn't that much of an age gap. I don't know why they would deny it." She said.

"Well they aren't going to be able to deny it much longer if my chakra sensory abilities are working on Kurenai right." He said knowingly.

Hanabi laughed "What do you mean?" She asked lightly.

"I can feel two chakra signatures in Kurenai right now." He whispered into her ear.

"And what would that..." She gave him a puzzled look before stopping in thought.

"It means either she stuffed a squirrel up inside her or she's pregnant." He said bluntly.

Hanabi stood there in thought for a long time before saying. "Does that mean Shikamaru is going to get a gerbil tonight?"

Naruto took a moment to think about her odd question before falling on the ground laughing.

.

Naruto and Hanabi made it to the training ground and Naruto made four hundred clones and started training.

Hanabi made a clone and started draining the chakra out of it.

They trained like this until it was almost noon.

.

"Alright let's go get some lunch Hanabi-Chan. I don't need you running yourself out of chakra." He said.

Hanabi finished the clone off with a loud pop.

"I hope it's not ramen." She said with dread in her voice as she looked over at him.

Naruto sighed. "I guess you can pick were we eat again. After all, you have gotten you clone draining down to around ten seconds." He said.

.

Hanabi thought for a moment and then said. "Let's just go back to my house for lunch today. It is the closest place to eat anyway." She said.

_"Maybe I can sneak away and get out of this childish bathing suit and into one that makes me look more womanly." _She thought.

"What? You razz me about not showing you off enough and now you want to go home to eat?" Naruto teased.

Hanabi laughed. "I guess I am just not in the mood for it right now. I've gotten a slight headache from concentrating so hard for so long.

Just make sure you don't bribe our chef into making ramen..." She warned him.

"Hey I didn't bribe him last time! He did that on his own." He said defensively.

.

Naruto and Hanabi entered Hyuuga dining room.

Hinata was seated close to the start of the table and she looked up from the scroll she was reading and casually said.

"Hello you two. How is your training going?" Hinata said casually.

"Pretty good. If things keep going at this pace she might be able to use the Shadow Clone jutsu in the Chunin exams." Naruto said.

_"There is no way that Hinata hasn't heard about us dating. How can she be so calm about it? _

_I hope Naruto gives me an opening to mess with her. There is too much fun to be had with her to just let it go."_ She thought evilly.

.

They both sat down next to each other on the opposite side of the table from Hinata.

"How's Neji? Last time I saw him he look like he was about to fall asleep on his feet." Naruto asked Hinata.

Hinata set her scroll on the table and said. "He's overjoyed that you're pretending to be dating Hanabi.

He hopes that his squad will finally give up on dating you or at least talk about something else for a change." She said.

_"DAMN! Father must have already told her...It would have been so fun messing with her too."_ She thought disappointedly.

"I am glad it is working out for him." Hanabi said respectfully.

.

"Did father tell the whole clan about our arrangement?" Hanabi asked.

"No, only me and Neji sense we are friends of Naruto." She said.

"Have you spoken to Sakura-Chan yet? I haven't seen her in a few days.

I figured she would head straight for my house and clock me for the rumors going around." He said knowingly.

The servants came in and set down plates of vegetables and beef with rice and left quietly.

.

"No I haven't. She's always pretty busy at the hospital these days and you know she's being trained in surgery from the Hokage." She said as she looked over at him.

"Yeah I know. I don't have a lot of time either.

We almost never see each other save for the times she brings food over." He said slightly disappointed.

"Naruto...You aren't getting her to do your shopping, I hope. You know she is way too busy for that especially when you can just send a clone to do it." She eyed him.

"I've told her that before, but she still does it. So every Thursday when she comes over, I make her dinner and we catch up on the week." He said a bit defensively.

.

"How's your missions coming along?" Hanabi asked her.

"They are going pretty well. I just don't like leading them." She said.

"Leading? Shino is having you lead?" Naruto said in surprise.

Hinata sighed. "Yes he is unfortunately. He says it will help my confidence problem if I start learning how to lead.

He also told me if I ever want to make it to Jonin, then I will need to learn to lead a squad." She said obviously not happy about it.

"What were you reading then?" He asked Hinata while she was picking at her food.

.

"The tactics of leadership." She said after swallowing what she was eating.

"Is that the one written by the Third Hokage?" He asked curiously.

"No it's written by my grandfather. The one you're thinking of is The Basics of Leadership." She replied.

"Oh that right. I guess I haven't read that one yet then." He said taking another bite of food.

"I didn't think you would have, it's one of our clan scrolls. It is not in any of the libraries." She said.

.

"Are you teaching her anything besides the Shadow Clone jutsu?" Hinata asked.

"We are going to start water walking after lunch, seeing as how learning the Shadow Clone jutsu takes up so much chakra.

I figured it would be a good one to learn seeing as how it doesn't take a lot of chakra and the Hyuuga clan is famous for their chakra control." He replied.

.

They finished eating and they left holding hands while Hinata went back to reading.

"Well Hinata didn't seem bothered at all about us. It is too bad she already knew.

I was looking forward to messing with her." Hanabi stated once they were outside.

"Then I'm glad she already knew. Hinata isn't one of the people I'd play a prank like that on." He said eying her sternly.

"Why not? She's just like anyone else." She said disappointedly.

"Because she still has a confidence problem. I don't need to go making it worse. Neither do you." He said sternly.

"Well we are sisters, so I'll still mess with her from time to time." She stated.

Naruto just sighed.

.

They arrived back at the training ground where she followed him to the stream on the north end.

_"Damn, I forgot to change! Great, now Naruto is really going to see me as childish for wearing this thing." _She thought angrily.

"Ok here is the basics of walking on water. When you walk up a tree you steadily release your chakra to stick to the tree.

Here you have to constantly vary the amount of chakra you release to stay on top of the water." Naruto said as he stepped out onto the water.

"Looks easy right?" He said with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Yes it does, but shouldn't you wait a hour before going swimming?" She said trying to prolong the time before she had to show him her swimsuit.

"We aren't swimming, we are training and no, because you're not going to drown in three feet of slow moving water." He said with an exasperated look on his face.

_"Damn, oh well maybe he won't laugh at me too much...Yeah right I can already see him laughing now." _She thought as she shyly got undressed.

Naruto noticed she was getting a bit shy and politely turned around.

.

Hanabi quickly finished stripping down to her childish baby blue with white poke-a-dots swimsuit.

Naruto sighed. "Can we start training now?" He asked.

"Ye..yes" She stammered.

Naruto turned around and took a good look at Hanabi.

.

Hanabi didn't look childish at all...Her bathing suit was three sizes too small for her chest.

Her breasts were pushed up dangerously high and she was showing way too much cleavage.

It looked like she was going to pop out of it at any moment if the thing wasn't so tight on her.

Naruto blushed slightly, but quickly regained his composure.

"I think you need to get a bigger size bathing suit, Hanabi-Chan." He said awkwardly.

.

"Sorry. This is my bathing suit from when I was thirteen and I have grown a lot in that time.

I almost never go swimming any way. So I didn't bother getting a new one.

I was going to have Shizan get me a new one later in the summer time." She said quite shyly.

_"This is going to be distracting. She's already beautiful and now she's showing skin...That's not fair."_ He thought.

.

Naruto made one clone and then went behind a nearby tree.

"Ok I want you to use your Byakugan to look at my feet Hanabi-Chan." The clone said.

"Byakugan." She yelled and looked at his feet. He was shooting chakra out in all directions from his feet and shifting it back and forth with the waves.

"I think I can do that. It might take me a while to get the shifting pattern down though." She said still concentrating Naruto's feet.

The clone walked over and took both her hands.

.

"Ok ready to give it a try?" He said.

"Yes." She said and stepped off the bank of the stream.

She sunk straight to the bottom of the stream with a splash.

The clone helped her back to the bank so she could try it again.

"That water is so cold today." She said shaking it off and clutching her arms to her body for warmth.

The clone had his head turned away from her nipple erection and said. "I noticed..."

Hanabi looked down at her chest and blushed as she covered her chest with her arms.

.

They spent the next four hours training the walk on water jutsu.

She had gotten as far as holding herself up shin deep in the water for just over five seconds before sinking to the bottom again.

"Ergh I'm freezing in this water." She said while shivering.

"That's kind of the idea. I had to learn this mostly over near boiling water. It well help you to learn it faster." He said standing on the water in the middle of the stream.

.

"I know how I can walk on water right now." She said confidently.

"How are you going to do that?" He replied disbelief.

Hanabi got a mischievous grin on her face and jumped off the bank at him.

She landed right on top of his feet and he had to fall backwards just so the both didn't sink to the bottom.

She was straddling him by the waist while he was lying on top of the water on his back.

.

"Like this." She said with a playful smile.

He smiled sarcastically at her and said. "This is cheating Hanabi…"

"So, it still works." She said flirtatiously.

"Say if we are pretending to date shouldn't we practice kissing? You know so it's not all awkward when we do it in public?" She asked.

"I hadn't planned to take it that far, but I guess it would be fun in a prankster kind of way.

You can practice kissing on me if you want." He said casually.

_._

_"No way...Maybe he is more of a prankster then I thought...Eww I can't believe we are taking the next step already!"_ She thought.

She slowly leaned down toward his face and stopped a few inches from his lips.

He closed his eyes and waited.

She took a long moment steeling her nerves.

_"Ergh come on body stop trembling and just do it!" _She warred with herself.

She took a deep breath and moved in to kiss him...

.

*Pop*

The clone suddenly dissipated

She unceremoniously face planted into the water with a loud splash.

The real Naruto that was up in a nearby tree watching quickly fell out of the tree laughing.

Hanabi came up out of the water totally embarrassed and very pissed off.

_"Ergh after I built up all that courage to go through with it he did that! It is so like him! _

_I know he likes me in some way or he wouldn't have turned his head when my nipples got hard."_ She thought in frustration.

Naruto couldn't stop laughing for a long time.

_._

_"Yeah laugh it up whiskers. I'm going to get what I want anyway Mr. I Don't Go Back On My Word._

_I WILL make you pay for that!"_ She thought angrily.

When Naruto finally stopped laughing a moment later and said.

"Did you forget it was a clone?" He asked with a smiled on his face.

Hanabi wore a teeth gritting strained smile and admitted. "Yes, I guess I did forget about him being a clone."

.

Naruto smile immediately faded.

_"Oh crap...That's the same kind of expression she had the last time I pissed her off and that was just because she had to eat ramen for lunch._

_I think she's plotting something..." _He thought.

.

A few hours later he stopped her and said.

"I think it's time for us to stop for the day. Let's go home and get you cleaned up before we go out for dinner."

"Why are we going out for dinner? I thought you were going to try to make some clam soup?" She asked.

Naruto scratched the back of his head slightly embarrassed and said. "Well it seems my clone didn't catch anything to eat today...So we are going out tonight."

_"Hehehe...Perfect."_ She though mischievously.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi just got finished taking a cold shower in the master bedroom that only further fueled her bad mood at Naruto.

She went to the bed and picked up the black party dress that she asked Shizan to fetch from her room a short while ago.

She put the dress on and looked at herself in the mirror.

The dress went almost to her ankles and was tight around her breast and hip, but loose around her lower legs.

The dress was made so she didn't have to wear a bra with it.

It had ruffles on hem of it and it was as low cut as she was comfortable wearing.

.

She put on a pair of matching black flats for her shoes. She did her makeup rather simply with just some eyeliner and eye shadow.

She left her hair down instead of tying it up.

_"Now for the touch that's going to make you pay Naruto." _She thought evilly.

She opened a jar of some form of grease and coated her lips with it.

She then took a stick of green lipstick off the counter and very carefully applied it to her greased lips.

Within a few minutes the lipstick changed to the color red.

She grabbed another stick of red lipstick and a cloth and put them in her small black purse.

.

Naruto was waiting down stairs reading a scroll.

_"Kami what's taking her so long? It's been an hour. I'll starve at this rate."_ He thought.

A short while later Hanabi came down the stairs and Naruto got off the couch and turned around so he could see her walk down the stairs.

_"Oh Kami...What is a fifteen year old girl doing with a __**"Little Black Dress?" **__It is ankle length, but it's still tight fitting._

_I guess it's an almost little black dress. Well if this is what she was plotting, I guess I can handle her eye candy for tonight._

_Kami knows this is way more conservative then her swimming suit."_ He thought knowingly.

.

"You're looking...ummm unusually over dressed for the seafood place I was planning on going to." He said eying here up and down.

She smiled at him. "You don't like the way I look?" She said bit shy.

_"I wouldn't say that, it's just like your trying to say come get me tiger."_ He thought.

"You look beautiful." He sighed and went over to her and took her hand. HE tried to lead her to the door.

Hanabi didn't move though.

.

"Ah ah ah." She said in a playfully warning tone while waving her finger at him.

"Naruto Uzumaki never goes back on his word... We have some practicing to do before we leave tonight." She grinned playfully.

Naruto stared at her in shock for a moment then smiled.

"My clone said that, not me." He stated. "My Nindo isn't "_My clones never go back on their word_..."

"Well if I didn't know the secret about the Shadow Clone jutsu I'd accept that answer,...but seeing as how I know you retain its memories...It is a extension of yourself.

So get back down in the position we were in at the stream. It is time to practice." She said in that's_ final _tone.

.

Naruto sighed. _"I guess is she routing me and I've got no choice. I still don't feel right about this..._

_She may look eighteen, but I know she's fifteen."_ He thought as he laid down on his back on the carpet.

"Ok, I guess I'm ready." He said in a slightly depressed tone as he closed his eyes.

She quickly got the cloth and other lipstick out of her purse.

She slipped her flats off and carefully stepped over his side and straddled him at his hips.

She leaned down and kissed him very softly twice on his neck and then on his lips.

_"There that should do it and I didn't press hard enough to get the lipstick through the grease."_ She thought.

.

She quickly and carefully wiped the lipstick and the grease off of her lips and put on the normal lipstick.

She quickly put lipstick back in her purse.

"Ok we can go now." She said with an evil smile.

_"Well that wasn't too bad."_ Naruto thought as he opened his eyes.

Hanabi handed Naruto the cloth she had used to wipe off the lipstick with and he wiped her lipstick off of himself.

She slipped her shoes back on and Naruto took her hand before leading her out.

.

_"It should take about ten more minutes before it starts to take effect. _

_I've already seen him wipe his lips with my cloth twice more and he's starting to scratch his neck."_ She thought.

"We are going to Nakigon fish house. It is not fancy, but it is good food at a good price.

It is near the south end of the village just off the river, so it's normally fairly crowded too.

So you'll be sure to get a ton of attention, seeing as how you didn't get enough this morning." He hinted at her.

"Good the more attention tonight the better." She smiled knowingly.

_"I've got a feeling her plot didn't stop with those kisses."_ He thought.

.

They arrived at Nakigon's fish house that was right next to the river a few minutes later. It was a fifty feet wide and about twenty feet long

The building was painted red with gold trim.

The couple was getting a lot of stares as they walked up to get into line for the fish house.

Most of them were men looking at Hanabi as she stuck out like a sore thumb because of the way she was dressed.

"How did you find this place?" She asked him.

.

"Me and Sakura-Chan sometimes eat here on her lunch break as its only two blocks from the hospital.

It's a good place to get something to eat if you're in a hurry.

If you look at the people in front of us you'll notice most of them are wearing their hospital uniforms." He said.

Hanabi looked at the people in front of them and four out of the six of them were indeed wearing hospital uniforms.

The line moved rather quickly and soon the couple was inside the door. Several of the people inside eyed the couple for a moment before going back to their food.

Inside was one long bar with stools in front of it. They waited until two seats next to each other opened up before taking a seat.

Hanabi was sitting next to a older man in a nurses uniform and Naruto was sitting next to a pink hair woman in a white medics coat.

Behind the bar were four cooks. There was a twenty foot long cook top stove that was rather full of orders already and a deep fryer.

.

"Now they don't serve many things here, but you can believe what they do serve was still swimming ten minutes ago." He whispered to her.

She looked at the menu that was written on a chalk board behind the bar.

There was only three items on the menu, grouper, trout and catfish.

You could only have it prepared three ways, salted, spicy or seasoned. There were only three sides to get, vegetables, bread or egg rolls.

All the meals were served with rice.

.

Hanabi looked around at everyone and noticed most of the customers were quickly eating their food, then paying the bill and leaving.

She thought this looked like it was scarf and go place to eat.

"Awww to bad flounder isn't on the menu today. It's really good. They have this butter herb sauce for it, but they only serve it on the flounder.

I guess I wasn't the only one that had trouble fishing today. Normally today is they day they serve the flounder." He said a bit disappointed as he eyed the menu.

.

A middle aged man came up to them to get their order. The man eyed the two of them carefully then asked.

"What will you are having today?"

"I'll have the seasoned trout with egg rolls." Naruto replied.

"I would like the salted grouper with vegetables please." Hanabi said respectfully.

"I'll be back with your order shortly." The cook said.

.

The pink haired woman next to Naruto finally put down the medical scroll she was reading and noticed him.

"Well hello there Naruto. I take it you didn't feel like cooking tonight." Sakura said.

_"Oh this is perfect. That shrewd woman Sakura is here and the lipstick should be taking effect on his neck soon and it's on her side of him!"_

Hanabi thought evilly while trying not to laugh.

.

"Hello Sakura-Chan. No I wanted to cook tonight, but my clone didn't have any luck fishing today.

Hanabi seemed to want to go out anyway." He replied with a shrug.

Sakura lean over the bar to look at the over dressed Hanabi. She just blinked a few times and stared at her for a moment.

Hanabi gave her a quick wave and smile.

"Naruto why is she dressed like that? It makes it look like you two are dating." She said rather slowly in a questioning manner.

"Oh that is because we are dating Sakura-Chan." He said with a smile, but had a slight amount of disappointment in his voice.

Half way through his sentence her eyes locked on to the two marks on his neck and her eyes went wide in shock.

.

Sakura angrily jerked Naruto's shoulder down so she could whisper in his ear.

"Naruto, what have you been doing with her! She is only fifteen and you're letting her leave hickeys on your neck!

You should have at least had the sense to henge them before you left your house!"

Naruto gave her a puzzled look and blinked at her a few times.

.

"What Hickeys? I haven't let her do anything like that to me. I'm not THAT stupid." He said.

"Well you have two hickeys on your neck right now!" She whispered to him and pulled out a mirror from her pouch.

Naruto took the mirror and looked at his neck. The two places where Hanabi had kissed him on the neck were dark red and looked exactly like hickeys.

He also noticed his lips were starting to swell up. He laid his hand over the marks on his neck and henged them away.

Naruto turned and gave Hanabi a slightly annoyed look.

Naruto didn't even bother whispering, he just asked her in his normal voice.

.

"Hanabi...What was in that lipstick?..." He questioned her in a knowing, stern voice.

Hanabi bit her lips together and tried to play innocent.

"Whatever do you mean dear?" She said coyly.

"Don't play dumb with me Hanabi.

We have our reputations to think about and that's too important for public pranks like this. What was in that lipstick?" He asked again.

.

"You're not getting that out of me whiskers. It will teach you not to pull pranks like the one at the stream today.

I will tell you that it's not anything dangerous, but that's all you get." She stated while smiling at him.

Naruto sighed. "Sakura-chan can you heal dis mark?" He slurred through his rapidly swelling lips.

Sakura had to cover he mouth trying very unsuccessfully to hide the fact she was laughing.

Naruto's lips were three times their normal sized by the time Sakura got control of herself again.

.

"Yes I can probably heal the lips, but the marks on your neck aren't going away even if I do heal them.

The blood is caught in the skin, so healing it will not make the mark go away. If anything it will make the mark last longer.

I think I know what made the marks, but I don't have a clue what she used to make your lips swell up like that." She said with obvious amusement of what Hanabi did to him.

Hanabi smiled at Sakura. _"Maybe she isn't all bad. She is enjoying my prank on Naruto as well."_ She thought.

"Weal wat would causse des marks?" He slurred.

Sakura was trying not to laugh again and said. "Just be quiet while I try to heal your lips."

Sakura started pouring healing chakra into Naruto's mouth.

Hanabi just smiled at him.

.

After a minute of healing him his lips were still the same size.

"I'm sorry Naruto it looks like I'll have to make an antidote to get the swelling down." She said while still trying not to laugh.

The cook set their plates of food down in front of them and left a bill for all three of them.

Naruto sighed and henged his lips while picking up the bill for all three of them.

Sakura asked the cook. "Can we get some to go boxes?"

"Sure thing." He replied.

.

* * *

.

They were at the hospital and Sakura was running a blood test on Naruto in hopes of figuring out what Hanabi had used on him.

Hanabi was quietly smiling in her seat in his room obviously enjoying every minute of it.

Sakura came back a few minutes later and said.

"Well the stuff that made the hickeys was exactly what I thought it was. It was stone slug oil.

It is known to be a powerful blood cotter. It's a common prank for young girls to play on boys.

It's also what they call hickey lipstick. As for what the stuff is that made your lips swell up, I still have no idea what it is.

I did send someone to get her handler so we could ask her about it a short while ago.

I'm going to analyze the cloth you gave me in hopes of find a cure.

Naruto just sighed through his huge lips. He had already given up on talking as it came out too garbled to be understood.

Sakura left the room again.

.

About twenty minutes later Shizan and Sakura walked back into the room.

Shizan was nearly scowling at Hanabi for her actions.

"So do you know what's in the lipstick that would make his lips swell up?" Sakura asked Shizan.

"Yes I do. It is a cactus like plant called nettle. Whatever you do don't scratch it.

The more you scratch it the itchier it gets." She stated while scowling at Hanabi.

"Do you know what to do to treat it?" Sakura asked.

"Yes if you get it by getting poked by the plant then you use vinegar to clean out the wound.

In this case it's seeped through the skin of the lips, so there is no wound to treat.

The swelling should go down in a few hours. It is basically prank lipstick." She said while looking right at Hanabi.

.

Hanabi's smile changed to uncomfortable look and said.

"I thought it was just normal hickey lipstick. I didn't know it had something else in it.

I thought swollen lips were just an allergic reaction to the lipstick." She confessed.

Shizan sighed. "I got the lipstick for her. She asked for me to get the good stuff.

I didn't read the extra warnings on it until the nurse came to the compound to get me. I am sorry Naruto." She said apologetically to Naruto.

.

* * *

.

The next day they ate breakfast quietly because Naruto was giving Hanabi silent treatment.

Shizan was obviously uncomfortable with tension in the room as she ate quickly and left first.

Naruto finished his food and took the empty plate to a clone in the kitchen.

_"He's acting rather childish about that prank I pulled on him last night. Serves him right. _

_If he thinks he can pull a prank on me and get away with it. Then he has got another thing coming." _She thought.

She finished her food and handed her plate off to the clone in the kitchen before heading out to the living room.

.

Naruto was sitting in the black chair that Sakura liked and stood up when Hanabi came into the room.

Hanabi's pace slowed to a near stop waiting to see what Naruto was going to say.

Naruto calmly said. "Come on. Let's get going." Naruto turned around and walked to the door without waiting for Hanabi.

.

Hanabi followed behind Naruto until he got to the gate and stopped.

He took Hanabi's hand without looking at her and started leading her across the village.

_"This isn't the way to our normal training ground."_ She thought.

She finally asked. "Where are we going?"

"We are going to practice Taijutsu today. I've asked the two best Taijutsu ninja's in the village if we could train with them today.

So we are heading over to their training ground for our morning training." He stated as they went through the entrance to training ground three that was in a wooded area.

.

"So if one of them is the Hokage then who is the other one?" She asked curiously.

Naruto looked at her for the first time all day and gave her a puzzled look.

"Neither of them are the Hokage. She uses a combination of medical Ninjutsu and Taijutsu for her fighting style.

Both of these guys are straight out Taijutsu users. Well at least one of them is." He stated as an afterthought.

Hanabi could hear the sound of someone striking something over and over again making 'HA!' noise each time.

They rounded a group of trees to find a large open area with wooden men on poles.

There was also several six feet tall rope wrapped logs standing up near the center of the training area.

Punching one of them over and over again was Rock Lee doing his morning training.

.

"Hey Lee." Naruto said loudly.

Lee stopped punching the log and waved him over.

"Hello Naruto. I am ready to help your new student with her Taijutsu." He said excitedly.

"Where's Gai sensei?" He asked while looking around the training ground.

_"Oh Kami, do not tell me we are going to train with the justice duo."_ She thought is dismay.

"I am not sure. He said he was going to be late this morning.

Let us get started with two thousand punches and two thousand kicks." He said as he went back to punching the log.

Naruto went up to the rope log next to him and started punching away at it.

_"Two thousand? Is he insane? My arms and leg will fall off before we reach a number that high!" _She thought as she grimaced her way up to a punching log.

.

It took Hanabi over a hour for the punches and almost two hours to finish her kicks. She had to take breaks every twenty or so minutes.

Lee would come over and show her what she was doing wrong now and then, but largely remained silent otherwise.

When it was over Hanabi was on the ground panting while nursing her hurt hands.

It didn't help her mood that Gai sensei only showed up thirty minutes ago and still finished his two thousand punches and kicks before her.

Naruto leaned over her with a smile on his face. "You ok Hanabi-Chan?"

.

"I think I broke some of my fingers doing the punches. They really hurt right now." She said completely out of breath.

Naruto gently put one of her hands in his open hand to inspect it. Three of her fingers on her left hand where indeed broke.

"You have some broken fingers. Unfortunately for you I don't know how to set broken bones. I only know how to heal them and cuts." He said thoughtfully.

"I know how to set bones. I used to have to do it all the time for Lee when he was younger." Gai said while giving them his signature two thumbs up with a big smile.

"Just so you know this is going to hurt a lot more then when you broke them." Gai said seriously as he leaned down and took Hanabi's hands to inspect them.

.

Hanabi gritted her teeth and waited for Gai to begin. Gai slowly popped her index finger back into place.

Hanabi only gritted her teeth harder and tried not to scream as tears of pain rolled down her face.

Gai straitened her middle finger back into place and Hanabi feinted from the pain.

Naruto and Lee eyed her and Gai sighed.

.

"Well on the bright side it will make this easier." He said as he went about setting the bones back into place.

Naruto spent almost ten minutes pouring healing chakra into her hands before he was done.

"I think she will be fine when she wakes up." Naruto said.

"Naruto did you really think she was ready to do our morning training?" Lee asked him curiously.

"Well she is a Hyuuga, I figured she could at least handle the excise or be smart enough to stop if she hurt herself."

Naruto sighed. "I guess sometimes she's as stubborn as me." He said while moving her hair out of her face with his hand.

.

A few minutes later she woke up.

"Ergh what happened?" She asked groggily.

"You fainted when Gai was setting your fingers. How are your hands feeling now?" Naruto asked from a sitting position on the ground next to her.

She carefully raised her hand and cringed before she slowly curled her fingers back and forth.

Her look relaxed and she said. "They feel fine now."

"Good it's time to get back to training then." Naruto stated.

She gave him a shocked look then it turned to a look of dread. She carefully got up to her feet.

_"It looks like he healed my legs too. At least I don't hurt so badly anymore."_ She thought sourly.

Lee moved to stand in front of her while Naruto and Gai back away to a nearby tree.

.

"Hanabi for the next part of training you will try to hit me." Lee stated.

_"This chump wants to spar with me and not fight back? I am going to drop this eye brow freak."_ She thought.

"Byakugan!" She yelled and got into her fighting pose.

She took one strike with her gentle fist at the left side of Lee's chest. Lee took a quick step back out of her range and caught her by the forearm.

"You are not holding your hand right for that attack. Your thumb shouldn't be curled and your hand needs to be straight up not angled." He said.

_"Kami he sounds just like father. How does he know how the gentle fists form so well?"_ She thought.

Lee released her arm and got back into his fighting pose.

.

She again went to strike him and he shifted his foot and bumped her foot and she fell down.

"Your footing is off balance. Never let your knees go passed your ankles." Lee said while waiting for her to get up.

_"Ergh that is getting old. Father is always telling me that too!"_ She thought.

She picked herself up off the ground and got back into her fighting pose.

She launched a assault of several open palmed strikes all over Lee's body. Lee moved like a reed in the wind avoiding the strikes like it was child's play.

Hanabi moved to a different type of assault where she would spin back and forth trying to hit him. Again he avoided all the strikes easily.

_"That looks like the attack pattern that Hinata tried to use against Pain."_ Naruto thought.

.

Hanabi went through several more attack pattern styles and she still never managed to hit him.

Hanabi was starting to lose her cool and it was showing from all the mistakes Lee was telling her she was making.

This only fueled her mistakes and she made even more.

"If you lose your head in battle, you will easily lose the fight."

Lee said as he dodged her right handed gentle fist strike aimed at the center of his chest and struck her in the blink of a eye with his middle finger right between her eye brows with a loud crack.

.

Hanabi froze in her crouched attack pose with her right arm fully extended for a gentle fist strike.

Naruto mouthed the word 'ouch' while he cringed from the sheer sound of Lees poke attack.

Hanabi stayed frozen for another two seconds and then fell over without ever moving her body.

Naruto and Gai walked over to where her and Lee were. Naruto leaned down to check on Hanabi.

Naruto rolled her over and her eyes were crossed and she was in a daze.

She had a single drop of blood protruding down her head from the tiny cut that Lee's attack had left on her.

.

Naruto couldn't suppress a snicker as he healed her.

"So what did you guys think of her Taijutsu?" Naruto asked.

Lee answered. "She is full of surprises. She used two attack form styles that I have never even seen Neji use.

Her foot work gets a little sloppy when she moves fast and she underestimates her opponents too easily."

Naruto hung his head. "That bad huh?" He said disappointedly.

.

"No on the contrary Naruto. I was speaking from a perspective of mine or Gai Sensei's level of Taijutsu.

I have little doubt she is the best Taijutsu user of her age group as far as the basics are concerned.

I almost wanted to let her hit me to see how far she could take her chakra sealing to." Lee said.

Naruto perked up at Lee's words.

"Let's wait until she comes back around before we spar. I'd like her to watch." He said.

"Yes Naruto. I also feel it would help her to see us spar." Lee stated.

.

A short while later Hanabi regained her composure and sat up from the ground

"Ouch I don't think I've ever been hit that hard before." She stated while rubbing her forehead.

Naruto laughed. "Yeah I know. Lee's fingers are like getting hit by steel. You are not the only one that he's hit with that move." Naruto said knowingly.

"Me and Lee are going to spar. I want you to watch and take what you can from it." Naruto said.

Hanabi blinked a few times and said. "Yes Sage Naruto."

She got up while Naruto and Lee got into their Taijutsu poses.

"What are the rules this time Naruto?" Lee asked.

"We are doing the ten on one with weights on this time." He said and summoned nine clones.

.

Naruto and his clones encircled Lee.

Lee rushed the Naruto in front of him and drove his fist into it making it dissipate into smoke at a insane speed.

The rest of the Naruto's rushed behind Lee to attack his back.

Three of the Naruto's charged him.

.

Lee lightly hopped from one foot to the other while kicking his legs out behind him one after another, popping two of the clones and dodging the thirds punch while doing a rolling front to

back side ways flip hitting the last one in the head with a kick.

Lee landed lightly on his feet facing the six Naruto's that were fanning out in a half circle pattern for another attack.

Naruto took the offensive with three more clones charging in the arrow head formation.

Naruto's arrow head formation became a reverse arrow head formation by the time he got to Lee.

Lee flipped upside down in mid air and preformed his Lean Spinning Hurricane kick.

He took out the two clones that were coming up to flank him on his sides.

.

The last Naruto seem to have a opening and charged in with a running straight kick.

Lee dropped down in to a split from his in air flip and Naruto's kick when right over his head leaving him prone.

Lee struck his knee with a punch and the clone poofed.

The last four Naruto's were already charging Lee from different angles.

.

One clone dodged from right behind Lee to just outside of his right side and tried to grab his arm.

Lee was the one that grabbed the Naruto and threw it into the clone coming from the other side of him making them both poofed.

One Naruto was punching at his front with another coming at him from behind that tried to sweep his legs.

Lee almost didn't avoid the sweep, but managed to cartwheel to the left of the Naruto in front of him.

The Naruto from behind ended up sweeping the Naruto from the front and he dissipated into smoke.

Naruto tried to regain his balance from the sweep attack, but Lee was just too fast.

Lee landed a hard straight kick into his ribs on his left side that sent him flying in to the trunk of a nearby tree.

The whole match lasted roughly five seconds.

.

"Wow Naruto lost that exchange. It wasn't even close." She stated thinking out loud in a rather manner shocked.

Gai smiled. "Well that's seventy-six wins and thirteen losses Lee."

Gai turned to look at Hanabi and said

"Naruto normally loses the sparring matches with Lee.

Naruto wants to learn better Taijutsu. So in turn he will not use anything, but Taijutsu when he's fighting Lee.

The only exception they make is for him to summon a set number of clones at the beginning." Gai sensei said

.

Naruto picked himself up off the ground and dusted himself off like nothing happened.

"Ergh I thought had you with my sweep." Naruto said to Lee.

Lee smiled and said. "Be mindful of your moves or they will be used against you."

"What, that's it? Only one strike ends the match?" Hanabi asked Gai intently.

"Yes Hanabi. Trust me its better this way. Their first training Taijutsu match lasted over twenty-six hours.

If those two didn't set up rules to win the match, they would be at it all day and night without either of them winning.

That's why they normally use the first strike rule; they just have too much stamina to go all out every Sunday.

.

"Ok Lee what do you want this week?" Naruto asked.

"I would like a chak-chak princess angle mini doll. I would prefer the pink one if you can find it." He said as he tapped his finger on his temple and looked up in thought.

Hanabi gave Gai a puzzled, queer look.

"Oh, they have a standing bet. The loser has to get the winner a small item that's under two hundred and fifty yen.

Naruto normally saves up until he gets three wins and asks for a bowl of ramen.

Lee normally asks for small collectible dolls for his number one fan Higashi.

She's a first year in the academy and wants to be like Lee when she becomes a ninja.

She collects those dolls, so when Lee wins he asks for them because they aren't expensive.

Lee is running out of ones to ask for because she almost has the whole set because of his wins against Naruto.

The one he just asked for is more than likely worth quite a bit over their agreed to limit, but I doubt Naruto will care.

Most of the others Lee asked for were only fifty yen. That and I believe Naruto wants to get him the last three in the set." Gai said.

"I was starting to wonder about Lee for a moment there...I mean asking for such a girlie doll caught me off guard." Hanabi stated in a reserved manner.

.

Naruto and Lee walked back over to Hanabi and Gai.

"So did you learn anything Hanabi-Chan?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah don't pick a fight with Lee unless you're suicidal." She stated seriously.

Gai and Naruto laughed and Lee blushed at her comment.

"I still can't believe you would lose to anyone." She said in disbelief.

"Well let me tell you something Hanabi-Chan.

You learn a lot more from losing against a opponent that is better then you, then you do winning against a opponent that's weaker then you." He said.

Gai gave Naruto a puzzled look and asked. "Haven't you given her the rock, paper, scissors talk yet?"

"Yes I did. It seems I should have put it another way so she could better put it to use in combat." He said.

"I don't see how that applies here." She stated as she shook her head.

.

"Well let's say me being a primarily Ninjutsu user is the scissors and Lee is the rock. We well will pretend that Gai is a Genjutsu user for this example. So he will be the Paper." He said.

Gai sensei said rather childishly. "Why do I have to be the paper?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at him and Gai henged himself to look like Itachi.

.

"Now let's say we are all the same strength over all, but we have distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Itachi can trap Lee in Genjutsu rather easily, but he's weak to me because of my experience in fighting Sharingan users.

Lee can easily beat me because he is so fast that I don't have time to get my Ninjutsu off before he starts beating on me.

I can easily beat Itachi because his Sharingan is something I'm not likely to get trapped in. So he's a sitting duck for me.

So Lee beats me, I beats Itachi and Itachi beats Lee. It is just like rock, paper, scissors.

The only sure way to win is to be the rock, the paper and the scissors at any time you want to be.

Right now I am like a pair of scissors learning to be a rock as well.

You are like a rock learning to be scissors." He said as he pointed at her.

.

"That does seem to make much more sense than your Hokage explanation, as far is combat is concerned." Hanabi said.

"There are exceptions to this rule, but it is just a general idea to get you to think." Naruto said while Gai sensei poofed back into himself.

Hanabi got a curious look on her face and asked. "So is Gai the strongest Taijutsu user in the village and Lee is second?"

Naruto thought about it before saying.

.

"Honestly I'm not sure. I can tell you Gai sensei can take a lot more punishment and remain conscious, but Lee will continue to fight even if you knock him out."

Naruto looked up in thought while both Lee and Gai were very intent on hear what he had to say next as they both were leaning one ear into his direction.

"Well it's like a few days ago when we saw them outside the Hokage's office and I used that air bullet jutsu on Gai. I bet it didn't even knock Gai sensei out when he landed.

I am pretty sure it would have knocked out Lee though." He said.

_"Naruto doesn't seem to know that he's not the only one that keeps a parachute in their supplies."_ Gai thought.

"On the other hand Lee has surpassed Gai on stamina and Lee can open one more celestial gate then Gai sensei can." He said.

Lee smiled and did a fist pump while Gai hung his head in depression.

.

"Celestial gates?" She asked.

"Oh that's right, you didn't get to see the fights after the second round for our Chunin exam. Well...

Oh wait I can't tell you about that forbidden jutsu. I'm not its keeper." He stated.

Gai perked up and proudly said. "I am its keeper. The Eight Celestial Gates are eight specific points in a person's chakra network.

They limit the overall flow of chakra within a person's body.

The basis for the idea of the celestial gates comes from the body's limits on the functions within it.

This makes the body much weaker, but it keeps the body from expiring too soon.

By opening these gates, the user can surpass their own physical limits at the cost of great damage to their own bodies if they aren't hardened enough to handle it.

Opening each gate gives you a massive amount of power for a short time.

If one were to open all the gates they would become more powerful then the Hokage for a few moments, but the last gate is the gate of death...

It would cost you your life by using up all your chakra." He said.

.

"Sounds like a scary jutsu." Hanabi said with her eyes going wide.

"Well scary or not. Lee almost beat Gaara of the sand before he became Kazekage by opening four of those gates." He stated.

Hanabi just stood there dumbfounded before saying. "Does that mean he could beat the Kazekage?"

"Well if he went all out... probably, but it would likely cost him his life even if he only went up to six gates.

After his fight with Gaara when he opened four gates, he broke so many bones and tore up so much of his muscles that it was a miracle he could even get around on crutches.

If it wasn't for Lady Tsunade's medical skills, he wouldn't even be a ninja anymore. She managed to fix him thankfully.

He has saved my butt a number of times." He stated while giving him a proud look.

.

"We are getting a bit long winded so I'll get to the point. While Lee can open more gates then Gai. Gai can open more gates without endangering his life.

In the long run Gai has more wisdom and much better control over his jutsu and Lee is more reckless with less defense and more power.

If I was Gai I'd be damn proud that my student was starting to surpass me in some areas.

If I was Lee I realize that Gai is always going to have more wisdom then me and try to learn from him as much as possible.

Even if Gai was in a wheel chair barely able to move, he would still be the master and Lee would still be the student because Gai could still teach him something that he was lacking."

Naruto said.

.

"So how does the student become the master?" She asked.

"All you need to do to become a master is to find students and teach them. To those that you teach, you are the master.

If you mean becoming a master over your own master that is much trickier.

You have to surpass your master, ideally, in every way. It has only happened a few times in our history that a student has fully surpassed his master while they are alive.

Most masters teach what they learned from their own masters. When their master dies, they become the master and pass on what they have learned from their masters.

Also they build on what they learned and eventually pass that on to the next generations masters." He said.

.

"So what are you, master or student?" She asked inquisitively.

"Well if I'm fighting Lee to train my Taijutsu, he is the master and I am the student. If you mean master by meaning the one I apprenticed under, that would the Sannin Jiraiya.

I thought you read the books about me." He said giving her a critical eye.

She got a bit shy before stating. "Yes I have, but they don't really give your perspective on things like that. Does that mean you consider yourself to be a master?

"Yes and more. I'm the Toad Sage as well. One day I will have to find an apprentice to take over for me after I pass away.

Why do you think I'm always teaching? I hope one day to find the next great Toad Sage." He said honestly.

.

She gave him a puzzled look before asking. "Aren't you training Konohamaru for it?"

Naruto gave her a short spiteful laugh before saying. "The best I could hope for with Konohamaru is a temporary contract with the toads. Your summons are like elemental jutsu.

Your chakra naturally leans toward an animal. I am like my master, who trained my father before me. I lean toward the toad animal.

Konohamaru can never fully become my apprentice. He is like his grandfather and they lean toward the monkey.

I actually asked the great toad Sages if it would be alright for him to sign our toad contract and both of them clobbered me for even asking.

When he's ready, Tsunade said I could attempt to open the sealed vault door inside the Hokage vault that holds his clan's summoning scroll.

I'm not so sure I can do it, but I will try. Although he can never be my Disciple in the way I was to Jiraiya.

.

I take him as my apprentice in the way a Hokage would train his successor." He stated slightly sad.

Hanabi eyed him before saying. "You talk like you're already the Hokage."

"I have been saying that I will not die until I become Hokage since I was a boy. I never go back on my word.

I hope that Konohamaru will be my successor. I have never gone back on my word yet and I don't intend to start now." He said sincerely.

.


	12. Chapter 12: The Sensei Talk

**Chapter 12: The Sensei Talk**

.

Author's note/ reviews:

* * *

.

I think I'm finally done editing my first eleven chapters. With my new writers program it made it much easier.

I've also learned that even though my muse gives me a characters complete life time, that I don't need to use it all.

This is one of the reasons I was being so long winded. The story pace will start picking up speed now.

.

* * *

.

_**CurseMark2Sasuke  
2009-10-13 . chapter 4**_

_**Please answer me back Thousandson. What makes you think Naruto's past is like that?**_

It been shown throughout the manga that his life was like that. The summary I wrote was just to give you an idea on how it played out.

It is probably fairly close to what the original author of the series had in mind. If you haven't figured this out yet sorry, but the Naruto series is loosely based off of Dragon Ball Z.

Not the storyline mind you. It's more of the idea's of the series as a whole. Like the way both Goku and Naruto are fairly unintelligent characters, but have their owe perspective that makes

them seem wise. The author also puts hints throughout the manga to tell its readers what's going to happen next sometimes. Like when Tsunade was talking with the elders about calling

Naruto back from his sage training. Naruto had snuck away from the elder toad sages to work on a secret jutsu. When Tsunade says "Faith" it shows Naruto in a field with the tops of three

mountains cut off and smoking the back ground. There was so much speculation as to what jutsu he learned that could do that kind of damage, but most of the more seasoned fans knew it

was the Rasenshuriken that he learned to throw. So when it happened we weren't surprised, but it was still fun to read. If you read all of the Naruto series in a short amount of time you

get a very good idea as to how the author thinks. There is little in the Naruto series that happens that you can't find hints of it happening earlier in the manga. There are exceptions. Like

when Hinata told Naruto "Because I love you." during the fight with Pain. That one threw me for a loop, but right after I read it I told myself. "Yeah he's about to bring out the Nine Tailed

Fox and then he will forget she ever said it." Low and behold that's exactly what happened. You only need to understand the story from the perspective of the author. The more he

stretches out the story, the more manga's he can sell.

This is the main reason the series seems to move so darn slowly.

_**.**_

_**Itachi's aprentice  
2009-09-27 . chapter 6**_

_**Great work."Just make sure not to throw it." He said with a strained look on his face. This I don't get.**_

Oh. Those kunais are really expensive. He just doesn't want her to lose it.

_**.**_

_**Itachi's aprentice  
2009-09-27 . chapter 1**_

_**Great work. Does't the Yellow Flash Jutsu works by throwing the Tri-prong Kunai?**_

I'm starting to wonder. The website I used for my research on how stuff like that works seems to have taken out all the jutsu information. I don't know if it was wrong or something, but for

this story I'm just going to keep it the way I originally wrote it. If nothing else it's just Goku's Instant Transmission ability or based off it. The Yellow Flash jutsu is when he used it without

the kunai markers, but he has to be able to see his target. When he used it with the markers he doesn't need to see his target and it's called the Flying Thunder God jutsu, but everyone in

the story just calls it the Yellow Flash jutsu. This is how it will work in my story.

*Update* found the description I used for this story. This is from ( note I put space in hope it will let me post it) naruto. wikia. com

_"This jutsu was created by Minato Namikaze, and quite possibly the reason behind his nickname, "Konoha's Yellow Flash." It allows the user to move himself to another location in the blink of an _

_eye. Although it is often compared with the Body Flicker Technique, the speed and range of this jutsu are much greater. In principle, this jutsu is similar to the Reverse Summoning Technique, as it _

_revolves around manipulation of time and space rather than accelerated movement, but instead of bringing something to users, it sends them somewhere. Additionally, it makes no noise and _

_produces no puff of smoke, allowing the user to appear behind someone unnoticed. To activate this jutsu, the user needs a special seal or "jutsu formula" to mark the destination. After this is done, _

_the user enters a dimensional void that almost instantaneously transports himself to the location of the seal. Minato applied the formula in advance to weapons such as kunai. By giving one such _

_kunai to a person, he can immediately teleport to that person at any time. He can also apply the mark to a touched area, such as his opponent or some other surrounding feature. Furthermore, if an _

_object marked with the seal may touch the ground, Minato will immediately know the position of everyone close to the object. This technique also possesses surveillance purposes as he can _

_continuously sense where anyone is as long as the seal is on them. No matter where an opponent is, he arrived directly next to them. The jutsu is also very unique because it requires no use of _

_chakra, due to a special secondary seal that emits the same chakra as him, allowing him to have an instant connection to the area. _

_It is because of this technique that Konoha came out victorious in the Iwagakure-Konohagakure Ninja War. After having his subordinates toss marked kunai randomly into the enemy ranks, Minato _

_used the technique to appear within their ranks, using the great speed of this jutsu to seemingly appear to be in several places at once and wipe out entire squadrons one by one in moments before _

_they could even react. "_

The only difference in my story is that Naruto uses different style of kunais ( if you watched the anime, but come on give me a break. I wrote my description six months before that came

out.) and he hasn't figure out how to do it without using chakra. Also he can do it by seeing a person and moving to their location…Which is fairly short ranged.

.

Last Chapter

* * *

.

She gave him a puzzled look before asking. "Aren't you training Konohamaru for it?"

Naruto gave her a fake laugh before saying. "The best I could hope for with Konohamaru is a temporary contract with the toads. Your summons are like elemental jutsu.

Your chakra naturally leans toward an animal. I am like my master, who trained my father before me. I lean toward the toad animal.

Konohamaru can never fully become my apprentice. He is like his grandfather and they lean toward the monkey.

I actually asked the great toad sages if it would be alright for him to sign our toad contract and both of them clobbered me for even asking.

.

When he's ready, Tsunade said I will attempt to open the sealed vault door inside the Hokage vault that holds his clan summoning scroll.

I'm not so sure I can do it, but I will try. Although he can never be my Disciple in the way I was to Jiraiya.

I take him as my apprentice in the way a Hokage would train his successor." He stated slightly sad.

Hanabi eyed him before saying. "You talk like you're already the Hokage."

"I have been saying that I will not die until I become Hokage since I was a boy. I never go back on my word.

I hope that Konohamaru will be my successor. I have never gone back on my word yet and I don't intend to start now." He said.

'

Chapter Twelve: The Sensei Talk.

* * *

.

Two week went by as Naruto trained the young Hyuuga Heiress and Konohamaru at training ground thirty-six.

She could now make three clones, but could only effectively use two in a fight. She was already starting to use her clones with her Gentle Fist Taijutsu.

Hiashi himself was impressed with her training. Hanabi actually managed to catch her father off guard and beat him in one of their sparring matches.

This however this did not happen again as the Hyuuga Lord got used to her fighting with clones. Hanabi and Shizan still lives with Naruto.

Hiashi felt it was better for her training if she prolonged her stay with the Sage as she was far safer with him. Most of the Village had come to accept them as a couple and left them be.

However there were still those that would make snide remarks when they were together.

A few in his fan club would try to pull pranks on the young Hyuuga, but she had taken the pranks as a reason to practice her Taijutsu on them.

.

It was early morning at the wooded training ground. The sky was still an orange and pink array of colors and grass was wet from the morning dew that had settled on it.

Naruto, Hanabi and Konohamaru were all doing their training.

Naruto had his four-hundred clones doing all kinds of training techniques while Konohamaru was still trying to move on the water without disturbing the fish.

Hanabi was attacking a wooden man with two of her clones over and over with her Gentle Fist when Kakashi came into the training grounds.

.

"Naruto." He called out to the army of Sages.

"Hey Kakashi sensei. What brings you out here?" He said.

"The Hokage wants to see you and Hanabi." He stated.

"Hmmm can it wait until after morning training?" He asked.

Kakashi replied. "Not if you want to stay alive it can't."

Naruto sighed while Kakashi stared at Konohamaru walking on water.

.

"What are you trying to teach him Naruto?" He asked curiously.

"Oh." He said and got a proud smile on his face.

"I'm trying to teaching him how to walk on the water and not disturb the fish. This will help his chakra control and his stealth."

He stated clearly proud of himself.

Kakashi stared at him for a moment before saying. "Don't you use Sage chakra to do that?"

"No I use my normal chakra for it….." Naruto was in thought for a long moment before cringing.

"I use my Sage chakra to feel the world around…me…Oops!"

"Naruto. There's no way he can do this without Sage training first." Kakashi said while sweat dropping.

.

Konohamaru was scowling at Naruto. "NARUTO! YOU IDIOT! I KNEW IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE!"

Konohamaru's clone started forming a Rasengan in his hand. Naruto eyes grew wide and he said.

"Don't do anything hasty Konohamaru." He said defensively with his hand out in front of him.

"I'M GONNA GET YOU! I SPENT THREE WEEKS DOING THIS STUPID TRAINING OF YOURS!" He yelled at him and charged him with the glowing orb.

Naruto bolted away from his infuriated student in fear.

He ran up trees and over water and Konohamaru was still right on his heels yelling at the Sage.

He leaped from tree to tree and Konohamaru's clones were throwing everything they could get their hands on at the fleeing Sage.

Kakashi just watched them for awhile, but eventually pulled out his book and read while Naruto was being chased.

.

Hanabi dispelled her clones and watched with a sadistic grin.

It went on for five minutes before Naruto charged Hanabi and wrapped his arms around her.

Konohamaru threw a kunai at him with an exploding tag on it.

Naruto used his Yellow Flash jutsu to escape just as it reached him and exploded violently.

"Ergh! I can't believe I let that idiot train me!" He said while still holding the Rasengan in his hand as all the Naruto clones poofed into a sea of smoke.

Kakashi calmly closed his book and sighed at him. "No one said the training wasn't helping you Konohamaru.

You've been holding that jutsu in your hand for quite some time now." He stated.

Konohamaru's angry looked faded as he stared at his Rasengan in amazement. He bemusedly said. "Maybe you're right…."

.

"And you shouldn't go off and attack your master like that." He said sternly.

Konohamaru innocently scratched the back of his head and said. "Yeah maybe I did fly off the handed a bit."

Kakashi looked around that the mess they had made of the training ground.

Weapons were everywhere and many of the trees looked like they had just weathered a hurricane.

The place was a total disaster area.

Kakashi said. "Maybe just a little bit…"

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Hanabi landed in a heap near the Hokage tower. Naruto was singed and breathed out smoke and coughed a few times.

"Man that was close!" He said while still breathing hard.

Hanabi was laughing hard at Naruto. "Oh that was great! I don't think I'll ever forget you fleeing like that!

That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen!" She said while still trying to stop laughing.

.

"Hey! You're supposed to be on MY side here." He said in an offended manner to the giggling girl.

"Doesn't matter it was still funny." She replied as she got up off the Sage.

Naruto sighed and got to his feet and mumbled loudly. "I swear you two are going to be the death of me."

He sullenly trudged his way off to the Hokage tower with Hanabi in tow.

They arrived and were waved inside by the Anbu guard.

.

"Hey Tsunade what did you need? I'm still in the middle of training her for the Chunin exams."

"That will have to wait than. I've got a mission for you two." She replied.

Hanabi was rather surprised at this news. She didn't think she would be getting a mission before the exams.

Naruto perked up and asked. "What kind of mission?"

"It's a C ranked mission to protect a money shipment from Otakafuku to here for a local merchant.

I feel it's a good mission for Hanabi to get her feet wet.

It's not very far away. You should be back in a few days tops." She stated.

Naruto mumbled. "It's still going to mess with my training when the Chunin exam is so close."

"I don't want to hear it Naruto. Kakashi is going with you to oversee your handling of Hanabi on this mission." She stated firmly.

Naruto sighed at the thought of the simple mission when he was already pressed for time.

"You are to leave tomorrow morning. So get your things packed." She said slightly annoyed at him.

.

"Hanabi-Chan, can you please go back to the training grounds without me? I need to talk to the Hokage for a moment."

Hanabi blinked at him a few times and said. "Yes Sage." She quietly bowed and left.

Naruto got a very serious look on his face and said. "It's time for me to try to open the Sarutobi vault…"

Tsunade raised a eyebrow curiously and crossed her hands together before saying. "You really feel he's ready?"

Naruto got a sad look on his face and looked at the floor.

"It can't be denied any longer. He chased me with a perfect Rasengan for over five minutes."

.

"This is good news Naruto. Why are you down about it? Are you having trouble letting go of your first student?" She asked him.

Naruto looked up at her and said. "A little bit, but it's mainly that he is probably the one person besides me with the most potential in the village.

It's just a shame that I've spent so much time training him and I can't make him my real Disciple. Where am I going to find the next great Toad Sage?" He said in a lost manner.

She gave him a thoughtful look before saying. "You have your whole life to find the next great Toad Sage Naruto."

"Yeah, but I'll never find another one with the bloodline of a Hokage again.

You know I don't have that long to find another Toad Sage either…." He said in sadness.

Tsunade gave out a ragged sigh before saying.

"We don't know how long that seal will hold The Nine Tailed Fox. It's best not to worry about it for now."

She clearly didn't like talking about it.

.

"No Tsunade-chan. It's something I worry about constantly. I'm the last in my father's line. I'm the only that has the Kekkei Genkai of sealing.

Even the Third Hokage using the same sealing technique couldn't seal Orochimaru away. Yet my father sealed away Kyuubi in the only vessel that could hold it.

Even if it takes twenty years for it to break, I can't have children. There is no one left that can seal Kyuubi again." He stated with sad resolve.

"Naruto you have the one thing that can control hi…" Naruto cut her off.

.

"I will not use that power! It's a cursed power! It only brings harm back on the user." He stated angrily.

Tsunade tilled her head forward and her hair fell over her eyes.

"How is YOUR training going?" She asked annoyed and sadly at the same time.

"Even with four thousand clones training all night every night…The lightning still refuses to come. I'm still clumsy with earth too." He stated with shrug.

"And you are still refusing to tell me what this jutsu is or who invented it?" She said curiously while looking down her nose at him.

"I will not tell you about the jutsu but, the great Moon Sage invented it." He said as he sadly looked at the floor.

Tsunade head snapped up and stared at him in shock.

"We don't even know if he lived, he might even be a myth! How can you have found one of his jutsus?"

.

Naruto gave her a smile. "Being able to be ten thousand people at once has its advantages."

Tsunade glared at him for a moment before reaching into her desk to retrieve a key.

She stormed out of her office with Naruto following her.

She led him down to the second floor of the basement in front of a huge twenty feet tall steel do covered in paper seals on thick ropes.

The Anbu guards snapped to attention when they saw the Hokage. She marched right up to the door and pulled out the key.

She charged the key with her chakra and put it into the lock. The door shook under its own weight before sliding to the side.

Beyond the door was a long stone passage way with still more guards lining the walls at attention.

.

She walked up to one of them and he handed her a map. She quickly looked at it and said. "This way Naruto."

She led him through one secret passage after another. At random times for seemingly no reason she would shout out a random word or phrase.

Finally they came to a set of stairs that led down to a six feet tall square steel door with elemental symbols on it and the Sarutobi crest was imprinted on it.

"Here it is. I wouldn't even trust Kakashi to touch this. It's humming with chakra.

I wouldn't even attempt trying to open it. You may just get yourself killed Naruto." She stated slightly worried.

.

"At least the best medic in all the five nations is here." He said with a ragged sigh as he walked up to the vault door and sat down.

"I hope you have an idea on how to open this. You better not do something stupid like try using a jutsu to blast it open." She stated to him.

Naruto closed his eyes and became one with everything around him. Naruto entered his Sage mode.

A loud click could be heard from the door in response.

"That's one trap down, two more to go." He said while looking over at her with his toad eyes.

"What are the other two traps?" She asked.

.

"One of them is the standard blood trap. I can get by that. I've got some of Konohamaru's blood. The first trap was it not opening unless you had chakra levels of a Hokage.

The last trap is going to be kind of tricky. It's a three way element lock.

I'll have to combine fire, water and earth in the right manner to unlock it.

I've already been practicing elemental combining so I know I can do it, but….the only question is….Which one do I disarm first?"

The Hokage thought about it for a moment. "I'd disarm the elemental jutsu trap first. You're going to have to touch the door to put his blood on it.

That will likely set off the elemental trap." She stated.

.

"Ok stand back. I'm going to use as little of each element as I can…I'm not sure if this will work.

It normally causes a lot of damage when I combine more than two elements and my earth element isn't all that…well stable." He said with a strained look.

She sighed at him again. "I'm going back down the hall. If you bring down the Hokage tower I WILL kill you!" She warned him.

Naruto had a very strained look on his face from her threat as she got well clear of the Sage.

.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He yelled and three clones appeared. The each summoned the elements of fire, water and earth and combined them in Naruto's hand.

Around and around they swirled in his hand until it hummed in a dangerous tone. He steeled himself and slammed the jutsu into the vault door while cringing.

The door absorbed the jutsu and glowed blue for a faint moment.

Naruto slowly opened his eyes with his hand on the cold metal door. He relaxed and yelled to Tsunade in a happy voice.

"It's ok now! I've disarmed the ele…" A loud crack of lightning flashed out of the door and electrocuted the Sage for a full five seconds until it ran out of chakra.

Naruto was on the ground in a smoking face plant when Tsunade got over to him.

She crossed her arms and gave him a sarcastic look. "Naruto…You knew the Blood Seal trap was on it.

Why did you touch the door?"

.

"Ouch." He said in a horse voice. "That hurt worst then Sasuke's Chidori….." He smelled like burnt hair as she started healing him.

"On the bright side you can use Konohamaru's blood for something else." She stated.

He sat up and rolled his eyes at her. "Yeah like cursing him for putting me through all this.

Why couldn't he just be a Toad Sage?" He mumbled bitterly.

The vault door was slightly ajar. Naruto summoned a clone and followed him inside.

.

Inside the ten feet square room was two tall scroll cases that were full of scrolls.

On the other side of the room there were stacks of book and papers as well as armor and weapons hanging on the wall.

At the very back of the vault was a large chest with the Sarutobi clan symbol on it.

"Ok go open the chest." He said to his clone. The clone got a fearful look and tippy toed over to the chest.

He crouched down and reached out as far as he could and poked the chest.

Instantly he turned back around and plugged his ear while closing his eyes like he was waiting for an explosion.

After a long moment the clone opened one eye and looked around. The clone finally relaxed and got up.

.

"Just open the thing." Tsunade said. "We don't put deadly traps inside the vaults."

The clone walked over and lifted the handle on the chest and threw it open.

Dust filled the air and covered the clone. Tsunade snickered at the clone while Naruto rolled his eyes and dispelled it.

He walked over and inside was a large red scroll just like his purple toad scroll contract.

He breathed a sigh of relief and picked it up.

"What a pain in the butt. He better be thankful when I give him this…

I still can't believe I'm going to hand him over to the monkeys!" He stated bitterly.

.

* * *

.

Naruto came back to the training ground with the large red scroll on his back. Hanabi and Konohamaru were sparring.

It was one of him versus her and her two clones. There was a rapid exchange of blows and Konohamaru hit the ground.

He unenthusiastically said. "Owe…"

Hanabi was just shaking her head back and forth at him. "You're Taijutsu is pretty bad Konohamaru."

.

He heaved a sigh on the ground before saying. "It doesn't help that I'm fighting a Hyuuga Heiress that has the strongest form of Taijutsu in the village.

To say nothing of the fact that you're Naruto's girlfriend and he'd probably kill me if I hurt you… How are things with you two going anyway?" He said.

She sighed and sat down next to him. "Well he still shies away every time things get interesting.

One minute it's like we really are a couple and the next he scolds me for going too far like we are just pretending….He's impossible to read." She said with a scowl of frustration on her face.

.

Naruto got a sad look on his face for a moment before returning to his normal cheerful smile.

He walked over to Konohamaru and unceremoniously dumped the huge scroll on his stomach.

"HMPH!" He said as the scroll nearly knocked the breath out of him.

He looked down at the scroll and up at Naruto before saying. "What's this?"

.

"It's your clan's summoning contract and I went through hell getting it out of the Hokage vault for you." He stated in a stern manner.

Konohamaru clumsily pushed the scroll off of himself and scampered to his feet while eyeing the scroll on the ground for a moment.

He looked over at Naruto then back to the scroll. His eyes returned to Naruto and he wore a confused look before asking.

"I thought I was going to sign the Toad contract?" Naruto couldn't hide his hurt look before saying.

.

"You have no idea how much I want you to sign the Toad contract, but the elder Toad Sages told me your chakra favors the Monkey too strongly.

You will be a Monkey Sage just like your grandfather before you." Naruto couldn't even look at him when he told him.

"But I still want to be like you and summon toads!" He said clearly disappointed.

"I do too, but look at it this way. The Monkey King is Much easier to get along with them Boss Toad." He said with a slight smile.

He looked at the scroll on the ground for many long moments before finally sighing.

.

Konohamaru held his chin in thought for a long moment before saying. "Monkey Sage huh?

Naruto smiled at him and put his hand on his shoulder and said. "Monkey Sage."

Konohamaru smiled and said. "When do we start?"

Naruto said. "Right now."

.

He opened the red scroll and wrote Konohamaru's full name and surround it in the summoning seal like the way Jiraiya had taught him.

"You sign it in a hand print of blood." He stated.

Konohamaru took out a kunai and cut his hand and pumped it into a fist a few time before pressing it against the paper.

The scroll glowed for a moment and then it faded back to normal.

"Now I'll teach you the hand signs to summon…" He cut him off.

.

"I already know them. I've been practicing them for this for months." He said excitedly.

Naruto gave him a curious look. "So do you think you are ready to try summoning?"

"I can't wait to try. Is there and trick to it?" He asked.

"Yes when you say the words Summoning Jutsu you have to mean it like you are calling for help.

The more chakra you put into the summoning jutsu the stronger the member of the monkey clan you will summon." He stated.

.

Konohamaru drew up his chakra for many long tense moments.

The wind started howling around him and he started to glow the faintest color of blue. He was lost deep in his concentration.

He slowly went through the hand signs.

"SUMMONING JUTSU!" He yelled and slammed his bloodied hand into the ground.

.

Smoke covered the field and it took many long tense moments for it to clear.

He looked around for the great Monkey King that his grandfather once summoned and couldn't see it anywhere.

He wore a look of confusion before hear the hoots of a monkey scampering over to Hanabi.

The monkey was only about a foot tall wearing a diaper. It happily climbed up into Hanabi's arms. "AWEEE he's SO cute!" She said.

.

Konohamaru did a face plant before getting up and point at the monkey with a shaky finger.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? Where is the Monkey King?" He said clearly outraged.

"It takes a lot of practice to summon the higher clan members of the Monkey Clan." Naruto said empathically.

"But, but, but, but….That was almost all my chakra! And all I get for it is this little pip squeak!" He stated while pointing a quivering finger at the small monkey.

"You're going to have to practice it.

You didn't think you were going to summon the great Monkey King on your first try did you?" He said knowingly.

"Yes…I mean, well no, but I expected more than that little guy!" He stated angrily.

"Hey pip squeak go get me a drink of water."

.

The little monkey in Hanabi's arms stuck his tongue out at him. "Hey! You gotta do what I say you little monkey!" He yelled at the small monkey.

The little monkey flipped Konohamaru off while tilting his hand side to side.

Konohamaru's face went red with anger. "Why you…."

.

He bolted at the monkey and it leaped off of Hanabi's shoulders while heading to a nearby tree.

Konohamaru was crouched low trying to catch the little monkey and didn't notice when it went up a tree.

He face planted hard into the trunk of the tree with a loud crack.

His nose was bleeding and he was scowling at the monkey in the tree that was mooning him.

"ERRRRWWW I'M GONNA GET YOU!" He yelled.

The monkey kept crashing Konohamaru into stuff while getting him to chase him.

.

At one point he did the same move to get him to face planted into a tree, but this time he left a nasty surprise stuck on the tree from his diaper.

He hit the tree with a splattering sound that sent the feces flying.

"EWWW monkey that's so gross!" Hanabi stated with a disturbed look on her face.

Naruto was on the ground laughing until his sides hurt.

Konohamaru didn't move from the trunk of the tree for a moment and then slowly slid down the tree leaving a skid mark the whole way.

He collapsed out cold.

The monkey came back and stood in front of Naruto and said in a squeaky voice.

"Hello Great Toad Sage." The monkey bowed in respect.

.

Once Naruto calmed his laughter down he looked up from the ground and replied. "Hello Monkey. What is your name?"

"I am called Raichi. Is this really the grandson of the Third Hokage? He's not very smart." The monkey stated as he shook his head in disappointment.

"Yes he is. He does need to work on his temper though." He admitted.

"He also needs to stop underestimating opponents based on their size." Raichi stated.

He laughed. "After you put that kind of whooping on him I doubt he will do that again."

"How are the Toads doing?" Raichi asked in a small squeaking voice.

.

"You want to catch up with them? Hold on a second." Naruto said. He got up as he bit his thumb and went through a series of hand signs.

"Summoning Jutsu!" He yelled and a cloud of smoke appeared.

When the smoke cleared there was a eight feet tall orange toad in a blue vest appeared.

"Yo Naruto what did you need?" Gamakichi said with a wave.

"Nothing, Raichi wanted to catch up with the happenings of the toads. So I summoned you." He said.

.

"Raichi of the monkey clan? Hey how are you?

Does this mean you finally have a Monkey Sage in training?" He asked as he turned to the small monkey.

"At this point I doubt he'll make it to the rank of Sage. The boy is as dumb as a box of rocks." The monkey squeaked.

"Who's trying to become the next Monkey Sage?" Gamakichi asked curiously.

"He's knocked out by over by that tree." Raichi stated while pointing.

The frog hopped over to him. "Eww gross. Who is that?"

Naruto said. "It's Konohamaru."

.

Gamakichi eyes went wide and then he fell over laughing and croaking at the same time.

It took him a few minutes to gain his composure.

"I've got to tell the others about this!" He stated and poofed away.

A few seconds later he reappeared with Gamatatsu.

"You've got to see this Gamatatsu! Look its Konohamaru." Gamakichi said to his younger brother while pointing.

The slow witted Gamatatsu looked at Konohamaru for a moment and then spoke slowly.

.

"Why does he got poo on his face? Is this some kind of new training technique?"

"No you dim wit. He just had a fight with one of the Monkey clan members." He scolded him.

"They finally got a new Sage in training?" He asked slowly.

"Yes. I would have killed to see the infamous poo on the tree face plant.

Dad told me Lukiaken got Hiruzen with it when he started his summoning training." Gamakichi replied.

.

"No way! The Monkey Clan got the Third Hokage with this move?" Naruto asked in shock.

"Yup. I hear King Enma's even got a picture of it." Gamakichi said.

Naruto laughed and then said. "I'm going to take him to the hospital….

There's no way I'm going to clean him up and heal him. He just stinks too badly."

He summoned a clone to take him to the hospital.

"You guys catch up. Me and Hanabi are off to pack our stuff for a mission tomorrow."

"Sure thing Naruto." Gamakichi said with a wave good bye.

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Hanabi were waiting outside the main gate for Kakashi with their packs on the next morning.

"Oh…. can't he ever be on time. We are already thirty minutes late leaving!" The Sage said frustratedly while tapping his foot.

Hanabi got an evil grin on her face and walked up in front of him. "We could have a little fun while we wait…" She said suggestively.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "This isn't a time to be joking around. This is a mission, no pranks or messing around this time." He stated firmly.

Hanabi's shoulders slumped and she scowled at his answer. They waited another ten minutes before Kakashi finally showed up in a puff of smoke.

"I'm sorry I found a lost kitten and-"

Naruto cut him off. "Shut up with the lame excuses. Let's go, I want to be done with this mission as soon as possible so I can get back to training."

He said as he turned to walk down the road.

.

Kakashi leaned over to Hanabi and asked "What's got him in such a bad mood? Did you two have a fight?"

"No we didn't fight. I don't know what his problem is right now." She replied.

"I bet he's worried about leading the mission. Everyone gets jitters their first time." He said.

Hanabi blinked a few times at him in disbelief. "He's never led a mission?"

Kakashi said while walking.

"Not officially. He has taken charge on a number of missions, but this is the first he's expected to lead from start to finish."

She was surprised at this news. "Why is this the first time?" She asked.

.

Kakashi thought carefully on how to phrase his answer. "Basically… Naruto is a one man team.

Even Sakura eventually figured out the best way to help him was to stay out of his way and heal him up afterword's.

I must admit he uses his head a lot more then he used to. It is very unlikely we will run into anything we can't handle." He said.

Naruto had been listening to the whole conversation going on behind him.

_"If only you realized my greatest foe is always with me Kakashi."_ He thought seriously.

.

They walked until well after noon.

"Ergh when are we stopping for lunch? I'm so tired." The exhausted Hanabi said.

Naruto sighed. "I guess we can stop for lunch now. I wanted to make it up to the river that's still a few miles ahead though."

Naruto went to the side of the road and pulled out some dried meat and handed it out to everyone.

Hanabi eyed the meat with distain. "What? We aren't going to make a fire and cook something?"

Naruto and Kakashi eyed her for a long moment.

.

"Hanabi, out in the wild we don't stop and make a fire for lunch. We carry easy to eat, quick food.

I think you might have been spoiled with your house chef." Kakashi stated knowingly.

She slumped down in the grass and quietly ate her dried meat.

She noticed a bush with black berries on it and walked over to it and picked a few off.

Kakashi sighed as she was just about to put a few of them in her mouth.

Naruto just covered his face and shook his head.

.

"I hope you know those are very poisonous Hanabi." Kakashi said.

She went wide eyed staring at the berries as they slipped from her hand.

Naruto just held his head in his hand. "Yes they are." He stated.

Kakashi chuckled. Hanabi eyed him for a moment. "What…What is so funny?" She stammered.

"Naruto ate those same kind of berries on his first mission." He stated.

"Trust me you don't want to know what the effects are. We were a day away from any medical help too." Naruto stated knowingly.

She wiped her hands on her pants and moved away from the berries in a shocked manner.

A short while later Naruto said. "Ok it's time to go."

Hanabi groaned. "Can't we rest five more minutes?"

.

Naruto said. "No and we don't even normally stop to eat lunch. We eat on the move. We are ninja's not fat merchants."

She scowled at him and then looked to her heavy pack on the ground. She smiled. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" A clone appeared.

"Carry my pack." She told it. The clone bent over to pick up the pack just as a kunai hit it in the side dispelling it.

Naruto wore a stern look while Kakashi eyed him carefully.

"Hanabi we never waste large amounts of chakra on a mission without good reason."

He walked over to her. "Pick up your pack." He said resolutely.

.

She groan on her aching feet and hefted the heavy pack. "Now turn around."

She sighed and did as he asked. Naruto reached down and picked up a size able stone weighting about ten pounds and put it into her pack.

"This should remind you to never do that again." He stated and he turned around and walked away.

"Eww he's so mean! What's gotten into him!?" She said in a fit of anger.

Kakashi eyed her carefully before saying.

"He was a lot nicer to you than I was when him when he pulled that exact same stunt."

She looked at him in surprise. "What did you do?" She asked.

.

"I made him carry the whole squads pack for two days. It was over twice his body weight and he was only thirteen at the time." He said calmly.

She blinked a few time in amazement. She was clearly quite happy with her lighter sentence.

They marched on for some time and Hanabi started getting behind.

Kakashi moved up to Naruto when she was out of ear shot and said.

"I'm sure you have noticed…"

.

"Yes I have." He replied. "She hasn't had any survival training. What is Lord Hyuuga thinking?

She should have had that training when she was twelve. Hell she tried to eat elder berries for crying out loud!"

He stated, the pressure of being the leader was clearly wearing on him.

"Naruto she's a Noble, they need different sets of skills to survive." He stated.

"Come on sensei. Every ninja should know the basic survival skills. That why they are called the basics." He stated in a frustrated manner.

"Is this what you are worried about Naruto?" He asked like a wise teacher.

.

"Yes and no….I mean I'm totally in my element training Konohamaru….He's just like me…

He got tons of chakra and he's a Ninjutsu type, but training a Hyuuga puts me totally off my game sensei.

Now I find out she needs to be trained in my absolute worst skill….survival training." He said in a depression.

.

"I'm not the one to train her in that. Hell I've eaten poisonous plants so many times I've become immune to so many of them.

Even Tsunade keeps some of my blood at the hospital as a cure all anti-poison." He said in dismay.

"I'm carrying extra water and instant ramen for crying out loud!

I wish Choji was here. The whole forest is like his kitchen cabinets. I swear he could feed an army in a barren desert."

He said as he slumped his shoulders and kicked a rock in the path.

Kakashi smiled at him. "You know what your problem is Naruto? You think too much like a Hokage."

"Is that even possible?" He asked in dismay as he looked over at him.

.

"Yes it is. When faced with a problem you don't think of how you yourself can best solve the problem.

You think of the entire village and who is best suited to handle a specific problem.

There is little doubt that Choji and his father are the best at foraging food out of the land in the whole village.

You have to think like a squad leader right now. You have to use the people you have under your command as best you can." He said.

Naruto sighed. "I've got a whole library of jutsu scrolls sealed away in my scroll, but I didn't think to bring a copy of the basics of survival."

.

Kakashi reached into his pack and pulled out several books and kept putting them back as they walked.

He finally found the one he wanted and handed it to Naruto.

"It's not the survival guide, but it's an overall ninja manual. There is a chapter on survival.

Read it over and teach her what you can. I'll check your work.

That is why Tsunade sent me along after all." He stated kindly.

Naruto slowed his pace and started reading for a few minutes.

The slow moving Hanabi finally caught up to him just as he closed the book.

.

"Hanabi…How come you haven't had any survival training?" He asked intently.

Hanabi was panting and nearly out of breath. "Father was going to….let the academy ….teach that to…me."

Naruto yelled up the road. "We are stopping for a few minutes Kakashi!"

He turned to look at the Sage and then leaned against a nearby tree.

Hanabi collapsed in the middle of the road and shrugged her pack off while trying to catch her breath.

.

"Hanabi you should already know how to survive out in the wilds. You're supposed to be taught that when you when your twelve."

He stated at the exhausted Hyuuga.

She grabbed her feet and doubled over. "Ohhh they hurt so badly! How can you two keep going for so long without any breaks?" She asked.

"Because we are not a tender foot like you. We are used to the road and the wilds."

He dragged her to her feet and pulled her over to a plant that had shape points on the ends of its leaves and small red berries on it.

.

"Look at this bush Hanabi. Tell me if it's safe to eat the berries?" He stated.

She peered at the bush for a long moment before admitting. "I don't know. I guess I'd try a few and see if they made me sick or not."

Naruto put his head in his hands and mumbled loudly. "Kami she's just like I was."

He pointed at the bush and said. "Look at the leaves on it. They are sharp and could poke you.

Look at the berries…They are no bigger than a pea.

If a plant has sharp leaves and tiny berries it's a safe assumption that they are poisonous." He stated.

"Umm ok." She replied meekly.

.

"A good rule of thumb is to never eat anything if you don't know what it is. It's better to go hungry then to poison yourself." He stated.

She nodded her head clearly in pain.

"Sit down and take your shoes off. I'll heal your feet." He said in a defeated manner.

It took him a few moments to heal her blisters, when he was almost done she asked.

.

"Naruto? Did I do something to make you mad at me?"

He sighed. "No Hanabi you didn't….You have got a lot to learn about the wilds though. I can't keep pampering you.

I know you're a Noble and you aren't used to this, but you have to remember you're a ninja first and a Noble second." Naruto stated while looking over at her shoes.

"Hanabi those aren't traveling sandals. They are likely the reason you feet are hurting so badly." He stated while he was still healing her feet.

Hanabi wore a look of confusion before asking. "There are special shoes I should have?"

"Yes. Those are normal sandals. Traveling sandals are padded to protect your feet on long journeys." He stated to her kindly.

She stared at him blankly. "I'll buy you a pair when we get to town." He said as he helped her up and led her back to the road.

.

He reached into her pack and threw out the heavy rock before helping her put it back on. He suddenly said.

"I'm sorry Hanabi. In my rush to leave I forgot to check your equipment like Kakashi did for me when we went on my first mission.

I'm already shaping up to be a pretty poor leader. Here's a book.

I'd like you to read it as we walk. I'll have a clone take up the rear."

Hanabi said nothing as Naruto handed her the book and walked up the road to Kakashi.

.

"How is she doing?" Kakashi asked.

"She was wearing normal shoes. That's the reason she's been falling behind….She couldn't even identify a Holly tree." He said in disappointment.

Kakashi raised a eye brow at him curiously.

"That is pretty bad, but I have a feeling she would be quite at home in a room full of clan leaders discussing politics…

We all have our strengths and weaknesses." He stated.

"You just have to keep training her and try to teach her everything you think she needs to know.

You can't expect perfection. No one said being a sensei was easy."

.

Naruto wore a lost look before saying.

"It's just…This was supposed to be a short easy mission and I've already made so many mistakes.

Hell, she lives with me and I forgot to check her equipment….

Good thing Hiashi didn't see this or he'd probably never let me train her again." He muttered the last part.

"I noticed her shoes when we left, but I didn't think they would slow her down this much." He said.

Naruto looked over at him in a shocked anger and yelled. "Then why did you say something from the start?!"

Kakashi got a stern look on his face that made Naruto shy away from him.

.

"Because this was a lesson for you as well as her Naruto! You're going to make mistakes.

It's the only way you're going to learn. She should have known what she should bring for this mission.

You checking her equipment is just a failsafe. The responsibility ultimately falls to her.

As a sensei your job is to teach her and keep her as safe as possible while still letting her grow as a ninja."

Naruto took a deep breath and said.

"I just don't know if I've can be strict like you…

I mean you always used to know what to say when something needed to be said. I mean…

You're a great Sensei." He said clearly feeling he didn't measure up.

.

Kakashi mind seemed else wear for a long moment. "I guess it's time for the Sensei talk."

"The what?" He asked in confusion as he shot a glance over at him.

"It's the same talk your father gave to me and the one Jiraiya gave to him and the one the Third Hokage gave to Jiraiya….

We sensei's are far from perfect.

We are given grand titles like the legendary copy ninja, but all it serves to do is hide our faults and make our enemies fear us.

I am far from a great leader Naruto.

The first time I was the leader of my squad I made the wrong choice and my best friend Obito died because of it.

I carry that shame with me every day under this eye patch.

His last act alive was to transplant this eye into me.

.

The Hokage eventually put me in the Anbu and I rose in rank quickly and eventually ran the Anbu.

I still lost many men in the war even though I was called a hero. I struggled all the time while teaching you, Sasuke and Sakura.

I never had all the answers. I would ask other Sensei's and even the Hokage for help. Look at my first mission with you.

Sasuke nearly died and you nearly entered a Jinchuuriki state.

If you look at it from my point of view, it was a failure on my part.

You were the hero that day. It was you, not me, that inspired that village to fight back and retake their town.

This is why your name is on that bridge.

.

Later I had the option to train you or Sasuke for the Chunin exam's final round.

I know I should have chosen you to train because you are my Sensei's son, but I felt I owed Obito to train the last Uchiha in the village.

Again I made the wrong choice and I let Ebisu teach you when I doubted he could handle you.

My doubts were well founded as Jiraiya, my Sensei's Sensei, found you and trained you.

He was able to do the one thing I couldn't. He made you start using your head.

.

Sasuke defected to join our enemies…again another failure on my part in some way.

You have grown into a living legend before my very eyes.

There are books written about you that people hundreds of year from now will say are myths or untruths about you.

You too have grand titles that people will use to put you up on a pedestal and say you're a invincible hero.

The point of this is…We ARE still human and we WILL make mistakes.

You are just going to have to learn from them and to move on." He explained wisely.

.

Naruto looked over at him in thought for a moment before speaking. "I still think you're a great Sensei."

Kakashi sighed and looked down. "Naruto, if I'm such a great Sensei, then why are you carrying instant ramen and extra water?"

"Because you can't forage for ramen of course!" He stated as he raised a fist into the air enthusiastically.

Kakashi stared at him for a moment and then let out a slight laugh as he shook his head.

.

After another long moment Naruto asked. "Hey Sensei, I know I'm supposed to lead the mission and all…but how about you teach us both about the plants of the woods for survival training.

I'm sure I could use a refresher on it and Hanabi needs the whole lesson or at least a crash course on it.

I'll teach her how to hunt afterwards."

Kakashi looked over at him in a pleased manner.

"Very good Naruto. You're starting to think like a squad leader."

.

.

They walked for another four hours before Naruto said. "Ok let's break for camp."

Hanabi collapsed into the grass in a heap. "I'm Soo tired." She stated in exhaustion.

"No falling asleep yet Hanabi. We still have to make camp and forage for food." Naruto said as he started unpacking his tent.

Naruto didn't even get his tent out before Kakashi already had his tent up and was sitting on a fold out stool with a marshmallow on the end of a sharpened stick.

There was a ring of stones set up as a fire pit, but no wood or fire had been set yet.

Kakashi was holding his marshmallow on a stick over the fire pit like he was roasting it.

He put his marshmallow up to his face and pinched it softly a few times before deciding it wasn't done yet and put it back over the none existent fire.

.

Hanabi glanced over to catch the end of his gesture.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me! How did he do that?" She asked in tired frustration while lying on her stomach on the ground.

Naruto sighed as he finished setting up his simple tent.

"Good luck figuring that out. I've been on tons of missions with him and I still don't know how he instantly sets up his part of the camp site."

He stated while throwing his blanket's into his tent.

She groaned and started unpacking. It took her forever to set up her simple tent.

When she finally had it up she didn't even bother putting her pack inside.

She just climbed inside and fell asleep without dinner.

.

Naruto looked at Hanabi's feet sticking out of her tent and rolled his eyes.

Kakashi drop his none too subtle _"Hurry up and make a fire" _act and leaned his stick next to his thigh.

Naruto sat down on a log near his sensei and rested his elbows on his knees.

"Naruto you know you can't let her sleep until she's done her part to set up the camp and we have to teach her survival skills." He said in a mentoring manner.

.

Naruto gave him a sad knowing look and softly said.

"Yeah, sensei I know. Let's let her take a nap anyway. That's the reason I stopped early after all."

Kakashi sighed at him.

"I think you're being far too soft on her.

The harder you are on her now the easier a time she will have in real battle."

He gave him a meek smile and replied. "I'll wake her up in an hour."

.

* * *

.

Hanabi was sleeping soundly in her drafty tent when a cold gust of wind blew through her tent.

She shivered in her sleep and drew he arms to her chest, but did not wake up.

Then a stronger more forceful gust of wind blew through her tent and she pulled her legs up to her chest, but still didn't wake up…

Naruto wore an annoyed look with his hand out while deciding just how strong the next gust of wind should be.

He shrugged his shoulders and let loose a hurricane gale force stream of wind that ripped the tent off the ground leaving only Hanabi in a ball on the grass.

Hanabi started sliding across the ground from the sheer pressure of the wind speed.

After she had slid ten feet and still didn't show signs of waking up Naruto stopped and gave Kakashi a exasperated look.

.

He put on his normal fake smile and held out his hand in a pointing like peace sign.

There was a white flash as a bolt of lightning jumped from his pointer finger to his middle finger.

There was a great clap of thunder that echoed off the snow covered mountains in the distance in a reverberating howl.

Hanabi instantly disappeared.

.

"Where did she go?" He asked while looking around.

Naruto sighed and pointed to his left leg.

Hanabi was wrapped around it with her face buried into his thigh while trembling.

"Oh, good timing Hanabi. It's time to set up the camp…the WHOLE camp." Kakashi stated in a '_that's final'_ tone.

Hanabi took her head away from Naruto's leg and she finally realized the embarrassing position she was in.

She let go and scampered away from him before getting to her feet.

"What was that noise?" She asked while looking around.

.

"It was thunder." Naruto said flatly.

Hanabi looked at the clear dusk sky and scowled at him.

"Do you really think I'm that dumb Naruto? There is no clouds…You're pulling another prank on me aren't you?"

He gave her a tired expression as Kakashi made another clap of thunder.

She jumped from the sound of it and gave him a blank stare.

Naruto walked away from the log he was standing next to and went over to Hanabi.

"Come on, we have to gather wood and go hunting for dinner." He stated.

She sighed tiredly and slowly trudged after the Sage.

.

They gathered a large pile of dead branches for fire wood.

"I'm so tired and hungry. I don't know if I want to go to sleep for find something to eat more." She stated in sleepy misery.

"Now you have to make a fire with these." He handed her a flint and tender.

She slumped her shoulder before taking then and grabbing some of the fire wood.

Much to Naruto and Kakashi's surprise she had a fire going in a matter of moments.

.

"There. Can I go back to sleep now? It's dark out now." She stated while rubbing her sore legs.

"No, we have to find something for dinner." He said in a short manner.

"You never go to bed on an empty stomach. If you do you'll be weak in the morning." Kakashi stated.

"Hanabi…Hunting should be easy for you with your Byakugan.

The hunting part of setting up the campsite is almost always given to the Hyuuga in the squad if there is one." Kakashi stated.

.

"I actually get to use chakra this time? What about that _"No wasting chakra"_ line?" She said bitterly.

"Hunting isn't wasting chakra. Summoning a clone to carry your stuff is." He stated flatly.

"Come on Hanabi. There is a stream not far from here." Naruto stated.

She had given up on arguing. She was just too tired.

.

They came back a hour later with some fish and very defeated looking Hanabi.

Kakashi already had a pan over the fire waiting for them to get back.

"How did things go?" He asked.

.

"We have got plenty for tonight. It was easy with Hanabi spotting the fish for me." Naruto said happily as he gave the bag to him.

She yawned and blinked a few time in a sleepy daze. "Hey..where is my…never mind…I don't want to know… I'll just sleep on the ground."

Naruto led her over to the fire were he sat her down on the log and started pouring healing chakra into her while Kakashi cooked.

He looked her limp wiggle frame up and down and sighed. "Was I this bad way back then sensei?"

"You were way worse…Did you know you sometimes did the Rasengan in your sleep?" He stated while frying the fish.

Naruto blinked a few times. "No I didn't know that. I guess I do have it easy." He said while healing away her soreness.

After a few minutes he asked her. "Do you feel better now?"

.

She looked over at him and said. "Yeah I feel a bit better…I still hate you though." She added while hardly keeping her eyes open.

"You'll thank me one day for it." He said as Kakashi handed out dinner to everyone.

She quickly ate and crawled into Naruto's tent and went to sleep.

Kakashi gave Naruto a knowing smile. "OHHHH so you two are already that far into your relationship!"

"What are you talking about sensei?" He said back at him.

.

After a long moment of silence Kakashi said. "What are you going to do with her tomorrow?

You know she's going to be put out when we get to town tomorrow."

"Yeah I know, but we still have to teach her about the plants in the woods before we break camp." He said.

"Are you going to do any night training?" He asked.

"I can't. Someone might see me." He said while the light of the camp fire dances off his face in the cool night.

.

* * *

.

Kakashi spent two hours after breakfast giving them both a crash course on plants in the woods after breakfast.

"And remember Hanabi…Just because Naruto eats it doesn't mean it's safe to eat." He warned her.

Naruto had been absentmindedly agreeing with everything his sensei had been saying.

"Yup that's right…HEY! That's not very nice!" He stated with an offended look.

Kakashi gave him dark, knowing look. Naruto scratched the back of his head and gave them a embarrassed grin before saying.

"But I guess it is true." He admitted.

.

Hanabi giggled, but tried to hide it.

"Ok let's get our stuff and move out." He said.

Kakashi took the lead while Hanabi and Naruto took the rear. "Do you feel better today?" He asked.

She bit her lips together shyly before coyly saying.

"Umm yeah, who wouldn't…Waking up with your arms around me almost made up for the whole hellish trip. It was a almost perfect morning."

Naruto took her hint and pulled her into his arms and kissed her lips. She blushed slightly before saying. "Umm ok now it's perfect."

_._

_"Naruto you can try to butter her up, but when she finds out your still in for it and I'll have my camera waiting_." Kakashi thought evilly.

"How much farther do you think we have until we get there?" She asked in a happy dream like manner while leaning over on his arm.

Naruto got a strained look on his face before saying. "It's probably not far."

Kakashi made it to the city first. There was a large gate and many people and carts going back and forth.

Just to the left side of the gate was a fat man in a blue shirt and tan pants waiting for them to arrive.

Kakashi walked right up to the man standing next to a small pull cart.

"Mr. Tobiki I assume?" He asked.

.

The man looked at Kakashi in awe. "My word, aren't you the famous copy ninja Kakashi?

I had no idea they would send someone…so competent for my humble mission." He stated.

"I'm only here as an observer… The ninja's that will be protecting the cart will be here soon."

He stated with an evil twinkle in his eye and his camera in hand.

.

Hanabi had been walking all of twenty minutes and could hear it getting noisier and noisier…

The louder it got the more Hanabi's good mood faded and the more uncomfortable Naruto looked.

After three minutes they round a bend and could clearly see the gates to the city.

Kakashi was smiling next to the fat merchant and his cart. Hanabi's fists were clinched and she was fuming mad.

Naruto walked up to the merchant. "Hello Mr. Tobiki. We are here to deliver your shipment." He said as he handed him the scroll.

.

The merchant didn't even open it before saying. "Are you the REAL Naruto?" He asked intently.

Naruto was clearly uncomfortable with the way Hanabi was staring daggers at him. "Umm yes I am."

Hanabi spoke through gritted teeth in a low growl.

"I'll tell you what he is…HE'S DEAD MEAT! BYAKUGAN!" She yelled and launched a assault of strikes on him.

Naruto barely managed to avoid her barrage before saying. "Hey…come on ..don't-don't do anything hasty!"

Her assault was relentless as she chased after him while yelling.

"HASTY? YOU WITLESS WART SAGE!

YOU HAD ME CAMP OUT IN THE WOOD AND DRAGGED ME THROUGH ALL THAT HELL WHEN WE WERE THIS CLOSE TO TOWN?"

.

The merchant was shocked and asked. "Who is that? Is she a demon? Who could beat the Great Sage back like that?"

Even the gate guards didn't dare enter a fight that the Great Sage was having trouble handling.

Kakashi was happily clicking away with his camera and said. "That is his teammate, his student and most importantly his girlfriend Hanabi Hyuuga."

"I'M GOING TO SEAL EVER OUNCE OF CHAKRA YOU HAVE ONCE I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!

I COULD HAVE SLEPT IN A WARM BED AND HAD A HOT BATH!" She screamed while throwing rocks at him.

The merchant stated though wide eyes. "I don't think I'll be accompanying the cart this time. I-I feel it's in good hands."

He quickly retreated to a safer area.

.

Kakashi cheer her on. "Come on, with more feeling!" He said while getting a particularly good shoot of a rock hitting him in the head.

"KAMI, WHY DON'T MY STUDENTS EVER RESPECT ME?" Naruto yelled as he grabbed the cart and dashed off in perfect Gai sensei fashion.

.


	13. Chapter 13: Naruto

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**Chapter 13: Naruto**

* * *

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Authors notes:

* * *

.

Wow as much as I like my new writing program it's causing formatting problems with the website. *Pulls hair out* It's probably the screen resolution.

The story seems to reads perfect at 1280,1024 screen resolution but gets choppy on other resolutions. I've no clue how to fix this atm. I'll work on it later.

If you know how I can format it so it looks good at all screen resolution send PM or right it in a review.

.

Reviews.

* * *

.

_**CurseMark2Sasuke  
2009-10-18 . chapter 7**_

_**Good chapter. Nice story it is getting better. However I still want to know what happened to Sasuke. He is blind but I don't see how that could stop him from being a shinobi. If he has the Sharigan blindness would definitly not be a problem. Kinda messed up about Naruto not having children. I think Kyuubi is genderless. Why give it a gender in the first place?**_

I think you read over a part in the story or didn't catch its meaning. I'm a lot like J.K. Rowling in that way. One part of the story that can seem rather unimportant at one point and then it

can come up way later in the story and become very important. If you missed it… the Kyuubi demon has children in my story.

_**.**_

_**Jimm  
2009-10-21 . chapter 12**_

_**Fun story so far. Your writing has clearly improved as the story goes on. However, there are still tons of extra paragraph breaks in the middle of sentences throughout.**_

_**Thanks for sharing this with us.**_

Please post me your screen resolution so I can try to fix it. I want my story to be as easy to read as possible.

_**.**_

_**PineapplePlatypus  
2009-10-21 . chapter 12**_

_**Good story. Well thought out. But, um...one thing...**_

_**Kami= God/Divine Being**_

_**Kame= Turtle**_

_**...yeah. Now look back at those kame/kami lines and you'll get why I have to say this.**_

_**ROFLMAO HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! But...hehehe...otherwise..haha...keep up the good work.**_

_**"Oh (turtle) Oh (turtle) his touch...its setting my body on fire!" –LOL**_

HAHA…ok ill fix it. Damn Dragonball Z messed me up there. Stupid bad fan subs.

.

Last Chapter.

* * *

.

Hanabi spoke through gritted teeth in a low growl.

"I'll tell you what he is…HE'S DEAD MEAT! BYAKUGAN!" She yelled and launched a assault of strikes on him.

Naruto barely managed to avoid her barrage before saying. "Hey…come on ..don't do anything hasty!"

Her assault was relentless as she chased after him while yelling.

"HASTY? YOU WITLESS WART SAGE!

YOU HAD ME CAMP OUT IN THE WOOD AND DRAGGED ME THROUGH ALL THAT HELL WHEN WE ARE SO CLOSE TO TOWN?

The merchant was shocked and asked. "Who is that? Is she a demon? Who could beat the Great Sage back like that?"

.

Even the gate guards didn't dare enter a fight that the Great Sage was having trouble handling.

Kakashi was happily clicking away with his camera and said.

"That is his teammate, his student and most importantly his girlfriend Hanabi Hyuuga."

"I'M GOING TO SEAL EVER OUNCE OF CHAKRA YOU HAVE ONCE I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!

I COULD HAVE SLEPT IN A WARM BED AND HAD A HOT BATH!"

.

She screamed while throwing rocks at him.

The merchant stated though wide eyes.

"I don't think I'll be accompanying the cart this time. I feel it's in good hands." He quickly retreated to a safer area.

.

Kakashi cheer her on. "Come on, with more feeling!" He said while getting a particularly good shoot of a rock hitting him in the head.

"KAMI, WHY DON'T MY STUDENTS EVER RESPECT ME?" Naruto yelled as he grabbed the cart and dashed off in perfect Gai sensei fashion.

.

Chapter Thirteen: Naruto

* * *

.

Naruto and his team made it back to town near dusk and went to see the Hokage to be debriefed on their mission.

"I see everything went as planned." Tsunade said as she looked over the report.

Kakashi got a evil grin on his face and said. "Well…not everything…"

Kakashi pulled out a stack of photos and handed then to her.

Naruto's face faulted. "WHEN did you have time to get those developed? We just got back for crying out loud!"

.

Tsunade went over them and started laughing. "Haha I really like this one. Who knew one Hyuuga girl could be so fierce!"

She stated while holding up a photo of him getting hit in the head with a rock with his eyes budging out of his head.

Hanabi was still scowling at Naruto and turned to look at the picture.

"Hmm can you get me a eight by ten of this one? I think it will look good on my nightstand." She asked Kakashi.

Naruto slumped his shoulders and hung his head in dismay.

"Sure can." Kakashi replied happily.

.

They talked about the photos going on and on like Naruto wasn't in the room. After a few minutes of this he got tired of it.

"I'll be doing chakra training tonight Tsunade." He said suddenly.

She kept smiling, but gave a slight flinch when he said this.

Naruto left the room while they were still talking excitedly.

He leaned on the door to the Hokage's office and let out a long sigh.

He looked over at the monument of his father for a few moments in thought before he held one of his blue kunais to his chest and disappeared.

.

He reappeared just outside Ichiraku Ramen stand and took an empty seat wearing a very depressed look.

"Hey Teuchi…. Can I get a bowl of the usual?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, sure thing." He said while going back to his cooking.

.

"You look glum Naruto. Is there something wrong?" Iruka sensei asked from the stool next to him.

Naruto let out a ragged sigh before saying. "I'm just not sure I'm cut out to be a sensei. My new student doesn't respect me at all."

He sipped on his tea before saying. "I know how that feels….After all I did have Naruto Uzumaki as my student."

Naruto nodded his head a few times in agreement.

"I'm sorry for being such a pain in the butt student and I really MEAN that now." He said truthfully.

He laughed. "You know it's not like I wanted your student to take revenge for me because you were hard to teach.

Far from it Naruto. I'm quite proud to be able to say I was your first Sensei." He stated.

.

"I just don't know how you do it Sensei. It seems so easy for everyone else.

Why am I struggling so badly?" He said as he put his forehead on the counter.

Iruka laughed for a moment.

"You only THINK your struggling Naruto. You're quite the envy of the other Jonin Sensei's right now.

Didn't you know that?" He asked in a happy manner.

.

He wore a confused look while picking up his head to look at Iruka and said.

"No why would they be envious of me, with the whole village hero stuff aside?"

"Because they are Jonin and are required to teach their assigned students first.

They aren't giving a lot of extra time to teach other students nor should they.

To a Jonin their biggest pride is how well their students do in missions and in competitions.

To them the chance to teach the most talented students is their dream.

You are still technically a Genin, so the Jonin teaching rules do not apply to you.

Yet you are teaching and not just any students…

You have been teaching the Third Hokage's grandson for over seven years. Now you're training the Hyuuga Heiress too…

Can't you see why they envy you?" He said in a kind manner.

.

Naruto sighed. "It all sounds better on paper, but the fact is that Konohamaru is too headstrong and Hanabi is a noble with the wrong set of skills.

I've got so much to teach them both.

I really just don't know what to teach Hanabi next with the exam's starting in five days." He stated sourly.

.

"Why don't you teach her healing Ninjutsu? That one is always useful and the Hyuuga clan excels in it." He stated.

He never moved his head. "I agree with you, but I couldn't even get through the basics of healing Ninjutsu in that time.

Healing jutsu isn't something I know how to short cut like combat Ninjutsu.

It is one of the first jutsu I plan on teaching her after the exams." He stated in a lost manner.

Iruka smiled at him and asked "Well then, what did you have in mind?"

He thought about it for a moment.

"I was thinking since she's a Taijutsu user with the shadow clone jutsu, that maybe I should teach her how to resist Genjutsu.

Or maybe I should just get Rock Lee to train her for the last five days and improve her Gentle Fist." He said in thought.

.

"I've never got that about you shadow clone users.

If you're facing a Genjutsu, how come you can't just get your clone to hit you over the head?

Wouldn't that break the jutsu?" Iruka asked.

Naruto thought about it. It was a workable idea, but in a Genjutsu you don't know where your clones are or if you have even summoned them.

"You might be on to something their Iruka sensei." He stated while scratching his chin.

.

* * *

.

Naruto opened the door to his home and a very put out Hanabi was staring at him with her arms crossed waiting for him.

"Food." She said at him. Naruto rolled his eyes at her.

"Food." She said more intently.

Naruto said. "Hanabi I need to study up on some jutsu…"

"FOOD!" She said while stomping her foot and pointing to the kitchen.

Naruto sighed and hung his head before saying. "Ok…ok…food."

He trudged into the kitchen to see what he had to work with.

_"Great all I have to work with is instant ramen and rice…She'll probably eat ME if I don't come back with something better."_

He groaned as he thought.

.

The door opened and Shizan came in holding several bags of food.

"Hello dear how are you doing? I take it your first mission was a success?" She asked the grumpy looking Hyuuga.

"Yes and no. Naruto made me sleep out in the woods when we were a stone's throw away from town!

He dragged me through the hell of survival training when my feet were so blistered I could hardly stand and…."

.

Shizan's look suddenly became stern and she cut Hanabi off.

"You took the black sandals with you instead of the brown ones I got you…didn't you?"

Hanabi's eyes grew wide for a moment then she bit her lips together innocently and said.

"Umm maybe…" She cringed.

.

"I bet you can hardly stand if the Sage hasn't healed you yet!" She yelled at her.

She cringed even more. "Actually the Hokage healed me after our debriefing."

"So now you're causing trouble for the Hokage too! Are you TRYING to hurt the Hyuuga name?

You're constantly pulling pranks on the Great Sage and now you're acting like a spoiled brat!

I bet you complained the whole way… probably even made a scene in public!" Shizan's sharp words were full of venom.

Hanabi could only cringe away while looking at the floor in obvious guilt.

.

"Here I got this for you for completing your first mission, but seeing the way that you've acted you can wear it instead!"

She pulled out a takeout container with a lid on it from one of the bags.

She removed the lid and unceremoniously dumped it on top of Hanabi's cringing head.

The thick white seafood soup covered her head and shoulders and it slowly dripped down her body with Hanabi standing there in utter shock.

Shizan stormed down the hallway and slammed the door to her room.

.

Hanabi looked like the world's most chunky, melting snowman from her shoulders up.

Naruto quickly came into the doorway while mixing something in a bowl at high speed. He said with a nervous look.

"It will be ready in a minute…" He stared her dripping on his carpet and his jaw went slack.

"I knew you were hungry, but this is a bit overboard."

She turned to him still clearly in shock and said.

.

"I'm sorry for being a difficult to deal with recently. I've lost my appetite.

There is no need for you to make dinner. Again I'm sorry… "

She slowly and sadly walked up stairs to her room dripping all the way.

Naruto wore a confused look and then sighed as he put the empty bowl down.

He stood there in thought for a few moments.

Naruto headed to the basement library to study for tomorrows training.

.

* * *

.

It was dark outside and the moon was nearly full when Hanabi came down stairs and headed to Shizan's bed room.

She knocked softly twice. "Come in Hanabi." She said slightly sharper then her normal tone.

She pushed the latch on her door and it slowly creaked open.

Shizan was sitting on her bed with a closed book next to her.

"Yes what did you want?" She said calmly and coldly.

.

"I-I just want to say I'm sorry for my behavior as of lately…" Hanabi grabbed the door and slowly started pulling it shut.

"I'm sorry too. I over reacted." She said and Hanabi stopped closing the door.

"You just don't realize how lucky you are to be getting training from the Great Sage himself." Shizan sighed.

"Truth be told, I believe many of the girls that attacked you weren't even from Naruto's fan club.

It's likely they wanted to beat you in hopes that the Sage would train them instead.

I hope you realize there can only be twelve people with the title of Great Sage and none of the others that have held the title were under thirty-five years of age.

A Great Sage only comes along once in a generation if you're lucky. I know he may act like a total goofball at times, but his title still stands.

What he has done for this nation and the other ninja nation's still stands." She stated with kind and knowing look.

.

"Nation's?…As in more than one?" She asked in mild shock.

Shizan gave her a sour look before stating.

"Yes Naruto is a hero of all the five ninja nation's and even the Samurai world acknowledges him…

Just because his official rank is Genin doesn't mean you should treat him like an equal.

His Sage rank is higher than that of a Jonin and this is one of many reasons he is so respected.

He is only still a Genin because of circumstances. "

She shuddered. "Th…that..wasn't in the books I read about him…"

.

"His Nindo states in so many words that he cannot lie. Yet you seem to know so little about him.

Maybe if you weren't tricking him into being your boyfriend by using his Nindo against him, you would know this." She stated in an understanding tone.

Hanabi hung her head and sighed.

"It's not that I haven't been trying to get to know him better. It's just that he keeps so many secrets that he refuses to talk about."

Shizan replied. "Maybe he's hiding them because he feels you aren't ready to know them…Not because he doesn't want you to know."

.

"I guess I should go talk to him and apologize properly. Is he in his room?" She asked while looking glum.

"No he's not. He goes out to train every night.

I don't know when he gets back, but I do know it is well after I go to sleep.

I guess he only sleeps for about two hours a night on some nights." She said.

_._

_"His shadow clones….." _She thought ominously as a light flickered on in her mind and her eyes went wide.

She thought back at all the times she had been training with him.

Picture after picture went through her thoughts of Naruto and all his clones.

In every one she saw something she always thought was strange…

In every memory she saw some of his shadow clones sleeping.

.

"He …doesn't sleep." She thought out loud completely stunned.

Shizan gave her a curious look before saying. "What did you just say?"

Hanabi shook her head to clear away her daze. "Umm nothing Shizan. I'm going to go back to bed. Good night."

"Good night then." She replied and picked up her book back up.

.

Hanabi quietly closed the door and padded lightly into the kitchen. Naruto didn't have his normal cooking clone there tonight.

She went back up stairs and got dressed in her normal uniform and holstered her kunais.

She padded silently through the house and out the front door taking special care to close the door without making a noise.

Hanabi turned around to see the Kyuubi statue in a shadowy silhouette with light dancing off its sharp curves on its glossy paint.

She jumped back and nearly screamed. She whispered softly to herself holding a hand over her rapidly beating heart.

"Damn you Naruto…and your sick sense of humor…"

Hanabi crept down his walkway through his front yard of flowers and up to the door covered by yellow roses that was sentineled by two lamp posts.

.

She stood there with her hand on the door handle in thought for a moment.

_"I know Shizan isn't going to be happy about be going out without a guard of some kind, but I just have to see him right now."_

Steeling her nerves she opened the door and went through it, closing it behind her.

She leaned her back on the door a breathed a sigh of relief in the cool night air.

.

Hanabi stood up straight and said. "Byakugan." She looked for a blinding source of chakra, but didn't see one as she looked over the village.

"Going out so late?" A man said.

She looked on the overhang of a wall across the narrow street. There a man was crouched down with his elbows resting on his knees.

She released her Byakugan and could see he was wearing all black with a cat face mask on.

"Who are you?" She asked in a commanding voice.

"Extra protection encase you pulled a stunt like this." The Anbu guard replied.

"So you're here to stop me?" She asked.

"Why don't you just go back to bed? There are dangers out here at night." He asked her.

"What if I don't go back to bed?" She said defiantly. "ARE you going to stop me?"

.

There was a long pause before the Anbu spoke again that made Hanabi uncomfortable.

"No, my orders are to make sure you are safe, not stop you, but the Hokage and likely Lord Hyuuga will hear about this." He said.

_"Damn!…Oh well I'm already going to get in trouble for it. _

_I might as well try to find Naruto." _She thought in frustration and dread.

.

She smiled at him and said. "You know you don't HAVE to tell the Hokage."

"Do not ever insult my pride as a member of Anbu again young Hyuuga." He stated firmly.

Hanabi's shoulders slumped and she clearly knew she had said something stupid.

"Sorry for saying that." She said apologetically.

"You're not the first noble I've guarded that tried that with me, but you are one of the few that swallowed their pride and apologized for it.

I will not tell the Hokage about your comment, but do you still plan to walk the streets at night?" He asked.

She sighed deeply. "Yes, I need to find him."

"Very well then. I will be your shadow for tonight." He said and then vanished into smoke.

.

Hanabi jumped from rooftop to roof top searching high and low for her Sensei. Every where she looked she couldn't see his blinding chakra.

She slumped down on a roof and sat there for a moment in dismay.

"Naruto where are you?" She said softly as her eyes shifted back to normal.

.

She laid on the roof for a few moments while looking at the moon in the clear night's sky.

Hanabi finally got up and decided to wander the village in hopes of finding him.

She passed the restaurant where Naruto's lips had swelled up and she grinned slightly.

Then farther down the street she passed Kiki's ice cream shop and she smiled.

Hanabi remembered how Naruto had carried her on his back all the way to the Hokage tower.

.

She as she retraced his footsteps to the Hokage tower lost in her happy memories.

Hanabi stopped at the stairs to the tower and gazed upon it.

She was about to climb the steps when the same Anbu guard spoke out suddenly.

"You can't go any farther young Hyuuga. The Hokage tower is a restricted area at night." He said firmly from a roof top ledge of the tower.

She slowly removed her hand from the stairs railing.

"Your Sensei is not in this tower. Of that much I am certain." He stated.

She sighed and looked over at the Hokage monument.

.

_"I can feel your close Naruto, yet far away at the same time. _

_I know you're near here even if my Byakugan can't see you."_ She thought while searching for him.

She walked around the stairs of the Hokage tower and walked up the stairs to the viewing platform in front of the monument with her hand on the cold metal railing.

The Anbu guard was watching her from the ledge.

She made it to the top step and suddenly bumped into something hard with her face.

.

She winced her watering eyes closed from the stinging pain of bumping her nose.

It took her many moments before she could see what she had bumped into.

She saw nothing there. It was just empty space.

She reached out to touch whatever was there. Her hand met with something solid that rippled like she had touched still water.

The ripples traced farther into the air then she could see.

It looked like a giant pyramid force field that had been turned upside down so that the top of the pyramid was encasing the Hokage monument viewing platform.

.

She took a step back to awe at the sheer size of it.

"There is no way you're going to get inside there. Even the Hokage can't break that jutsu." The Anbu guard stated.

"He inside there isn't he?" She asked him.

"There is little doubt he is, but as to what he is doing and why he is doing it…none know. Give it up Hanabi Hyuuga.

There is no hope of seeing him until he comes out.

The last time I saw him use that jutsu he didn't come out until nearly morning.

Now why don't you be a good girl and go back to the Sage's house?"

He stated like he was talking down to her in a stern manner.

.

His words angered her and she looked over at him in defiance.

Hanabi took a moment to calm herself while looking at the giant shield jutsu in thought.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on feeling his chakra while placing her hand over her heart string chakra line.

She held her hand out in front of her and took a deep breath…and walked right through the shield.

.

Kakashi took off his cat mask and he wore a face of utterly shock.

"Kami help her…Naruto I've failed you…" He said in a hollowed, dreading state.

.

Hanabi opened her eyes inside the shielding jutsu.

She saw Naruto sitting in the middle of the platform with his legs crossed and his hand pressed together like he was praying.

Out of the right side of his body his blue charka flowed hundreds of feet into the air that formed a giant chakra version of himself.

Out of his left side poured the red demonic chakra of the Kyuubi.

It towered even higher than then blue chakra and at its top was the full form of the terrifying Nine Tailed Demon Fox made of chakra alone.

.

It glowed ominously red and radiated pure hatred and killing intent stronger then Hanabi ever imagined was possible.

Hanabi felt fear like she had never known.

She wanted to scream…to run away from the horrible red demon, but she couldn't move.

She wanted to close her eyes, but again her body refused.

The sound of two roaring inferno's drowned out every other sound in the world.

When the two Chakras clashed it made an earth shattering sound that hurt Hanabi's ears and forced the ground to shake.

.

Kyuubi had arms growing out of each of its nine tails that split off into still more arms again and again.

At the end of arm was a red flaming hand of death seeking out the Sages glowing blue form.

Naruto's chakra moved like a reed in the wind avoiding all the hands coming at him in rapid succession.

The hands crashed against the side of the shield jutsu with the force of a mountain falling down.

The shock wave from it hit her with such force that it felt like the Hokage had punched her in the center of her chest and the ground quaked with a trembling with reverberation.

Again and again the Kyuubi would grow arms out of its tails trying to catch the Sage and again and again he would barely avoid the red hands of death.

.

Once the hands had formed to the point of nearly filling the top of the massive jutsu the fox would pull them back to try again.

Naruto's glowing blue form charged a single point in his hand to the point that it looked like a white star of chakra and instantly hurled the massive amount of energy at the demon fox.

.

The white star covered the distance between the two of them in the blink of a eye and hit the demon in the center of the chest.

It exploded violently just as the arms were sucked back into its Kyuubi's chakra body.

The sound was so sudden and so great that it nearly busted her ear drums.

**"HAHAHAHAHA."** Kyuubi laughed in a thundering tone as it reformed itself.

**"LET ME SHOW YOU HOW THAT'S REALLY DONE 'GREAT SAGE'!" **

The demon's sinister voice boomed in mocking laughter.

.

Its voice alone made Hanabi feel like something sick and evil was crawling into her ears.

Kyuubi sent out a single hand from one of its tails that moved even faster than the others.

It easily caught the chakra Naruto around the neck and slammed him against the walls of the shield jutsu,

where their red and blue Chakra's combined ever so slightly to make the hand look like it was burning with violet flames around his throat.

.

Kyuubi lifted its flaming head to the sky and pointed all its tails toward its mouth.

Tremendous amounts of chakra started streaking into a ball in front of its mouth.

The glowing Naruto struggled under the burning hand holding him, but to no avail.

The great ball of chakra hummed at such a high pitched whine that she ceased to hear it before it was done being formed.

Kyuubi unhinged its jaw and swallowed the condensed chakra ball.

It just stood there for a moment until again the whine could be heard climbing in a doomingly high pitch.

.

White light started to creep out from in-between Kyuubi's teeth until it lowered its massive red head

and let loose an unbelievable beam of condensed chakra that exploded the chakra Naruto and it bounced off the walls of the jutsu.

It's devastating attack nearly filling the whole area with its deadly attack.

.

Hanabi was nearly hit and her hearing was ringing and staticy.

When the blast cleared away Kyuubi was still there and millions of tiny blue orbs of chakra that was once the chakra Naruto filled the air.

They slowly floated down like snow and drifted back into Naruto.

The demon lost its form and slowly started receding back into Naruto's body.

**.**

**"YOU FAILED AGAIN! YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO DEFEAT ME '**_**GREAT SAGE'**_**! **

**HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA hahahaha….." **It's evil, mocking voice said as its chakra was absorbed back into his body.

.

Naruto fell over on all fours just as his left eye changed from a red cat slit eye back to normal.

He was covered in sweat and panting hard.

"DAMIT!" He yelled as he slammed his fist into the ground like it was a hammer.

"DAMIT DAMIT DAMIT!" He yelled beating the ground in frustration.

"WHY? WHY AM I ALWAYS TOO WEAK! I always end up relying on others! I can't do that this time!"

.

The shield jutsu shattered and fell away like broken glass that disappeared in mid flight.

"There is no one I can fall back on! No one can help me with this fight!

Four years worth of training every night and she's still toying with me!" He said in fury of his failure.

He panted for several long moments to catch his breath.

.

Finally he pushed himself to his feet with a very depressed look on his face.

He turned to leave only to see Hanabi frozen in shell-shock at the stairs.

She didn't move at all and blood was slowly dripping out of ears and onto her shoulders.

Naruto wore a look of absolute horror.

.

"NO!" He rushed over to her and put his hands over her ears while pouring healing chakra into her.

"No! No! No! You weren't supposed to find out this way!"

He yelled in sorrow and frustration while holding her face to his chest.

It was several long moments of pouring chakra into her ears before she could move at all again.

She began trembling uncontrollably while he healed her.

.

The pain in her ears finally lessened and her trembling knees would no longer hold her weight. She collapsed out cold from stress.

Naruto laid her on the ground and kept pouring his healing chakra into her.

.

"Naruto." Tsunade said from the stairs standing next to Kakashi.

Naruto was so focused on what he was doing he didn't hear her.

"Naruto!" She yelled at him.

He looked over at her while still healing her with tears in his eyes.

.

"It's going to happen again isn't it? She's going to turn out just like Ino. She won't even be able to look at me…"

Tears broke the rims of his eyes and slid down both of his cheeks.

"It wasn't supposed to happen this way! I never wanted her to find out the way the rest of my friends did!

How the hell did she get through my shield?" He said quietly in despair.

.

"Naruto…stop healing her…The wound that is left can't be healed that way.

I'll take her to the hospital and examine her." She said in a very kind manner as she reached for him.

"Fine." He said in defeat. He placed one hand on Hanabi's chest and pulled out one of his blue kunais with the other.

"Put your hand on my shoulder." He stated sadly.

"Naruto…I don't think you're in any condition to perform that jutsu in your current state…" She warned him.

"I'll be fine, just do it!" He stated angrily.

The Hokage shook her head and walked over and rested her hand on his shoulder and the vanished.

.

They reappeared in the hospitals ER waiting room.

Naruto swooned and collapsed from chakra exhaustion hitting the floor with a dull thud.

"GET THESE TWO INTO ROOMS NOW!" She yelled at the nurse on duty.

.

* * *

.

Naruto woke up to a bright and blurry room. It took him several moments for his eyes to clear up enough to see that he was at the hospital.

"What happened?" He asked himself. He remembered being beat by Ruby.

He remembered how mad he was at himself for failing again then…..

.

"Hanabi…" He stated as his eyes went wide. He tore the sheets off himself and bolted to the door.

He was about to opened it and run down the hall when one of the ghost of his past surfaced in his mind.

He remembered Ino's terrified eyes that were looking at him from long ago.

All his energy drained away as his fingers slipped off the door knob and he trembled for a moment before steeling himself.

He opened the door just enough to stick his head out and look around.

_"Good no Ino on duty it seems." _He thought to himself.

He lightly padded down the hall to the receptionist's desk where an older heavy set nurse was on duty.

.

"Psss." He hissed quietly to get her attention.

She looked over at him crouching around the corner and clearly was not happy to see him.

She rolled her eyes and set down the folder she was reading before saying.

"Oh Kami can't you ever stay in your room Great Sage.

The Hokage gave you enough medication to put an elephant under for a week." She scolded him.

.

"Is Ino on duty?" He asked quickly.

The nurse gave him a flat look. "No, she has the night shift.

She went home three hours ago and I'll thank you to not to go chasing tails on my ER floor."

.

Naruto's face faulted. "What?...Damn you Hinata…" He mumbled as he stood up.

"I'm not chasing tails." He said sarcastically. "I want to know how Hanabi Hyuuga is doing."

She eyed him for a moment. "I don't know, she just woke up.

The Hokage is seeing to her…Don't even think of trying to find her room."

.

The ghost of his past brought up several memories of Ino.

"No…You don't have to worry about me doing that." He said sadly while shaking his head back and forth.

"Could you ask the Hokage to come see me after she's done?" He asked her.

She eyed him sternly. "Maybe…IF you stay in your room." She stated firmly.

Naruto headed down the hall and silently waited in his room while the ghost of his passed tortured his mind and made him worry.

.

He waited for what seemed like forever before the Hokage opened the door to his room.

"How is she?" He asked before the door was completely open.

Tsunade walked in with a stern look on her face.

"She has post traumatic stress and she's having the normal problems people have when seeing Demon fox for the first time.

She is questioning the reality of it. She's not anywhere near as bad as what Ino endured!" She yelled the last part at him.

.

"OHH." He said in a reserved manner.

"She's still going to be scared of you, but she has a lot of questions you need to answer.

Many of the same ones you answered for the rookie nine. But before that…."

.

She walked up and clobbered him over the head.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? Running your chakra down so low and then using that Yellow Flash jutsu!

We were only three blocks away from the hospital! YOU DAMNED WART SAGE!"

She clobbered him again for good measure.

.

"OUCH! Damit that hurts! You're taking advantage of the fact that I don't have any Sage chakra right now."

He stated while rubbing the two lumps she gave him.

"You're damned right. You deserved those lumps."

She stated in a huff. "Letting Hanabi into your time space shielding jutsu! What were you thinking?" She scolded him.

.

Naruto's boyish act was dropped in an instant. His look changed to one of confusion and offence.

"You.. honestly think…I LET HER IN?"

She scoffed at him. "What other explanation is there?" She asked him.

"Tsunade…You must have some idea of what I'm doing under that shield…

Do you really think I would honestly let someone come in from the other side when I can no longer feel the presence of anyone outside the jutsu?

Even if I could, do you really think I would let my girlfriend of all people inside?

Hell I wouldn't let you inside and you're the Hokage!" He stated loudly.

.

She turned away and sighed.

"You know that jutsu isn't to keep people out. It is to keep Kyuubi's power in…

That's why it's a shield meant to protect and not a wall." He reasoned with her.

"Yes I now know what you do behind that shield.

You're fighting The Nine Tailed Fox…Kyuubi…Hanabi told me..." She said both sharply and sadly unable to look at him.

.

"Please." She begged him. "Stop this path you are on. Don't fight Kyuubi anymore." She said with her voice breaking.

"You are already the strongest ninja in the village…" She admitted with her head down and her hair in her face.

He spoke solemnly and kindly. "No…I'm not… you're still the strongest in the village…"

.

"Ha." She stated in bitterness throwing her head back and looking at him.

"How would I stand before any number of your jutsu that could kill me before I reacted?

I'm not just talking about the Yellow Flash either… Do you think in a fool?" She stated.

.

Naruto gave her a meek smile.

"Yes you are…especially if you don't realize you would have won the battle before ever taking the field if we fought." He stated.

"What do you mean?…You're speaking in riddles like your master did." She stated in defeat.

"No." He stated kindly. "You're refusing to see what is really there. If we met on the battle field of true combat…

I would use the worst thing I could ever do to you…Not Genjutsu…Not Taijutsu…or even Ninjutsu…

I would bow my head to you and ask that you take my life before striking you with killing intent….

Mother…..I'd let you fulfill my destiny for me…I love you far too much to strike you." He stated in clear honesty.

.

Tsunade lowered her head, but it hardly covered the fact that she had tears rolling down her face.

Naruto walked over to her and wrapped his broad arms around her shoulders. She hardly came up to his chin in his tight embrace.

He could already feel her tears soaking thought his clothes and wetting his shoulder as she cried silently.

.

"Why do you always know what to say to make me cry? Breaking your Nindo for me…

You're too much like Jiraiya." She said mastering herself and stepping away from him.

"He was always too self sacrificing as well." She said as she wiped away her tears on her sleeve.

"Well what do you expect? He will always be my master. I'll always be like him in some ways." He said quietly.

After a long moment of silence he changed the subject.

"How long do you think it will be before I can see her again? A month?"

"I don't know. It's different for every person. It could be a day, a month or it could be never. It all depends on the person." She told him.

.

"How do you think she got into my shield?" He asked her suddenly.

She sighed. "I am not sure.

I've never heard of anyone being able to move through a time/space jutsu shield without breaking it, but I do have a theory…" She said.

He gave her a curious look and asked. "Theory?"

.

"You probably will not like it though." She stated.

"I still want to hear it." He replied.

"I'm no expert on time/space jutsu, but Orochimaru did explain something to me a long time ago.

When you create your own pocket of time/space, the shield surrounding it will be tuned to your own chakras frequency.

Theoretically if you could perfectly match the original user's chakra frequency, then you could walk through it as if it wasn't there."

She stated in a kind manner.

.

"But how would she be able to….The raw chakra transfer…" He stated as it came to him.

"Yes that's my thoughts as well… I think she is forever connected to you in some way Naruto.

You are a mountain of chakra next to her.

I doubt you'd ever be able to feel that connection…but to her…I think she does feel that connection in some small way." She said empathetically.

"What does this mean for us though? What will it affect?" He begged her for answers.

.

"I'm not sure. She still exhibits signs of chakra addiction doesn't she?" She asked.

He sighed and said. "Yes, she does. She never wants to be away from me for long."

"Yes I see that…She can even find you when you're in another time/space dimension…" She stated softly.

Naruto's eyes suddenly locked on to something behind her and he froze with a blank stare of his face.

Tsunade turned around to see Hanabi standing at the door clearly afraid of Naruto, but refusing to run away.

.

"Hanabi! How did you get out?" She scolded her.

"You're supposed to stay in your room. Those worthless Anbu guards…." She gritted her teeth.

"Hokage-Sama" An Anbu guard ran up to her out of breath. "Hanabi has escaped her room!"

She was fuming and said. "I can see that! She is right here at the worst possible place she could be!

.

Naruto was truly thankful Hanabi was a Hyuuga at that moment.

He couldn't read her white eyes like he could normal eyes.

She was shaking from fear and it ignited the ghost of his past in his mind that made him wince.

Hanabi rushed over to him and embrace him with her body trembling.

"Naruto…Tell me…Tell me it was all a bad dream…Tell me I didn't see that horrible thing…"

She blubbered into his chest.

.

Naruto looked like his soul had left him. He looked down at the top of her and sadly said.

"I'm sorry Hanabi…I'm so sorry…..It wasn't a dream." He stroked her silky brown hair trying to comfort her

She pounded her fist on his chest several time while saying. "NO!...No you weren't supposed to say that!"

She cried inconsolably for several minutes in his arms.

He spoke softly. "What is it with the beautiful women of this village today?…You all seem to be trying to cry me into a river."

.

When she finally cried herself out and asked.

"That thing isn't going to pop out at any moment and try to kill you is it?"

He spoke softly and kindly to her. "No…no its not."

He looked over at Tsunade with sad conviction. "I know this isn't the best time for it….but it is time."

"Time for what?" Hanabi asked as she looked up at him.

Naruto looked down at her. "Time for me to reveal a great many of my secrets to you."

"No Naruto! She's not ready to leave the hospital yet and you're in no conduction to use..." She scolded him.

He pulled out a hidden kunai and vanished with her.

"DAMN HIM!" She yelled as she stomped her foot.

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Hanabi appeared in front of his house. He hit the ground on all fours panting.

"Naruto are you ok?" Hanabi asked worriedly.

"Yes." He said while still breathing hard and using the snout of his Nine Tailed Demon Fox statue to get back to his feet.

"I'm just a bit low on chakra at the moment." He stated.

Naruto took a moment to catch his breath with Hanabi staring at him with worry and fear.

.

"I guess this is as good a place as any to start telling you the story of my life." He said as he walked over to the partly painted statue of his father.

"Story? What story?" She said emotionally while reaching for him like he was going to fall yet to afraid to touch him.

"The story begins long before I was born. It starts when the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan finally decided they want peace.

A leader had to be chosen and as you know today it was the First Hokage. He ended up joining the Uchiha Clan and his Clan together to form our village.

Soon Senju Clan had all the political power and the Uchiha Clan was reduced to a police force of enforcers of the law over the years.

Madara saw that his clan was being reduced to the point of second class citizens in the village and tried to rally them into an uprising against the Hokage.

But the others of the Uchiha Clan wanted peace after so many years of war and refused Madara's plans. He gave up on his clan and left the village.

He later returned and challenged the First Hokage to battle. At the Valley of the End they fought each other one on one.

The Hokage won even when Madara had summoned the power of the Nine Tailed Fox to his aid.

He was thought to be dead, but no… he lived on somehow.

.

It wasn't until after the third great ninja war that he resurfaced. The Fourth Hokage led our people then.

Madara wanted to destroy the village, but he was a shell of his former glory. He could no longer control the Nine Tailed Fox anymore.

On the day I was born he entered Kyuubi's dimension and used his Sharingan to control one of her children to attack another one of her children.

He then fled into our village were the Fox followed and went on a rampage trying to find him while he hid.

My father, the Hokage, tried to use the jutsu you saw last night to trap the fox so the villagers could evacuate.

He couldn't hold her for long though and when she broke free. She was infuriated at him.

.

She launched a beam of condensed chakra at him and he evaded it…It hit near the hospital that me and my mother were at. I had just been born eight hours ago.

The roof collapsed and crushed my mother, but she did manage to get me out of the way of the falling debris.

My father used his Yellow Flash jutsu to get to her, but all he could see of my mother were here forearms sticking out of the crumbled building with me in her hands.

He steeled his heart and took me in his arms. He quickly made his preparations and led the fox to the mountain range north of the village.

This is when he used his Kekkei Genkai of Sealing.

He opened all eight celestial gates and used his Eight Trigrams Seal to seal the demon in the only vessel that could hold it at the cost of all his chakra and his life.

He sealed it into his own son that had his same sealing ability running through his veins. He sealed it into me."

.

Naruto walked over to the Kyuubi statue. "Ever since, this." He said as he put his hand on the statues head.

"Was sealed into me… I became a Jinchuuriki. I became The Nine Tailed Foxes cage."

Hanabi was stunned, but still managed to say. "But…but…All the books I read said your father killed it…"

Naruto smiled at her. "That's a half truth. Come on inside, there is much more of the story for you to hear."

He took the stunned Hyuuga by the hand and led her inside.

He sat her down on her favorite couch and he sat on the other side of her before beginning his story again.

.

"It's true that he did kill half of the demon. The other half is sealed within me. The Third Hokage wanted to adopt me, but his Clan would hear nothing of it.

They didn't see me for who I was. They only saw me as The Nine Tailed Demon Fox named Kyuubi. I stayed with his Clan until I was almost four years old.

Everyone but the Hokage hated me. I was abused and beaten for the most minor offences if he wasn't around. They took any opportunity to hurt me.

They had finally out voted Hokage and I was sent away to an orphanage. There too I was beat up and mistreated.

I had no idea why everyone hated me so much. I didn't know what was sealed within me.

The Hokage forbid anyone from ever telling me about Kyuubi

.

I cried a lot during this time in my life. I cried until I could cry no more.

I went on being mistreated until the age of ten. A group of three older kids surrounded me and beat me mercilessly. None of the other villages would help me… they just watched.

They beat me for what seemed like forever…Until I wanted to die just to stop the pain. The Hokage showed up and put a stop to it.

I was taken to a hospital and the three teens were thrown in jail. After he dropped me off he ordered a medic to treat my wounds and went to the jail to talk to the teens.

The medic tried to poison me and make it look like I died from the beating I had received.

.

When the Hokage got back to check on me he found me convulsing violently and knew I had been poisoned.

He found the medic and threw him in jail after over seeing that I got the medical attention I needed.

He put me under the guard of the Anbu so no one else could try to harm me.

The next day the Hokage called the village together for a meeting at the arena. The three teens and the medic were bound in the arena fighting area with guards around them.

The Hokage himself when up to the teens and severed the back of their necks with a kunai, killing them instantly.

It was not said what he did to the medic, but the records only say his death was much more painful and that many couldn't watch.

He decreed that day that anyone that harmed me would receive the same fate as well as their families.

.

No one dared harm me again after that. I had no idea this had happened.

The village for the most part acted like I didn't even exist. At least when the hated me they would acknowledge my existence. I was lost in darkness.

Soon the Hokage enrolled me in the ninja academy.

Here to I was mistreated, but never harmed. Other student stole my books because they didn't want me to be a ninja.

I thought Iruka sensei hated me as well. He was always so hard on me and I would pull pranks just to get attention…To get others to acknowledge I existed.

Since I didn't have my books to learn with and I was always messing around I failed to make Genin two times.

I failed because I couldn't do the clone jutsu right. It was my worst skill." He said calmly.

.

Hanabi's sad face went to one of shock. "No way! You couldn't make a clone?"

Naruto chuckled and said. "Yes that's right."

She eyed him carefully. "Well what happened?"

.

He looked at her and said. "I'm getting to that part.

It was the day before my third time taking the test and I pulled a prank.

I painted graffiti all over the Hokage monument. Iruka sensei caught me and forced me to clean it up.

While I was cleaning it up he took pity on me and told me after I was done he'd take me out for ramen.

I know it might not seem like much, but he saved me from the darkness with his kindness. That was the start of the new me.

The next day I took the test to become a Genin…Again I failed because I couldn't make a clone.

I was very depressed about it when a man came up to me and told me of a forbidden scroll in the Hokage tower.

He told me there was a jutsu on it that if I learned it, Iruka sensei would pass me.

I stole the scroll and took it out into the woods. The first jutsu on it was the Shadow Clone jutsu.

I practiced it for an hour and had mastered it. Then Iruka sensei found me and chewed me out.

.

Soon the man that told me to steal the scroll came to kill me and take the scroll for himself…He also told me why everyone in the village hated me.

He told me I WAS the Nine Tailed Demon Fox. I didn't know whether to believe my Sensei's words or his at one point so I ran.

The man revealed that he was going to kill my Sensei and I stepped in. I made over three hundred shadow clones and beat him to a pulp for trying to hurt my master.

Iruka told me to come over to him and close my eyes. I did and he put his own leaf ninja headband on me and told me I passed.

My life as a ninja finally started.

.

I was put into squad seven under Kakashi who had never passed anyone trying to get into his squad.

My team mates were Sakura Hakura, who I had a big crush on and Sasuke Uchiha, who I hated at the time.

Sakura had a huge crush on Sasuke, but he had only one goal…To kill his brother and revive the Uchiha clan." He said.

.

"Wait why would he want to kill his brother?" She asked.

Naruto sighed. "I was going to save that for later, but if you must know I'll tell you now.

The uprising Madara tried to start came far too late, but it did come…thirteen years ago.

Sasuke's brother Itachi was a genius prodigy of their clan.

He was also feeding the Hokage the information on the rebellion his father was starting.

Finally the Hokage was over ruled by the council and Itachi was ordered to kill everyone in his own clan.

Which he did with the help of Madara…" He said.

.

"Wait wait.." She started to say before Naruto spoke again.

"Yes he was still alive and well all those years later. Now hush I'm not skipping to the end to tell you how."

She bit her lips together and remained quiet.

"Itachi and Madara killed off the entire clan, but there was one person in the clan he couldn't kill…He couldn't kill his little brother.

Sasuke attacked him and was easily over powered and thrown to the ground.

Itachi told him to come back to him when he had the Madara Sharingan and the only way to get it was through hate.

From that day on Sasuke train to kill his brother Itachi. He was an avenger from that day forward.

.

Now back to Squad Seven. I hated Sasuke because he was good at everything and Sakura like him.

During our training I stopped hating Sasuke and he somewhat stopped saying I was only in the way.

We became rivals. We feed off each other successes only to try to keep surpassing each other.

Our first real mission was to protect a carpenter named Tazuna building a bridge. It was a C ranked mission.

What we didn't know is that the he was a wanted man in his village.

Gato was a tyrant and was leading the town through fear and force.

Gato didn't want the bridge built and hired two S class wanted ninja's to go after Tazuna.

It finally came down to us squaring off with them.

.

One of them trapped me and Sasuke in a jutsu of mirrors.

The ninja moved from mirror to mirror throwing needles at us so fast that neither of us could keep up.

We were sitting ducks until Sasuke's Sharingan awakened. He could now follow the ninja's movements, but the ninja threw a huge attack of needles at me.

Sasuke pushed me out of the way and took the full brunt of the attack. He was stabbed all over his body and collapsed.

I thought he was dead and I snapped.

.

I was so happy that Sasuke had acknowledged me as a friend with his actions and I was so mad at the ninja for killing him.

My anger became so great that the seal holding Kyuubi's chakra back weakened and filled me with its powerful chakra.

I became ten times strong then I was before. The ninja could no longer out match me with speed.

I shattered the ninja's mirrors and had him around the throat. He asked me to kill him, but I couldn't do it.

He broke free and went to protect his master Zabuza when Kakashi was about to kill him.

He died and Zabuza could care less saying he was only a tool.

.

Gato and his men showed up afterwords and I repeatedly asked Zabuza how he couldn't care for his comrade.

Gato made it known that he wasn't planning on paying him and he was just going to kill him after he completed the mission.

Zabuza finally regretted the loss of his comrade, but had lost the use of both of his arms.

He told Kakashi he wanted to avenge his comrade Haku asked me for my last kunai. I tossed it to him and he caught it in his mouth.

He charged Gato through his men and killed him.

Tazuna's grandson showed up with the rest of the village to retake there town and Gato's men fled.

He completed the bridge and the town is now free." He stated.

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"So that pictures on the wall over there is the bridge?" She asked.

He replied. "Yes it is."

She got a confused look on her face. "Why would they name it after you?"

"Because I was the one that inspired his grandson to rally his people." He stated.

.

"We went home and soon Kakashi said we were ready to take the Chunin exams.

We all passed the first part, but during the second test Sasuke got attacked by Orochimaru.

He left a curse mark on him that would slowly eat away at him and if he got angry it would awaken and make him much stronger for a time.

We completed the second part none the less. Only to find out too many of us had passed.

We were put in one on one fights to see who would advance to the final test.

Me and Sasuke advanced, but there were two other fights that I have to tell you about.

One you already know about. The fight between Neji and Hinata I'm sure you've heard about.

.

After the fight I vowed to beat him on my Nindo for hurting Hinata.

The biggest fight to watch was easily the match between Rock Lee and Gaara of the sands.

No one had ever even scratched Gaara before. As you know Rock Lee can only use Taijutsu.

Their fight went back and forth and finally they were at a stalemate.

Lee asked Gai sensei if he could use THAT move. Gai gave him the go ahead. Lee opened four of the celestial gates and gained incredible power.

He broke Gaara's strongest defenses and nearly won.

But after Gaara had taken both of Lee's lotus's, Lee's body was trashed. Lee didn't go down even when Gaara knock him out. He fought on even in his sleep.

Gaara had already broken his arm and one of his legs. Gaara was going to finish him off when Gai stepped in and stopped the fight.

Lee's body was so messed up they said his career as a ninja was over.

.

We saw who we were going to fight in the final test in front of everyone at the arena and as you know I was matched up with Neji for the first fight.

Sasuke was matched with Gaara.

We were given time off to train for our last fight. Kakashi wouldn't train me and got Ebisu sensei to teach me.

I begrudgingly took up training under him and started working on my chakra control.

I was learning to walk on water one day when he started yelling at some pervert on a toad that was peeking in the girl's bath.

.

The pervert knocked him out and I had no one to train me.

He told me he was the Great Toad Sage Jiraiya; I didn't know who he was.

I followed him around all day telling him that he had to train me since it was him that knocked out my teacher.

Eventually he gave up and asked who I was. I told him my name and he asked what I was trying to learn.

He had me take off my shirt and build up some chakra. He quickly found out why my chakra control was so bad.

Orochimaru had put a five prong seal over my father's seal during out fight. He removed it and I could easily walk on water.

.

Eventually he let me sign his toad contract and showed me how to summon. In a word…I was awful at it. I could only summon tadpoles with it.

Jiraiya knew I was a Jinchuuriki and told me to use up all my blue chakra one day. I did as he told me and he threw me off a cliff.

He knew the only way I could tap into Kyuubi's chakra was in a life or death situation. I summoned boss toad mere seconds from dying and he wasn't happy to see me.

He kept trying to throw me off his back and I manage to stay on him all day winning his respect.

.

I returned to take the finally test were as you know I beat Neji and earned the respect of many during that fight.

I'm sure you saw what happened next. We were invaded and Sasuke chased after Gaara.

We followed him. Gaara nearly killed Sasuke and I learned that he too was a Jinchuuriki like me.

He had the one tailed demon sealed within him, but it wasn't the masterful sealing my father did on me.

.

His was flawed and the demon constantly tortured him.

He was in the same darkness that I used to be in before Iruka save me. Instead of him playing pranks…He killed people to define his existence.

He thought true power came only from relying on himself.

I finally figured out that a ninja can only become truly powerful when protecting something precious to him.

Gaara was using the sand to slowly crush the life out of Sakura. I went all out on him and he eventually brought out Shukaku the Sand spirit.

I summoned boss toad and we went at it. I eventually won and beat it into his head that someone could never be strong without bonds with other people.

He later became the Kazekage. I got back only to find that we had stopped the invasion, but we had lost our Hokage in the fight.

.

Sometime later the curse mark on Sasuke started corrupting him. He left the village to join up with Orochimaru in order to become stronger.

We found out about it and I was given the first S ranked mission since the Third Ninja War. It was to retrieve Sasuke.

At the gate to the village before we left Sakura begged me to bring Sasuke back. I swore on my Nindo I would.

Orochimaru only wanted him so he could steal his body with his resurrection jutsu. Every three years he had to find another body to live in and he wanted the Sharingan.

We quickly formed a team and went after them. We kept having to leave someone behind to fight one of the four ninja's that were guarding Sasuke.

Eventually I caught up to Sasuke and it was just the two of us at the Valley of the End.

.

We both went all out and for the first time I fully brought out Kyuubi's demon cloak that surrounded me in its chakra and gave me one of his chakra tails.

We finally chose to come at each other with our strongest attack. I used my Rasengan and he used his Chidori.

We both were blown back and not long after that Sasuke hit me with a Chidori to the chest knocking me out.

He couldn't come to kill me though and Kakashi found me and took me back to the village.

It was decided since the Akatsuki wanted to capture me and take the Nine Tailed Fox that I would leave the village.

I spent the next three years training under my master Jiraiya. He taught me to use my head more.

He also trained me to start using Kyuubi's chakra if I ever needed it.

.

I returned home and was soon sent out on a mission to rescue Gaara from the Akatsuki.

We endured so many deadly fights with the members of the Akatsuki before finally we made it to where Gaara was.

We found him already dead. They sealed his one tailed spirit and it killed him." He said.

.

"Wait wait…He died? How?...What happened?" She asked in shock.

Naruto rolled his eyes and said. "Yes he died. When a Jinchuuriki is separated from their tailed spirit they die.

I lashed out at the sand village elder that was with us.

It was her that sealed Shukaku into him in the first place. She admitted everything she had done was wrong and asked me to help her with a jutsu.

Chiyo used my massive amount of chakra and the life force of her own spirit to bring Gaara back to life.

We headed back to his village and I was helping him along because he could hardly walk because he was so weak.

We got within a mile of the Sand Village and all of his people were lined up on the wall.

When they saw us coming and knew we had succeeded in our mission, they all cheered at us…It was quite a sight.

From horizon to horizon sand people cheered for their Kazekage. I was in awe.

I didn't even know the Sand Village had so many people.

We buried Chiyo and at her funeral. Gaara told me that one day he wanted to be a ninja like me and we shook hands.

.

I returned to the village and soon after we found out a spy of Orochimaru's would be meeting one of the Akatsuki we killed at the Heaven and Earth Bridge in ten days time.

Sakura and I were sent there with a new Jonin leader named Yamato and a teenage guy from Anbu named Sai…

Sai is the one that uses Art Jutsu. He is the one that painted my Kyuubi statue outside."He added.

.

"We didn't get along with Sai because he was a jerk without emotions, but we eventually made it to the bridge.

Yamato disguised himself as Sasori and waited for the spy. None other than Kabuto showed up.

They talked for a moment and then Orochimaru himself showed up. Kabuto attacked Yamato and destroyed his disguise.

He was forced to call us out from hiding. I went berserk and attacked Orochimaru for some comments he made about Sasuke.

Four of Kyuubi's tails came out and Kyuubi took over my body, even Orochimaru was force to retreat from me.

In my four tailed form I hurt Sakura. Her arm got burned. I didn't know that at the time seeing as Kyuubi was in control.

.

Yamato later told me that I was the one that hurt Sakura and from then on I shunned Kyuubi's power and decided to use only my own power.

Sai had a secret mission and gave Orochimaru the files on all of the Anbu to gain his confidence.

We followed them back to his hide out and eventually captured Sai. We persuaded him not to follow his mission.

We eventually found Sasuke and he took us on. He easily defeated us and was about to kill us all when Orochimaru stopped him.

Again I was too weak to bring him back.

.

We went back to the village and sometime later Kakashi Sensei started working with me to create my own new jutsu.

This is the time that Kakashi got the idea to have me train with a bunch of shadow clone to learn jutsu faster.

I learned my first element, the wind. It took awhile, but I got it down. He then had me infuse the Rasengan with my wind element.

This took much longer to get and during my training Asuma was killed on a mission.

His squad, vowed revenge on the Akatsuki zombie brothers and Kakashi went along as their captain.

Tsunade wanted to send our team as back up for them, but she wasn't going to send us if I didn't complete my jutsu.

I almost didn't complete it in time, but we made it. I ended up killing one of the zombie brothers with my Rasenshuriken.

Shikamaru had already killed the other one by the time back up arrived. I sustained some back lash damage from my new jutsu.

Tsunade told me if I used the jutsu again I would likely lose my ability to mold chakra. It took some time for my arm to heal.

.

News of Sasuke killing Orochimaru was surfacing and so were sightings of his movements. A team was formed to find him and we set out.

We tracked him until his scent split up and I summoned a bunch of clones to look all over for him. As luck would have it one found him and he popped my clone.

I told the others and headed off for him….only to run into another Uchiha." He stated.

"Are we finally getting close to your final battle with Madara?" She asked impatiently.

.

Naruto gave her a sour look before stating.

"We are getting pretty close, but no, that isn't who I ran into. I ran into Itachi. I tried to attack and capture him.

He was just far too strong and smart for me to compete with.

Luckily he only wanted to talk. He asked me why I was always chasing after his brother and I told him.

'Unlike you I think of him more as a brother then you ever will.' He asked me a few other questions and then told me I thought like a child.

He transferred part of his powers to me and told me to make sure Sasuke wasn't taken over by Madara Uchiha.

He told me when the time was right those powers would show themselves.

.

He disappeared leaving me with more questions than answers.

We tried to catch up with Sasuke, but Madara posing as a fool named Tobi stalled us.

He only left once he told us the news that Sasuke had killed Itachi, but he was hurt pretty bad.

The race to get to him was on, but Madara was by far the faster. He got to him first and hid him away from me.

Yet again I failed to retrieve my friend and fulfill my promise to Sakura and my Nindo.

.

I returned home only to find out my master, Jiraiya had been killed from one of the Great Sage Toads elder.

I chewed out Tsunade for letting him go and vowed to avenge my master. Later I helped decode a message that Jiraiya had given his life to send to me.

'None of them are the real one.' Was all it said. I went to be trained as a Toad Sage by Fukasaku.

I trained in secret to throw the Rasenshuriken and soon after mastering it and Sage mode, we found out Pain was attacking the village.

We returned and I didn't even recognize my own village. I found pain when he was about to attack Tsunade and stepped in.

It wasn't easy, but I destroyed four of his six clones before Pain got the upper hand. I was staked to the ground and Hinata came to save me.

She was no match for pain and he nearly killed her. I couldn't contain my anger and hatred…Kyuubi took over and I nearly broke the seal before entering my own mind.

There I saw Kyuubi and most importantly my father…" He stated.

Hanabi blinked a few times before asking. "How I thought he was dead?"

.

"Yes he is, but he left an imprint of himself in the seal if I was ever close to bringing all nine tails out, effectively breaking the seal. He stopped me and restored the seal.

I defeated the last two remaining Pains. I then went to the real pain named Nagato.

I learned that either he or I was the child of destiny that would either save or destroy the world as we know it.

I finally answered his question on how to stop the chain of hatred and war. I told him I'd believe in Jiraiya's ideals and not take my revenge on him.

He used a jutsu to revive everyone he had killed during his evasion and then told me he would put his faith in me to be the child of destiny.

He passed away and the fight was over.

.

Tsunade was in a coma from the whole ordeal and Danzo took over as a temporary Hokage. The summit of the five Kages was called and he left.

Sasuke and his team attacked and failed to kill Danzo because he fled.

Madara finally revealed his real plan to the other four Kages.

His plan was to gather all of the tailed beast and return them into its original form…Juby the ten tailed beast.

.

He wanted to become its Jinchuuriki and use its power to use him Sharingan on the moon to enslave everyone in the world to his will.

Madara would rule the world under a false idea of peace.

He believed that the Great Moon Sage of the six paths, Rikudo captured Juby and sealed him within his own body. This part of the story is true.

He also believed that he sundered his spirit into nine tailed beasts that we know today. This is a stretch.

The actual form of the Juby demon is likely the nine tailed beasts combined.

.

They can combine to make a single ten tailed beast called Juby, but that is not there true form.

Madara already had seven of the tailed beast when the Kages refused to bow to him.

He started the fourth ninja war with the tailed beast he already had.

I was deemed too valuable to join in the fight and I was kept in hiding. Madara captured the eight tailed beast shortly after he started the war.

I was the final piece he needed for his plans. Him and Sasuke were desperately seeking me.

They destroyed one village after another with the powers of the tailed beast.

Even with the alliance of all the Kage's and the Samurai…They could do little against them.

They kept me in the dark on just how many people were dying. When I found out I refused to stay out of the battle any longer.

I took to the field to face Madara and Sasuke.

.

Madara used the tailed beast to keep the Kages and the Samurai armies at bay while me and Sasuke fought.

I tried over and over for almost two hours to get Sasuke to see the error of his ways. I wouldn't kill him; it wasn't an option for me.

He finally reviled a new jutsu he had created with his new Sharingan. A jutsu he called Burning Light.

He used it on me and permanently blinded my eyes." He stated in a sad lost manner.

.

Hanabi wore a very confused look before timidly asking. "Then…how can you see me now then?"

Naruto took a ragged sigh and looked at her with deep sadness in his eyes. "Because these aren't my eyes…"

He released the henge on his eyes and they went from a vibrant blue to a deep brown.

She stared at him blankly and asked "Who's eyes are they then…"

His eyes turned red with three coma marks around the pupil to reveal the Sharingan.

He looked like he had lost the will to live in that moment and told her.

"They are the greatest marks of my failure…Their Sasuke's eyes…"


	14. Chapter 14:What Can't You Do With Chakra

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**Chapter 14:What Can't You Do With Chakra**

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Author's notes:

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Reviews/Question's:

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_**sashu  
2009-10-29 . chapter 14**_

_**Damn man its great to have you back after so long.**_

_**This is one of my top favorite Naruto stories and one of the few that I read that aren't naruhina though I did have to skim through Hinata's part.**_

_**Also I could read it find some time it was double spaced but that's cool like it would say and he said this.**_

_**but I could still tell what you were saying. And damn Sasuke's eyes. And since this was today what are your thoughts on Saukra's confession**_

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Lol skimming through the Hinata part…Yes I've heard that before. My chapter four with Ino was very sad and a few people told me they dreaded reading what happened with Hinata.

Or I might have just bored you.

As for Today's manga, Chapter 469…The whole time I was reading that I was thinking….The way she did that makes it obvious she just trying to stop Naruto from going after Sasuke .

He's about to call her out on that…. and he did just that. Does she love him? Yes, that was answered in the anime episode Sakura's tears.

Is she IN love with him…possibility, but she has yet to accept those feeling if she is falling for him.

It is likely Naruto will not have a relationship with her until he returns Sasuke to the village.

The most important thing to Naruto isn't him becoming Hokage, or getting Sakura to fall for him…It's the same thing it's always been, his bond with Sasuke his first real friend.

Naruto is far too honorably to try to steal Sakura's heart when Sasuke isn't around. He would feel that was cowardly.

It's likely that he has given up on ever getting Sakura to fall for him. That's not to say Sakura can't beat it into his head how she feels about him.

I think she's really not sure exactly how she feels for him yet, and she's a dummy for confessing to him in the first place…

Hello he's Sage now. He has chakra sensory abilities even when he's not in Sage mode, all though they are greatly enhanced in Sage mode.

It's likely he could tell she wasn't being completely truthful. It's likely he wouldn't even have needed this Sage ability to tell anyway.

He has known her for years. He can probably tell when she lying from spending so much time with her.

If you want further proof go back and read when Hinata confessed…He instantly knew she was telling the truth. At least that's my two cents on it.

_**.**_

_**Jimm  
2009-10-29 . chapter 14**_

_**Here's how what you wrote appears on my screen:  
Wow as much as I like my new writing program it's causing  
formatting problems with the website. *Pulls hair out* It's  
probably the screen resolution. The story seems to reads perfect  
at**_

Yup part of that was a formation mix up between Word and the websites program.

I was in a rush to get the chapter out that night and forgot to edit it once I posted it into the website.

I have word wrap on, but it will not keep my double spaced format. I've yet to figure out how to get it to do that.

Thanks for the grammar fixes.

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Last Chapter.

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Madara used the tailed beast to keep the Kages and the Samurai armies at bay while me and Sasuke fought.

I tried over and over for almost two hours to get Sasuke to see the error of his ways. I wouldn't kill him; it wasn't an option for me.

He finally reviled a new jutsu he had created with his new Sharingan. A jutsu he called Burning Light.

He used it on me and permanently blinded my eyes." He stated in a sad lost manner.

.

Hanabi wore a very confused look before timidly asking. "Then…how can you see me now then?"

Naruto took a ragged sigh and looked at her with deep sadness in his eyes. "Because these aren't my eyes…"

He released the henge on his eyes and they went from a vibrant blue to a deep brown.

She stared at him blankly and asked "Who's eyes are they then…"

His eyes turned red with three coma marks around the pupil to reveal Sharingan.

He looked like he had lost the will to live in that moment and told her.

"They are the greatest marks of my failure…They're Sasuke's eyes…"

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Chapter Fourteen: What can't you do with Chakra.

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Hanabi stared at him in utter shock for a long moment.

"How? Did you take them…by force?" She asked with wide eyes.

Naruto looked down sadly before saying. "No, I didn't…. Madara showed up and the two of them easily over powered me.

They staked me to the ground and started taking Kyuubi's chakra and sealing it into Sasuke.

Madara was using a weird jutsu that connected him to Sasuke with a string of blue chakra from behind.

The chakra string was coming out of his Sharingan. They weren't just sealing Kyuubi's chakra.

There were rivers of chakra flowing out of all the Tailed Beast into him of every color.

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_Flashback_

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The landscape that was once a forest looked like a desert of blast holes and wild fires burning up rooted trees.

Massive blasts were flying out in all directions while the massive armies of all five ninja nations and the samurai tried desperately to reach Naruto.

The other Tailed beast had formed a one mile perimeter around Naruto and they were destroying anyone that got near them.

Naruto was staked to the ground with chakra absorbing black stakes on the war torn earth.

His solid white eyes were no longer of any use to him as Sasuke was pulling an inferno of burning red chakra out of his chest with both arms out stretched.

"SASUKE!" Naruto yelled through the great pain of having Kyuubi chakra stolen from him.

"THIS ISN'T WHAT ITACHI WANTED FOR YOU! He told me you were the one person he could never kill!"

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Sasuke replied very cool and calmly. "I don't care what my brother thought of me. I will not follow his path. I am not my brother.

You never change Naruto your still spouting crap until the very end and yet you understand nothing…."

Naruto spoke through his teeth gritting pain. "I know what you're planning to do! Enslaving the world's people in Genjutsu isn't true peace!…It's slavery!"

Sasuke gave him a evil grin. "As I said…You understand nothing. Humanity is too stupid and weak to achieve true peace.

They will always start another war. The cycle of death and hate is too strong to overcome. Surely you see this."

Naruto no longer felt his physical pain anyone and only felt sadness.

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"All I see is someone who is lost and in the darkest of places.

I see you crying in that darkness and I've been trying to save you from it for so long…Because I used to be in that darkness." He said and then coughed up blood.

Sasuke was glowing in waves of chakra of every color and every second that ticked he glowed brighter.

"YOU FOOL!" He said and started drawing in chakra even faster. This caused Naruto to tension up.

"You offer me friendship and he offers me Godhood! I will rule this world with my Genjutsu!

I will end war. I'm going to destroy your village and all its people before that ever happens!

Do you still think I'm your friend? I am killing you as we speak. You're still the same stupid person you've always been.

I don't care if others care for me. I'm not like them!" He yelled at him.

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Naruto had blood trailing down his face. "Still haven't figured it out…They way to end the pain…hatred and…War is to …understand each other.

What are you afraid…of you… sacredly cat."

Sasuke laughed for a long moment. "What has understanding ever gotten this world before?

It is still always at war over petty crap! Those that make the war are ill fit to leader there nations and soon they won't be able to!" He laughed again.

Naruto smiled at him. "For na avenger you never did defeat your brother at full strength… do you know why?"

.

"Ha like I care! That fool is dead and I will revive my clan!" He yelled.

Naruto still wore his smile. "You can't kill me. I've never been in any danger from you. The one thing you fear most is that bond of friendship I refuse to let go of.

It's is because you are lost and don't understand it…" He said with a strained voice.

"No Naruto you are insane in your dying words." He said and laughed while he was drunk on power.

"You still don't get how strong a ninja Itachi was. He was in the Akatsuki to keep them from attacking our village…from attacking you…He wanted you to be the hero by killing him.

He gave his life to you…" He said.

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"I told you I don't care! If that's your trump card that you've been holding back then you're pathetic!" Sasuke yelled as the chakra kept entering his body faster and faster.

Naruto coughed up more blood before saying. "You're the pathetic one…All this time and you haven't figured out what Madara is…" He stated.

"He's the leader of the Uchiha from long ago.." He said before Naruto spoke again.

"I said WHAT he is…not WHO he is…" Naruto said through the loud whine of all the chakra being sucked into Sasuke's body.

Sasuke wore a slightly confused look for an instant before showing his sarcastic grin. "And what do you think he IS you insane fool?"

"He's been telling you this whole time yet you have been running so fast after the power he offered you that you could not see…" He said hoarsely.

Sasuke laughed. "And what HAS he been showing me all this time fool?"

.

"That he is literally a shell of his former self you moron! He sealed his soul into that mask he wears! He is a ghost that refused to move on!

The reason you can't hit him with anything is because he doesn't have a body to hit! It's not time/space jutsu! HE IS JUST A GHOST!" He yelled.

Sasuke eyes went wide at Naruto's words as the chakra soared into him faster and faster.

"He's been saying it all along that HE will become the Jubi's Jinchuuriki! Not you! And how do you think he is going to do that! What do you think Madara wants so badly as a ghost!

He wants your body and your eyes! HE'S GOING TO ERASE YOUR SOUL AN STEAL YOUR BODY!" He yelled.

Sasuke was stunned…Memory after memory flooded his mind. His brother talking to him and telling him didn't have enough hate. Madara telling him that He would be the Ten Tails host.

How HE would create peace.

The stark realization came to him that his friend that had refused to stop being his friend was right…He was being played as a pawn when he thought he was the king.

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Madara snatched the chakra string he had embedded in Sasuke's soul and he hit the ground on his knees fighting its pull.

"The brat figured it out." He laughed in sadistic glee. "It will do you no good now Sasuke! Jubi is already forming in your body…it is WILLING its chakra inside you.

IT WANTS to be whole again! There is no way you can STOP HIM NOW!" He laughed again and tugged on the string of his soul.

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Sasuke hit the ground on all four panting as his mind was flooded with memory after memory that all said one thing….

That he was becoming a monster and Naruto had been trying to save him all this time.

He saw himself on the floor of his parent's house crying in the dark after Itachi left. How he had always been like that inside.

"When he forms in you I will Yank out your soul and take the last Uchiha body as my own! And there is nothing you can do to stop me." He laughed again.

"Humanity has failed! I will killed all the people of this world and remake the human race. We will all be UCHIHA! I WILL WIPE THE REST OUT!" He yelled.

_"I must fight him! I have to resist his pull…"_ Sasuke warred in his mind_. "Naruto has been right all this …time."_

"You moron! I've been a spirit without a body for over a hundred years! I know the secrets of the soul! You can possibly resist me! "He laughed again at Sasuke's feebleness.

.

"Naruto…what ergha!...What…am I supposed to do….!" He asked while clutching his chest trying to keep his soul inside his body.

Naruto's voice was barely a whisper. "The most….Important thing for a …hero to have…is guts…the…guts to…do the…right…thing."

He lay silent as the last of Kyuubi Chakra was nearly done leaving his body.

"HAHAHA how touching! He's almost dead and I can feel the sorrow in your heart Sasuke!" Madara yelled at him and laughed.

_"I WILL NOT FAIL! I WILL NOT BACK DOWN! THIS WILL BE MY.. NINJA WAY …TOO!"_ He warred with Madara in his mind.

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"What? IMPOSSIBLE! How could you resist me?" He said tugging on his chakra string with all his might.

"I may not be able to stop you from taking over my body.. but…" He pulled out a kunai and cut out the eyes in Naruto skulls and threw them away..

Madara's eyes went wide and he screamed. "No!"

He pulled with renewed strength on his chakra string…trying with all his being to rip Sasuke's soul from his body.

Sasuke's soul never wavered. "I will keep you…..FROM MY EYES!"

He reached into his eye sockets and ripped his eyes out. He jammed them into Naruto with his last ounce of strength.

Naruto was moments from death and Sasuke's will power faded away in an instant as he fainted.

"NNNOOO! Madara yelled.

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* * *

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"So this is how it ends…" Naruto thought as he was surrounded by blackness.

"I failed. I wasn't the child of destiny that saved the world….I was the one that wasn't strong enough and it was destroyed…" He thought in despair.

In the darkness of death he saw a single shard of light that was blindingly bright. It drew him up into it instantly.

He finally came back to his body…He easily counted the 3,870,932 cells of the hands covering his face in an instant.

He slowly moved out from under Sasuke.

The jutsu string he was fighting was still in his back.

Naruto thought for a moment in wonder at what had happened while looking around.

Everything was frozen in time.

.

Naruto moved Sasuke out of the rivers of chakra and moved Madara into it.

He summoned Gerotora the Key toad with a loud pop.

"Naruto…What's going on?" He asked in a stunned manner.

"It's time to use the key. I've got to reseal Kyuubi back inside me to stop Madara." He said calmly.

Gerotora unfolded his scroll like body and said sternly.

.

"Just press that nine prong seal on the paper. I hope you know what you're doing. This is the only key we have…"

Naruto pressed the seal and it glowed red with Kyuubi's chakra.

"I know." He replied as the red chakra river vanished. It was instantly resealed back inside of him in a white and red flash that left the paper smoking.

"You…you aren't going to let him have the other eight Tailed Beast are you?" He asked.

"Yes I am. Without Kyuubi the Jubi can't form. I just turned him into one big bomb…I think.

I'm getting us out of here…You'd better head out too." He said while hoisting Sasuke on to his shoulder and leaped away as fast as he could.

Naruto had almost made it to where the Leaf Ninja's were trying to fight the Two Tailed demon before time started slowly moving again.

.

He suddenly felt very tired and only made it a few hundred more feet before collapsing as time moved normally once more.

All the Tailed Beast quickly faded away as the last of their chakra was absorbed into very stunned Madara.

His mask cracked and a volcano of multicolored chakra shot out of it and filled the skies before it exploded violently.

The shock wave alone caused the earth to quake for a long moment before it finally settled.

.

Naruto was panting on the ground next to Sasuke when he rolled over on his back and yelled.

"HEY KAKASHI SENSEI!…A RANKED MISSION COMPLETE!"

All the frozen ninja's that were in a daze snapped out of it.

.

Kakashi was in easy ear shot of him and stopped the order to go look for him in the crater that had formed from the blast.

He rushed over to him, but Naruto was sound asleep by the time he got there.

He just shook his head at him and lifted him onto his shoulder.

"Gai, grab Sasuke." He said and then looked to all the other ninja on the field. "WARS OVER! Time to go home!"

"How did he do it Kakashi?" He asked as he ran over.

"Kami only knows. He is our village's most unpredictable ninja…" He stated in disbelief.

.

* * *

Flash back end

.

"That's how it happened. After that Tsunade made a decree that no one was to touch Sasuke. That he had made up for all the trouble he had caused.

She pardoned him for all his crimes." Naruto said very sadly.

Hanabi stared at him in thought for several long moments before asking him. "Why would you think it was a failure? You won and got Sasuke back."

Her face was very confused while looking at him.

.

Naruto nodded his head. "Yes I did win, but Sasuke is no longer my rival and he's hardly anything like the friend I once knew.

He is a broken man eaten up by his regret. He doesn't talk much and after three years he just now is finally starting to want to live again.

I saved his body, but I couldn't save his soul…He's no longer the Sasuke I once knew." He said and looked at the floor.

"Where is he now? Hasn't anyone tried to help him?" She asked.

Naruto looked over at her and henged his eyes back to blue. "He lives in Jiraiya's old house on the west part of town. I gave it to him.

And yes many people tried to help him and Sakura still takes care of him from time to time. You know…stuff like getting his groceries and cleaning up."

Hanabi eyes narrowed at him before saying. "You mean like the same way she does for you…" She accused him.

Naruto gave her a quiet fake laugh before stating. "Yeah…I guess she is still trying to take care of us…Maybe she is spoiling us..."

.

"There is a little more of my life you need to hear about." He said calmly.

"And?" She questioned him.

.

"Well…I never did finish telling you about me and Sakura…Where to start…

I guess I'll just give you the short version seeing as how I've been talking for so long already.

We started dating, but she always had reservations about it…So did I at first. I knew part of her would always love Sasuke.

It bothered me for a time, but I accepted this fact. Sometimes it just didn't feel right for us to be together.

She felt like we were having a relationship behind Sasuke's back. I wanted to tell him, but she said she would tell him and kept putting it off.

Finally I came to him and told him. He told me he didn't care. He never wanted to pass on his Uchiha bloodline anyway.

He told me they were a cursed people and it was best for his clan to end with him. He congratulated me and wished us the best.

I told Sakura and she was furious with me. She thought that telling him would only worsen his feelings of sorrow.

This was the biggest fight we had during our relationship, but eventually we got through it.

We started planning out our lives together and I had a idea of something I needed to asked Tsunade,…

Something I had been wondering about…" He stopped to gage he reaction.

Hanabi asked intently. "AND?"

.

He sighed deeply and leaned his head back to look at the ceiling.

"I asked her if I could have children…She ran some test and the results were not good…She told me no woman could bear children for me.

The mother of my children would die before the third trimester because of Kyuubi's chakra…

After that whenever things started getting intimate between us, I would pull away. I basically let the relationship crumbly." He stated.

Hanabi's face went blank with what he was telling her. "You mean…We can never be together?" She asked lifelessly.

"Hmmm I don't know about never. There is always hope, but it is unlikely in the long run." He stated to her kindly.

.

She blinked a few time at him in stunned shock before her face became sad. "Why..Why are you telling me this? I know you like me! I can feel it!"

He sighed deeply before saying. "Whether I like you or not has nothing to do with it. You're a Heiress Hanabi, you can't end up with someone that can't give you heirs.

I'm just telling you that this not likely to change. If you still want to be my pretend girlfriend that's fine, even though it does look bad on me as your Sensei.

If you don't want me to teach you anymore because of what I am then I'll accept that as well.

It wouldn't be the first time someone wanted to distance themselves from me after finding out.

These decisions are yours to make." He stood up with a understanding look on his face.

.

"But you have been through a lot since last night. You need time away from me to think.

I'm going to take you home for today. You are nearly through the first part of accepting me being a Jinchuuriki…,but there is still one part you haven't accepted yet."

He stated has he helped her off the couch.

She clearly upset and looked over at him and asked quietly. "What part is that?"

He smiled at her as he led her out the doorway of his house.

"It will probably hit you later tonight…You are still in disbelief. You will know then."

.

They walked quietly all the way back to the Hyuuga compound where he dropped her off.

She went upstairs without even saying goodbye.

"Hey Hiashi." He said with a calm look.

"Yes Naruto… I heard already." He said.

"Good. I guess you know what to expect then." He said quietly.

"Not entirely…It all depends on how much you told her…" He stated with a questioning look.

Naruto sighed and gave him a weak smile.

.

"She knows more about me then most of my closest friends do…I told her most of my life's story.

She is taking it rather well, but she's still got a long way to go."

He gave him a understanding nod. "I'll have Shizan look in on her Sage. You need not worry."

Naruto scratched the back of his head in slight frustration and said. "Yeah, that's hard to do. I'm turning into a worrier with my students lately."

.

* * *

.

Naruto was in front of a midsized house that was painted white with red trim in old faded paint.

He walked up to the door and was about to knock when a voice came from inside.

"Come in Naruto." Naruto smiled as he lowered his hand to the doorknob and entered.

It was dark in the house even though it was still daylight outside. The living room only had a few pieces of furniture in it.

There was a table with four chairs around it, a couch and a bookshelf with scrolls on it.

There was a fireplace in the far wall and a few pictures on the mantle that Sakura had left there for him.

"Hello Sasuke. How are you? I see you haven't completely lost your touch." He said.

.

Sasuke was dressed in simple white clothes with a bandage over where his eyes would be.

He smiled back at him. "I'm a peaceful person now, or at least I'm trying to be. Have a seat. I'll get the tea."

He walked into his dark kitchen and brought back two cups.

Naruto sat down with him at his table. "So what is troubling you?"

Naruto gave him a strained smile before asking. "Why do you think something is troubling me?"

Sasuke gave him a sarcastic expression before stating. "Because I know you. I'm blind not stupid."

Naruto looked at one of the pictures across the room with a sad look before stating. "Hanabi found out…"

He explained everything that had happened.

.

"I don't know what advice I can give you Naruto. You handled it much better than I would have…and in some ways much worse."

Naruto slumped onto the table and sighed. "Yeah I know exactly what you mean…Hey…What are you going to do with all your free time anyway?

You can't stay cooped up in here forever."

Sasuke held up one hand to stop his next question. "Naruto…I've told you. I've chosen to never go back to being a ninja.

I'm making amends for my crimes. My clan has caused enough pain and suffering to this world."

Naruto gave him a sour look before stating. "I didn't totally mean come back and be a ninja…You could do something else."

.

He sighed and then took a sip of his tea. "I honestly don't know Naruto. I'm getting better day by day, but I'm at a loss on what to do with my life anymore.

I've been training as a ninja for so long that I just don't know what to do.

I guess that's why I was depressed for so long and it's probably what was holding me back.

I've accepted the fact that I have to start over. I am still thinking on the matter." He said calmly.

.

"How is your training to follow the Moon Sage going?" Sasuke asked after a long moment of silence.

"It's…not going well." He admitted.

Sasuke held out his hand and lightning formed in his palm. He gave him a smiling seer and teased him. "It's still out of your reach?"

Naruto sneered right back and then smiled. "Thanks…I guess I needed that."

Sasuke smiled back. "Just because I gave up being a ninja doesn't mean I can't give you a nudge in the right direction.

I think we will always make each other stronger in some way…"

Naruto just nodded in agreement.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi walked down to her father's study and lightly tapped on the door.

"Yes come in." He said.

She opened the door and he father was sitting at a long desk with a quill in his hand while going over documents.

He looked up and got a curious look on his face before setting down his work and asked in a kinder and softer voice.

"Hanabi, What do you need?"

.

She quietly came over and sat down and said. "I've got some of questions."

He gave her an understanding look and said. "I figured you'd want to talk to Shizan about it…"

Hanabi looked at the floor before looking back up at him. "Shizan can't tell me what you're thinking. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it was not my secret to tell Hanabi.

There is a law that's still in effect from the Third Hokage that states that no one is allowed to talk about the Nine Tailed Fox being sealed in Naruto…" Hiashi told her.

.

Hanabi crossed her arms and tiled her head forward so that her hair covered her face.

"You could have at least told me he can't have children before I went and fell for him…" She stated with tears in her eyes.

Hiashi watched two silent tears roll out from under her hair.

He put his head in his hands for a moment before look back to Hanabi with a empathetic look.

"I'm sorry my daughter. I didn't know… "

.

* * *

.

The moon hung low in the cold night's sky as Naruto looked down on the village in its array of colored lights.

He was sitting with his arms resting on his knees with is back up against one the hair spikes on the Fourth Hokage's head.

"How is the sake?" Tsunade said as she walked up next to him.

His gaze never left the village lights.

"Probably as bitter as I feel." He said as he picked up the large bottle next to him and handed it to her without looking at her.

She sighed and took the bottle as she sat down next to him.

.

"I heard you went to the liquor store…It's not like you to drink….or to worry like this." She stated knowingly as she looked at the bottle.

She giggled at the bottle. "Naruto…Why didn't you just by firewater? It's slightly stronger, but doesn't have the awful taste that this stuff does."

He shrugged his shoulders while gazing out at the lights.

"I don't drink…so I didn't know what to get. I just asked for something that could even drown out your worries."

She uncorked the bottle and took a long pull on it and handed it back to him.

.

Naruto looked at the rim of the bottle and said. "Let's see if I fare any better the Hiashi did."

He tipped the bottle up and took four large gulps.

"Naruto!….You're going to give yourself alcohol poisoning." She stated with concern.

He coughed a few time and gasped for air. "Ouch…how do you…drink that stuff?"

She laughed at him. "I've been drowning out my demons longer then you.

The more you drink the stronger the drink needs to be to have the same effect."

Naruto was in pain and was rubbing his belly to try to calm the fires in it.

"Don't worry; the burning will go away soon. Here I'll help." She said as forced some numbing chakra into his body.

.

The pain instantly faded from him and he stared at her clearly stunned.

"I…I didn't know you could do that with healing chakra… How did you do it?

And for that matter why do you need to drink if you can numb yourself with chakra?"

She gave him a puzzled look for saying. "It's just surgical numbing chakra.

It's what we use in the field if we don't have drugs to numb someone…I'm surprised you didn't at least know about it and NO I will not teach it to you.

With your amount of chakra you'd paralyze yourself for life learning it." She laughed.

He smiled back at her and then put on a fake pouting look while crossing his arms said.

"Damn why can't I learn any of the cool healing Ninjutsu?"

.

She smiled at him and took the bottle back. "You certainly are the weirdest ninja I've ever met Naruto.

You can do the most amazing things with chakra and yet you see something small like using chakra numb part of the body and you think it's such a great jutsu."

She took another drink. Naruto shrugged and tossed her a casual glance. "That's because it is a great jutsu. A jutsu doesn't need to be S rank to be great."

She rolled her eyes while still smiling. "That's exactly what I mean. You could probably level a mountain range and yet you are so amazed by something so simple."

He laughed at her. "Of course. Leveling a mountain range is easy. You just combine three or more elements into the Rasengan and throw it.

It's impressive the first few times then it's just boring. There just isn't much need for that kind of jutsu.

I bet the person that invented that numbing jutsu is famous in the healing world. I can think of tons of uses for it." He stated.

She blushed slightly and said. "The Third Hokage wasn't very impressed with it when I showed him.

He told me I could have better spent my training time elsewhere."

He gave her a disbelieving look. "Huuu? I thought that old man was smart. How could he not see how useful a jutsu it is?"

She rolled her eyes. "Because a medic is never supposed to be separated from their supply bag…That and he had already taught me how to seal a pile of supplies into a scroll."

.

"WHAT?...Didn't he ever stub his toe at night? That jutsu would be awesome then!"

He stated as he got to his feet and intently pointed at his toe. "You don't hurt anymore you hear me!"

Tsunade laughed in a silly manner and nearly fell over.

"I could just see Sarutobi Sensei doing that!" She continued to laugh while slapping her knee.

"You know Shikamaru gave me some bed slippers to prevent that…"

He laughed as he took another drink off the bottle. "And who's on yours?"

"You and Jiraiya." She said and laughed.

He returned her laugh. "I got you and Jiraiya too!"

.

After they had calmed down they stared out into the night in silence.

"Naruto…What are you thinking?" Tsunade asked from her sitting position next to him suddenly breaking the silence.

He looked over at her while smiling. "I was thinking of a lot of things. One is that I haven't felt this good in awhile.

It's kind of nice. I've been down so much lately; I needed a break from it."

.

She peered at him for a moment. "Can you even walk? I can't tell how drunk you are because of the Sage marks around your eyes."

He giggled at her. "Well I don't know how drunk I am. This is only the second time I've drank. I can tell you I feel happy though.

The first time I drank was when mouthed off you Jiraiya about drinking too much.

He made me take a shot of what he was drinking. I think it was firewater, but I KNOW it hurt."

She laughed and took another drink from the bottle. "Knowing him I bet it was."

She calmed herself and got serious for a moment. "…Is that really all you thinking about?"

.

He looked over at her with a nostalgic smile and said. "I think about my greatest fear a lot of times when I come up here."

She sighed and wrapped her arms around her knees. "So you're thinking about Kyuubi?"

He gave her a weird look. "No, Kyuubi isn't my greatest fear."

He said with his mind as far away as his gaze on the stars of the night.

She shot him a puzzled look and asked. "Then what is it?"

He nodded his head a few times. "It's that first day after I become Hokage…When I sit down at that desk to serve the village.

It's when I pick up that first really hard mission and I have to hand it to one of my friends knowing they might not come back from it."

.

She looked over at him and said. "As much as I complain about the paper work, I have to admit that's my greatest fear too."

Naruto suddenly got a goofy grin on his face and laughed.

"Are you really that drunk Naruto?" She asked him with a concern look on her face.

Naruto took the bottle from in between her knees and took another drink. "Nope, but let's have some fun."

She gave him a flat annoyed look.

.

"This is normally when I punch a guy at the bar for using a pick up line on me…I hope you didn't mean it that way…" She warned him.

He rolled his eyes at her and helped her to her feet. "Do you know the game 'What can't you do with Chakra'?" He asked her.

She gave him a bemused look. "Yes I've played that board game as a teenager…How do you know about it? It hasn't been made for a long time."

He laughed at her. "I inherited it from my father with the house. Iruka actually borrowed it a long time ago from the Third Hokage, but it was my fathers.

He used it as a teaching tool."

.

She gave him a dull look. "You want to play a board game?"

"No I want to play 'What can't you do with chakra'…for really. Instead of moving a piece around the board and drawing cards for the questions.

We will try to stump each other with our own question. If you can do what the other person asked with your own jutsu you get five points.

If you can think of someone in the village that can do it you get one point. If you're stumped you get no points.

High score wins. Oh and nothing over a C ranked jutsu." He stated.

She sighed. "So it's like a 'What can't you do with chakra' Hokage edition?"

He gave her a silly look and said. "I guess…You go first. Ask me to do anything with chakra."

.

She thought about it curiously for a moment and said. "We need some thing's to work with."

He smiled at her. "Like what?"

"I need a cup and water." She said.

Naruto pulled out his sealing scroll and rolled through it. "There should be one in this section of it. Unseal!" He said with a hand sign.

A cluttered pile of old broken kitchen furniture and supplies appeared on the ground.

.

She looked at the mess on the ground and signed exasperatedly at him.

"Why am I not surprised that you would seal a mess into a scroll instead of cleaning it up the right way?

Well here is a glass. I'll just summon some water." She filled the glass and handed it to him.

"Boil the water without fire." She said.

He laughed at her. "Have you forgotten what my favorite food is?" He took the cup from her and held his hand over it.

He forced a great amount of air pressure on the top of the water.

It steamed for a moment then boiled.

.

"My turn." He stated happily as he tossed the cup over his shoulder and looked into the pile of stuff. He grabbed a small wooden chair with a broken leg and said. "Fix this."

She laughed at him. "You know only Yamato can use the wood element." She said.

He gave her a disappointed look. "You don't even want to try? No one said you had to fix it with wood."

She thought about it and used her earth element to form up a rock leg and replaced the broken one.

"Ha now it's my turn!" She said as she slammed down the fixed chair.

She uncorked the bottle of liquor and sat it on the small chair. "Take a shot from the bottle AND drink it without moving the bottle."

.

Naruto walked over and sat in front of the bottle in thought. "I have to use chakra so I can't use a straw…" He mumbled to himself.

"Oh…DUH!" He said slapping his forehead. "I feel dumb now. You gave me an easy one."

He used his water element to pull the drink out of the bottle and formed it into a small ball that hovered at face level to him. He walked over and swallowed it out of mid air.

Tsunade was slapping her knee she was laughing so hard. "I can't believe it took you that long to figure that out!"

He was rolling his tongue in his mouth trying to fend off the taste before saying. "Well sorry. I don't know all your bar tricks."

.

Naruto fumbled drunkenly in the pile and pulled out the broken chair leg. "Cut it smoothly in half without using a kunai."

"HA you must be pretty sauced up." She stated as she threw the chair leg into the air and summoned her chakra scalpel and cut it cleanly in half.

Naruto's face faulted. "DAMN! I forgot you could do that!" He yelled while pointing at her.

She grinned at him evilly and said. "Pick me up off the ground without touching me or spinning me."

"Ha that's easy for me and you know it!" He summoned two whirl winds that were ten feet tall. One was spinning to the right and one was spinning to the left.

One was spinning inside the other and lifted her off the ground for a moment. She had to grab the bottom of her shirt to keep it from flying up as she rose.

.

Once she was down on the ground again she was smiling like a child. "That was fun."

Naruto got his own evil look out. Tsunade was just about to take another drink off the bottle when he said.

"Using your jutsu make it to where you can never take another drink of liquor."

She stopped just as she was about to take a drink and then shrugged her shoulders and took the drink.

"Ha five points isn't worth that even if I could…Still that's a dirty move." She stated as she put the bottle back down.

.

"Seeing as how you played dirty with the last one… Pull the moon down to earth." She stated sarcastically

"Rikudo, The Moon Sage could. So I only get one point." He stated in a drunken manner.

"Ha using a myth to get your points…that's not fair…." She trailed of suddenly. "Never mind. Take your point." She said as she looked away.

Naruto fell over and said. "Help me up."

She eyed him carefully as the polished off the bottle and summoned the earth the rise under his back. He stood back up.

"Damn I thought I could get you to not use chakra." He stated with a smile on his face.

.

"I'm much smarter than that." She said as she tossed the empty bottle to him. "Get the bottle from second drawer on the left of my desk."

"Hmmm I can't use the yellow flash…it's too high a rank….I'll just do this." Naruto said in thought before walked over to the edge of the monument and lifted himself up with wind.

He floated down to the Hokage tower and in the window of her office.

He came back within a few minutes with it. He held it over his head and said. "I got it!"

"Good, next time you need to be faster!" She said angrily as she took the bottle and uncorked it.

.

They went on for over two hours until they both were very drunk.

Many of the trees had carvings of animals in their trunks from when they got into a statue war.

There was even a life sized stone statue of Tsunade that Naruto did using earth manipulation.

The ground was littered with oddities like a pot lid that had been crumpled up into a ball by Tsunade.

Each thing was more random and odd as they looked drunkenly around the area.

"Tsunade it's your turn…" Naruto said while swaying sided to side on his feet.

She blinked a few times at him before asking. "My turn to what?"

.

He narrowed his eyes in drunken thought before laughing. "Hmm I don't…remember actually."

Tsunade's face was very flushed when she said. "You're pretty drunk Naruto…and I'm not much better. Let's go home before we fall asleep out here."

Naruto drunkenly said. "Umm ok…What was the finally score anyway?"

She gave him a puzzled look and said. "I thought you were keeping score. I don't know… Let's call it a draw."

Naruto walked over to her and put his arm over her shoulder. "A draw hu?...Ok…I'll help you home like normal. I'm the more…whats the word?"

He fought with his befuddled mind for an answer.

"Stupid one?" She said hardly walking straight as they headed off to the Hokage tower holding each other up.

Naruto shook his finger in front of him a few times in thought before saying.

"That too, but that's not what I was trying to remember…Oh yeah…it's your turn. What did you want me to try to make next?"

.

"Naruto are you that…" She hiccuped a few times. "Are you that short minded? We just called it a draw not fifteen seconds ago." She stumbled and he caught her before she fell.

Naruto helped her to get her footing back and said. "THAT'S IT! I'm the more resowollble one." He slurred.

.

They staggered through the streets of the village before making it to the stairs of the Hokage tower.

"You know that whole time we were playing that game…It made me think of all the most important things I can't do with chakra." Naruto said suddenly.

She giggled at him while steadying them both with her hand on the railing.

.

"And what can't the Great Hero of the Village do with chakra?" She asked while trying to keep her footing.

He leaned over and touched his face to hers in a drunken stupor and sighed.

"You can't mend a broken heart with chakra….You can't get people to truly understand one another with chakra…You can't unite the five ninja nations with chakra alone…"

He stated trying to keep the stairs from looking so blurry.

They finally reached the top of the tower before she replied. "Is that really your goal?…To unite the five ninja nations?"

.

Naruto said. "Isn't that a good goal to have as a Hokage?"

She sighed. "Yes it's a great goal. All of the Hokage's wanted the same thing, but it's a very hard thing to do without starting a war."

She said while trying to remember how she was supposed to open the door to her office.

"Ummmm Tsunade…The guard is holding the door open for you…What are you doing?" He asked her.

She tried to clear her head with a few blinks, but it did little good.

"Oh right..." She said as she walked through the door with his arm on her shoulder.

"Ummm this is normally were I drop you off. But…Where is your bed room?" He asked hardly awake.

She yawned and moved them over to a scroll case that covered one of the walls.

She pressed a spot in the wall and the large bookcase moved out of the way revealing a door way.

"It's in here." She stated sleepily.

"That's very….ninjay of you…" He said trying to keep his balance.

.

He followed the dark passageway clinging to the walls for support and made it into a large decorated bedroom.

He put her down on a large four post bed with slugs carved out of dark wood for the post.

He turned to leave and then turned back to her. "Oh yeah…you told me to remind you of something…what was it?...

Water circle?" He asked trying to remember.

.

"Water Globe." She said while summoning an apple sized globe of water at the tips of her fingers. "Come here Naruto."

He staggered back over to her and she put the water globe into his forehead. "This should stop the hangover tomorrow."

She said and then yawned. "Take your shirt off. I'll heal your stomach so you don't get sick either."

He took off his trench coat with flames embroidered at the bottom of it and his shirt and laid them on a nonexistent chair.

She put her hand on his stomach and poured healing chakra into him for a few second. She eyed him for a moment while he swayed back and forth.

"Ohh yeah…It's still your turn." He said hardly awake.

She sighed and rolled her eyes at him. She got up and pushed him over onto the bed and yawned.

"You're way too drunk to make it all the way home…Just sleep here tonight."

She went to the bathroom and changed into her bedclothes before climbing into bed.

.

They battled even in their sleep. Both of them wanted to sleep in the middle of the bed.

Naruto did a wind jutsu in his sleep that moved her to the edge of her side and she would roll back over and push him over to the other side in her sleep.

They both were complete bed hogs.

.

* * *

.

Kakashi had been waiting for almost a hour in the Hokage's office before asking her assistant. "What is taking her so long? She told me to be here at nine sharp."

The assistant got a nervous look and said. "She's not up yet."

"And you're scared to wake her up?" He asked clearly unimpressed.

She meekly replied. "Yes…"

He sighed and walked over to the secret door and pressed the button and went inside.

.

When he got to the door of her bedroom he summoned one shadow clone and gave it the signal to open the door.

The door silently opened and the clone stood there in shock. Kakashi had his back pressed against the wall next to the door and gave the clone a confused look.

The clone raised one of its hands and pointed inside like a statue.

Kakashi crept around the door frame and looked inside. His eye went wide with shock and his clone poofed.

He saw Naruto sleeping on his back in the middle of the bed with no shirt on and his bottom half under the black covers.

Tsunade was wearing a risque looking, low cut blue night gown while sleeping on his chest. She was clutching at his ribs and he had his arms around her in a sleeping hug.

There were many long moments of him standing there in stunned silence before he got a evil twinkle in his eye.

He pulled out his camera and started snapping pictures.

.

Tsunade woke to the quiet sounds of clicking. She opened her eyes and everything was hazy and blurry.

In the blur of images she could make out the annoying flash of Kakashi's camera.

She blinked a few times to clear her vision.

.

"Kakashi…what are you doing in my bedroom?" She said sleepily as she laid her head back on Naruto's chest to go back to sleep.

"I just came to see what was taking you so long to wake up…If I had known you had…."_company"_…I would have just come back later." He said while smiling knowingly.

She stared over at him clearly not all awake yet before pushing herself to a sitting position and looked at what she was laying on.

She saw a chiseled set of abs…Well toned pecks and finally her eyes drifted up to a face with whiskered lines on it with black circles around the eyes.

Her eyes instantly snapped wide open. "_Oh Kami…I didn't…We didn't…Eww think Tsunade! What would Naruto be doing in bed with you…besides the obvious?" _

She stared at him while trying to remember last night…it was all a blur. She finally shook Naruto awake.

He blinked a few times and drew his face right up to hers while squinting his eyes at her.

.

"Tsunade?" He said sleepily.

She asked. "What are you doing in my bed?"

Naruto thought about it for a moment. "You told me I was too drunk to go home and told me to sleep here." He said as grabbed the covers and rolled over to go back to sleep.

"Soo nothing happened?..." She said in a warning manner.

Naruto looked up under his closed eye lids and said."….You snore kind of loudly. Other then that I don't remember."

Naruto almost went back to sleep before he realized what exactly she meant. His eyes snapped open and he vanished.

He was on top of the head board of the bed point a shaking finger at her.

"No Way! Did you get me drunk and take me back to your room to have your way with me?"

He accused her while blushing at her sexy night gown. "What if you get pregnant? You know what will happen! I'll get accused of killing the villages Hokage!"

Tsunade was quivering in rage and Kakashi sweat dropped.

.

"Naruto?" He said.

"WHAT?" He yelled as he looked over at him.

"You do know that older women can't bear children right?..." He said in a careful tone.

Naruto relaxed his arm and it fell back to his side. "Really? That's a relief then… I'm just glad I can't remember any of it happening…that would be too weird…"

He said with a dreading awkward look on his face.

.

"Grrrrr NARUTO NOTHING HAPPENED YOU MORON!" She yelled at him and then turned to Kakashi and spoke through gritted teeth.

"Give.. me… the…. camera…" He smiled and poofed into smoke.

She mumbled loudly in rage. "I'm going to kill him…."


	15. Chapter 15: A new Master

**.  
**

**Chapter 15: A new Master**

* * *

.

Authors note's:

* * *

Sorry for the long wait for the next chapter. The holidays are chaos for me.

.

Reviews/question:

* * *

.

_**Nelo Akuma  
2009-11-04 . chapter 14**_

_**Hello, long time lurker but first time reviewer.**_

_**I have to say I like the story front to back so far. It again shows me that life is a bitch in high heels with a whip, taking pleasure in our suffering and seeing us struggle.**_

_**Naruto has pretty much few 'good' things and many 'bad' things happen to him but I guess that is something that sets him apart from the rest of the manga cast (who to 90% are all **_

_**pussies to me, especially the Prince of Emo),**_

I'm guessing you mean Sasuke….but if I were to give top honors to any character for being emo it would easily be Naruto.

_**I too like a few others find the paragraphs and speech in general rather chopped up at times,**_

_** finding an 'unneeded' break in mid-sentence often enough (viewing the chapters in a 1280 X 800 resolution). **_

OMG thank you for actually posting a screen resolution**. **Most of it has to do with the websites crappy program that doesn't allow word wrap to work in double spaced format.

_**There is something that I wonder about though.**_

_**In chapter 7 where Naruto talks to Sakura, Naruto states that Kyuubi, who he calls Ruby there, is a female demon. **_True.

_**In chapter 14 Naruto switches in his history lesson for Hanabi from 'she' to 'it' when referring to Kyuubi and if am not totally mixing things up even once as 'he'. **_

He is referring to her as IT because he doesn't want her to know that Kyuubi is a female. Remember everyone hates Kyuubi.

He doesn't want them to know that he is on any sort of good terms with her at all. As for the "He" part I bet it's a typo that I haven't caught yet.

_**It's just a bit confusing to me.**_

_**Okay, Naruto has the Sharingan... never like that Bloodline the slightest to be honest but finally Tsunade's comment from a few chapters back about using 'It' against Kyuubi makes **_

_**sense. **_

Yes throughout history the only power to control the nine tailed fox was the Sharingan.

_**I truly wonder how you are going to go about WHY Naruto has been implanted Sasuke's eyes besides the old 'an eye for an eye' saying.**_

I'm sorry, nice guess, but you are wrong here for my story.

_**Maybe it's my hate for the 'cheating' Bloodline but I could have lived without Naruto getting the Sharingan, and that without the flaws Kakashi experiences with his implanted eye. **_

…keep reading it's explained later in the story.

_**I could see several reasons for this but all boil down to either a) Tsunade being just that more awesome than Rin. **_Sorry, no this isn't it.

_**or b) Kyuubi did something out of grudging respect for her carrier. **_Again sorry no. Kyuubi was nearly drawn from his body when it happened.

_**Also I find the whole Naruto fighting Kyuubi scene a bit... i don't know but from earlier chapters I got the impression that Kyuubi, while by no means being 'good', isn't a random beast **_

_**of destruction but simply one of the most powerful beings of the Elemental Nations that steamrolls anything in her path.**_

Very good. You're asking all the right questions, keep reading all will be relieved.

_**I feel it as the 'I have power and I am not afraid to use it' approach most 'higher ups' seem to display in RL.**_

_**but enough ramblings. I can only wish you well and hope for a soon update of this truly entertaining story.**_

_**.**_

_**- Nelo Akuma**_

_**Alvord12  
2010-01-09 . chapter 4**_

_**I don't mean to be rude or anything, but you seriously need to learn the difference between bear and bare.**_

_**Here's the difference: **_

_**Bear - To endure or tolerate.**_

_**Bare - An adjective which means uncovered or exposed.**_

_**I found these errors in Chapter 4:**_

_**1. She was trying to BARE (bear) looking at me**_

_**2. Every week she would be a bit less fearful, she could bare (bear) my sight for a few minutes longer.**_

_**3. My clone could only bare (bear) the sound for a few seconds before releasing itself**_

_**4. I can't believe he kept that bottled up for so long...how could he bare (bear)**_

I was pretty sure you were wrong on bear and bare until I looked it up. Turns out you're right. I'll fix it soon. Too my knowledge bear meant a big giant Bear…. like a grizzly bear.

Thank you poor government schools for the lack luster education.

_**These are the some of the problems I managed to spot. Other than that, your storyline (plot) is quite good.**_

_**Considering Hanabi is just a supporting character you've managed to depict her pretty well. **_

LoL you give Hanabi more credit than I do. At best in my mind she is merely a side plot device to make you feel sorry for Hinata. But when I started this story I asked one question….

"Who should Naruto end up with that would help a dumb guy like him become Hokage." The answer was resounding, after all my research…

Hanabi the heir to the Hyuuga clan and this is where this story starts to take shape, but that doesn't mean it will happen in this story.

_**But Naruto seems a bit OOC though :( **_

I'd honestly like to know where you feel he is OOC.

Please remember he is looking to pass on his knowledge to the next generation. He isn't the brat from his childhood. It is six years pasted the manga at this point.

_**Oh, and please, please find a beta. It'll be much better if someone can proofread your chapters and remove the grammatical mistakes and typos.**_

_**I think you know, that poor grammar and spelling mistakes tends to ruin the flow of the story and distracts the reader, it'll be really helpful if you could proofread future chapters.**_

_**I understand that you may not have enough time **_

_**to write fanfiction but please remember that the readers prefer quality of the the chapter, over how fast it's posted. Hope this helped you! :)**_

LoL you have no idea how humble of a writer I am. Here is a hint… I flunked almost all my English classes and English is my native language.

My wife is my editor but I'm sorry she not that great…

She gets wrapped up in the story and over looks my mistakes.

.

Last Chapter.

* * *

.

He accused her while blushing at her sexy night gown.

"What if you get pregnant? You know what will happen! I'll get accused of killing the villages Hokage!"

Tsunade was quivering in rage and Kakashi sweat dropped. "Naruto…?" He said.

.

"WHAT?" He yelled as he looked over at him.

"You do know that older women can't bear children right?.." He said in a careful tone.

Naruto relaxed his arm and it fell back to his side.

"Really? That's a relief then… I'm just glad I can't remember any of it happening…that would be TOO weird."

.

"Grrrrr NARUTO NOTHING HAPPENED YOU MORON!" She yelled at him and then turned to Kakashi and spoke through gritted teeth.

"Give.. me… the…. camera…" He smiled and puffed into smoke.

She mumbled loudly in rage. "I'm going to kill him…."

.

Chapter 15: A New Master.

* * *

.

Naruto showed up at training ground thirty-six late again.

Konohamaru was practicing his summoning jutsu with four clones.

"Hey Konohamaru…" He said in a dreary mood with a rather large bump on his head.

.

He looked over at him for a moment and then pointed to his bump and laughed.

"What happened to you? Did you piss off Hanabi again?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed at him. "No…this is the reason you shouldn't drink with the Hokage…" He said clearly un-amused.

He stopped in mid laugh. "No way! How did she trick you into drinking with her? I thought you of all people would know better."

Naruto turned away and quietly replied.

"I was the one drinking, she joined me…Hanabi found out about Kyuubi and I'm not sure what's going to happen next."

He gave him a concerned look. "You seem a bit down about it. I take it her reaction wasn't that great then."

He nodded his head. "Yes and no…By the way, using shadow clones to learn the summoning jutsu isn't going to help you here."

He looked at his clones and back to Naruto.

"I thought something was off when I couldn't summon anything with clones, but if I blow all my chakra in one shot to get a summons then I can't practice for the rest of the day…"

.

"You need to have all your chakra in one body… Did you summon anything yesterday?" He asked.

He got a very embarrassed look on his face before admitting. "Yeah I blew all my chakra in one shot again."

Naruto gave him a curious look. "And what did you summon?"

"That damned diaper monkey again!" He fumed.

"Tell me you didn't try to attack him again?" He asked dreading the answer.

Konohamaru gave him a foreboding look before saying. "…Kami no…After I saw what I summoned… I ran for it."

Naruto gave him a strange look while he drew up a mental picture of him summoning the small monkey and then freaking out and running in fear.

Naruto hit the ground laughing.

.

"HEY cut it out! It's not funny!" He said has he stomped his foot in frustration.

"Well its better then what I summoned when I first started hahaha."

Konohamaru dispelled his clones and crossed his arms waiting for Naruto to laugh himself out.

After Naruto had calmed down he asked. "Hey what did you summon?"

"I was summoning tadpoles for three weeks..." He admitted.

"Tad…poles…HAHA you're pathetic!" He stated.

Naruto was still smiling at him. "Yeah well my tadpoles didn't beat me up and now I can summon the two elder frog Sages…"

.

"Ergh…What am I doing wrong here? Give me a hint at least." He begged.

Naruto thought about it for a moment before getting to his feet.

"Well when you sign a summoning contract you must realize they are only required to come when called. They aren't required to help you.

You're going to have to earn their trust and respect first." He stated wisely.

.

Konohamaru closed his eyes in thought for a moment.

His look went to annoyed then to rage. He snapped his eyes open and said.

"ERGH! It's no use! Every time I see that little monkey's face I become infuriated!"

_"And he thinks he's got it rough…No wonder Jiraiya threw me off that cliff." _Naruto thought sarcastically.

"That's all you get. The rest is just the guts to keep trying it until you've mastered it." He said.

Konohamaru scowled at his back as he walked away to do his training.

.

Konohamaru kept trying until lunch time and only managed to summon a monkey smaller then the last one that could only suck its thumb.

He panted on the ground. "At…least it's…not trying to…throw crap at me." He said trying to catch his breath.

"Ok Konohamaru lets go get lunch and remember no training tomorrow. We start the Chunin exams on Monday." Naruto said.

.

He got up and started to follow him. "How long do you think it will be before she gets over the fear of realizing that thing in you isn't going away?

I kind of miss our sparring match…My Taijutsu was getting better."

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, but she was still peaking at us during training.

I hope it's before Monday so we can take the exams together."

Konohamaru nodded his head as he followed Naruto to get some ramen.

.

Hanabi jumped down from a tree at the back of the training area and sighed.

"I just don't know how I feel about him anymore. That thing in him was the scariest thing I could ever imagine." She said sadly.

"You know, Naruto has been a hero of this village long before he was named a hero Hanabi." Neji said from a nearby tree.

"Every day he breathes is another day that he holds that demon inside of him. He is himself in spite of everything the world has thrown at him.

He is a man I truly strive to be like."

.

She looked at Neji. "You know at this moment…I wish uncle would have been born first.

I'd rather have the bird in a cage curse on me and be able to be with him, then to be the heiress without him.

I still can't figure out all these messed up feelings." She said while look at the ground as she crossed her arms close to her body.

Neji looked up into the clear cloudless sky and said. "You know for the longest time I thought I should the heir too, but I'm not so sure anymore…"

She looked over at him. "It's always been clear you should have been the heir…Even I see that. What made you unsure of it?"

.

Neji gave her a slight laugh while thinking about a memory.

"When you beat Lord Hyuuga in that sparing match using Naruto's Shadow Clone jutsu." He said.

"Even I have never put your father on his rear in a sparring match.

No matter how hard I tried. He is just too good. Every time I try something new he beats me down with the basic.

When I try to refine my basics to his level he only shows me how much farther I have to go when he beats me again."

She looked at his with a sour look. "I just caught him off guard…He wasn't expecting the Shadow Clone jutsu…" She stated.

He smiled at her and said. "It doesn't matter if you only won a single time.

If it would have been real combat you could have killed him. It only takes one mistake and then it's over." He said knowingly.

.

"How long did it take for you to accept him after you found out?" She asked him with slumped shoulders.

"I can honestly say it was the first time I saw it come out of him.

The way he was fighting it and trying to save a man that was sealed with The Nine Tails chakra as well.

He saved that man and expelled the chakra in him so that he could lead a normal life.

I saw that day that he was fighting it…He wasn't the Nine Tails, but he struggled against it." He told her.

.

She sighed. "I guess I need more time…I wish this could have happened after the Exams.

I need to keep training, yet I'm scared of my Sensei." She said while the fidgeted and looked at the ground.

Neji looked at her for a moment. "I almost thought to call you a coward, but I have to admit that I understand. It will take time."

She thought for a moment. "Hey, why don't you train me for today?" She asked intently.

He suddenly seemed on guard yet he did not move." Is that a…order?" He said carefully.

.

She went wide eyes for a moment. "No! Of course not."

She was all too aware she could order him to train her, but even her father asked Neji to do things.

He hadn't order anyone in the lower branch family to do anything since Neji's fight with Naruto.

"Good." He said while smiling at her.

"Your basics in your form are still sloppy and you get hot headed and make mistakes. I will not train you…even for a day.

I'm far to curious to see what kind of Shinobi Naruto is going to turn you into and so far I'm impressed….You do know who has the basics down the best don't you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, but farther is too busy to train me…"

.

He gave her a stern look. "No, it's not Lord Hyuuga…I'll give you a hint…green."

She thought about it for a moment before getting a foreboding look and hanging her head.

"…You've got to be kidding me…Not the eye brow freaks again…

I'm still stuffing my brains back into my ears from the last time he used his poke attack on me…"

He smiled at her. "The very same, besides Naruto there is no one that trains harder than those two.

I'm not going to mess with his training of you. Lee is a lot like him.

He would be good substitute for Naruto until you've had time to sort out your feelings."

.

She got an unhappy look on her face. "I just hate sparring with Lee. He makes me feel… so…inferior to him…"

He nodded his head a few times. "I feel that way to when I fight him.

I used to beat him with ease. Now I can hardly call myself his equal."

She stared at him in shock. "But you're a Jonin and he's only a Chunin under your command in your squad?"

He smiled and then he chuckled. "True, but what good is my gentle fist against him?

Sealing his chakra will do me no good and now his heart is true.

I can't make him doubt himself, nor am I fast enough to block him. Do not be so caught up on our ranks.

The person that judges Naruto as a Genin would be in for a nasty surprise when facing him." He told her.

.

She nodded her head a few times. "The rock, the paper or the scissors." She replied.

He smiled honestly at her. "You see, your sensei has taught you well. Besides you heard him.

No training tomorrow, you might as well over do it today just like he always does."

He said with a knowing smile.

.

* * *

.

She headed over to their training ground and could hear a sound that made her wince every time she heard it.

"HA!" Followed by the crack of a fist on solid wood. She was almost to the clearing and she rubbed her fore head that stung from just remembering.

She step out onto the training ground and Lee was there alone striking a wooden post over and over.

"Hello Lee." She said respectfully with a bow.

"HA…" He stopped in mid punch as he looked over at her curiously.

"Hanabi…what are you doing here? The exams are in two days. Shouldn't you be training with Naruto?" He asked.

She lifted her head out of the bow and went to say something but Lee cut her off.

Lee eyes turned to fire and his fist quivered in front of him.

.

"Finally! A girl has fallen for me! I'll have a real girlfriend at least! Happy day, happy day!" He said as he danced around like a ballerina.

Hanabi face faulted and she fell over. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

She yelled instantly getting to her feet and pointing a quivering finger at him.

She stood there in stunned silence_. "Oh my…He IS just like Naruto…He totally puts me off my guard."_ She thought.

Gai sensei appeared out of no wear and clocked Lee over the head. "Lee! Never make a pass at another man's woman!"

Lee got a horrified look on his face and said. "I'm sorry Sensei! I was not making a pass as you say, it was a misunderstanding!"

.

Hanabi held her head in her hands. "I can believe I came here to ask you two to train me for the day…" She said in dismay.

"Oh you are here to train with us on your last day of training before the exams.

Naruto is truly smart leaving you in our care." Gai sensei said with his double thumbs up and gleaming smile.

She sighed and slumped her shoulders. "Naruto didn't send me…Neji suggested you guys."

Gai and Lee held each other in an uncomfortable to watch hug with rivers of tears following out of their eyes.

.

"You hear that Lee?" He said.

"Yes I did Sensei, the Hyuuga clan wants us to train their Heiress!" Lee stated emotionally.

_"Ewww gross…I don't even want to know…"_ She thought in disgust as she looked away.

"Actually…I found out about the Nine Tailed Fox being sealed inside of him and I am just too confused to train with him today."

She admitted while hanging her head.

.

Gai looked at her for a moment and said. "I see. Then let's get to training."

Lee gave him a confused look and asked. "But sensei shouldn't we…"

"Quiet Lee…She wants to lose herself in her training. She's trying to take out her frustration in her training….

You still have a lot to learn when it comes to understanding people."

He told him quietly.

"Yes Sensei!" Lee replied.

.

Gai said in a much kinder voice.

"This time when it stings…keep going…when its bleeds… keep going…when it starts to truly hurt…stop.

Otherwise you will break bones like you did last time. Remember we don't have a medic here like Naruto this time." He warned.

She got a confused look on her face. "You talk of him like he's Tsunade. He even told me he hardly compares." She stated.

Gai smiled at her and said. "Actually he is nothing like her.

Naruto has so much chakra that even if he fails to heal a wound he can try over and over until he gets it right." He stated.

"Ok Gai sensei." She replied.

.

"You know the routine, two thousand punches and two thousand kicks, but before that…Hanabi come here." He said as he pulled out some bandages from his pouch.

She walked over to him and he tied them around her hands.

"This will protect your hands and will help you train longer. I don't know why you wouldn't be wearing them already." He said.

"Father doesn't use them so I never use them. He says they can weaken our Gentle Fist even if they do protect the hands." She replied.

"Well you'll need them today." He said honestly as he wrapped her hands in the bandages.

.

She managed to get through her two thousand punches without breaking any fingers and fell on her back panting.

"I …can't believe you do….this every….day." She stated.

Gai smiled at her and said. "Actually…We do eight thousand…We only cut the number back because you're here."

She was just getting back to her feet when she fell back over in dismay. "You've got to be kidding me…Eight thousand?"

She eventually pulled herself up and started on her kicks. She made it to just over sixteen hundred before collapsing.

.

"I…can't go one….It just hurts…too much." She panted.

"Well you are doing better than last time. Your stamina is better and you didn't break anything. Take a few minutes to rest up.

Then you'll be sparring with Lee for the last hour." He stated and she flinched.

.

She got into fighting form with Lee and they sparred. Lee had to remind her to keep her eyes open when fighting several times.

She kept closing them when Lee attacked in fear of is dreadful poke attack.

Lee constantly kept telling what she was doing wrong in her Gentle Fist attacks and defenses.

Unlike last time she didn't get mad.

She was intently trying to land a blow on him, but never succeeded to hit the nimble fighter.

.

Gai finally said. "Ok it's time to get cleaned up and get dinner."

"But Sensei…We are quitting early today?" Lee said clearly disappointed.

Gai wiped his face with his hand and gave Lee a tired look. "Lee…Hanabi can't keep going as long as we can.

I wanted her to feel like she completed a day of training with us…That was until you opened you big trap!" He stated.

Lee wore a very strained look and said. "I'm sorry Sensei, I guess I am not as smart as you." He was bowing on the ground in front of him.

"Come on, it's off to the baths." Gai said while walking away with Lee in tow.

.

Hanabi stood there blankly not knowing what to do. She certainly didn't want to take a bath with two other men.

"Come on Hanabi. You supposed to be escorted around by a guard of Jonin rank or higher." He said over his shoulder.

"Umm I came here by myself though." She said.

"That's because there was a Anbu guard following you. He has long since left. Now hurry up or no dinner!"

She snapped to attention and hurry to catch up to them.

.

Hanabi had never been to a public bath house, but was relieved when she found out it wasn't a co-ed bath.

They were in a long wood floor hallway with two doorways covered in a curtain. One had a symbol of a man and the other had a picture of a woman.

"Ok you go in there Hanabi and we will be over on this side. Just yell if you get into any trouble." Gai sensei said.

Lee rushed into the mens side and Hanabi heard him yell. "CANNON BALL!"

A great splash could be heard before Gai said. "Hey! No fair getting started without me m'boy!"

Gai darted off followed by a louder splash.

.

Hanabi nervously went into the woman's side of the bath and undressed. She wrapped a towel around herself and headed out to the hot spring bath.

The spring was cut in half with a sturdy looking wooden wall.

The waters were a milky green and steam slowly rose of the top of its surface in lazy laps of clouds.

Hanabi slowly lower herself into the water.

"Leaf style water shock wave attack!" She heard Lee say and she heard another thunderous roar of water then a splash.

"To slow Lee! Water striking shot!" Gai said and she heard a loud strike on the water was heard followed by a crash.

"Do not get comfortable Sensei. I will not fall for that trick again." Lee said.

So afterward a loud crash could be heard again. "I will not fall for it a third time Sensei!"

.

Hanabi was eying the wall fearful that their battle might cause it to fall.

She hid herself on the other side in a corner of the spring away from the wall.

She tried to enjoy herself, but the battle next to her was too loud and noisy …and some of strange and disturbing move names…

She was still far too embarrassed to relax in a public bath even though she had the whole girl's side to herself.

When she was finally starting to relaxed and then she felt rather jealous of all the fun Lee and Gai were having on the other side.

She didn't even know that she wasn't alone. A very old, short woman was only a few feet away from her with her head barely above the water.

"KRAKEN WAVE!"

"GREEN CLOUD OF PROTECTION!"

"Hehehe those two are as lively as ever." The old woman said.

Hanabi jumped at the sudden voice.

.

"I'm the care taker of this hot spring. It's not often they bring a girl her anymore.

Oh my dear…I think you've been in her too long. Just look at your eyes." She said.

She stared at her for a moment. "I'm a Hyuuga…my eyes are always like this." She said calmly.

"Oh that makes sense. Your eyes look just like Neji's…Is he your brother?" She asked.

.

"No, he is my cousin." She told her in a reserved manner not quite believing that she didn't already know about the Hyuuga clan.

"Oh it will be nice to have a guess as well mannered as Neji again. He never did get involved in the water battles.

We almost never get any females to come be because of those two." She said in a horse old voice.

Hanabi looked at her for a moment before asking. "Why don't you just tell them to stop or kick them out?"

"Well I couldn't do that. Master Gai is the owner of the Green Rock Springs.

A long time ago he took pity on me and my husband and brought us to this village.

He bought this place for us and told us we would stay here and run it." The old woman stated.

.

Hanabi asked curiously. "Why would he do that?"

She moved a bit closer before saying. "Well as kind hearted as master Gai is…He has never been good with the ladies.

Our daughter Kimik was a wild and unruly girl. We had honestly had enough of her.

We offered to marry her off to anyone that thought they could handle her.

That is when Master Gai came to us." She said.

"So you're his in-laws…now it makes sense." She said nodding her head.

.

"No we aren't his in-laws. Gai offered to take her off our hands and we accepted.

It all went bad when they met for the first time.

She thought he was the ugliest man she had ever seen and refused to marry him.

We told her she had no choice and that she would be leaving in the morning with him.

She started a fire in our house and ran away.

Master Gai helped us put out the fire, but our house was nearly burnt down to the ground.

He apologized to us for his looks and forever asking for our daughter hand in marriage.

We were the ones that were sorry. He still didn't have anyone to be with.

He took us back to this village and let us live here. He gave us jobs and pays us well. He is a very kind hearted man." She said.

.

"I never knew he was that sort of person." Hanabi said in mild shock.

"Oh yes…He is real keeper if you're looking for a man." The old woman hinted.

"DARNIT SON! Cut it out! If you soak my futon again, I'll turn you over my knee and pop ya a good one!

You're never too old to get a spanking!"

The voice of an old cranky man yelled.

"Sorry Dad." Gai said meekly.

"Sorry…" Lee said quietly.

.

Hanabi looked back over to the old woman with a very flat, disbelieving look.

The old woman wore a very strained smile.

Hanabi said in a very annoyed manner. "I'm not on the market. I've already got someone I like."

The old woman rolled her eyes. "Let me guess it's the Great Sage Naruto Uzumaki…"

She spoke in a sarcastic manner. "Yeah how did you guess?"

The old woman sighed. "He's already with the heiress of your clan named Hanabi, you don't stand a chance. You should give up on him and date my little Gai.

Think about it, you could have Konoha's Noble Green Beast all to yourself." The old woman said suggestively.

.

"Oh crap Lee we forgot to warn her about mom… HEY Hanabi!

If there's an old woman over there, don't believe a word she says!" He yelled over the wall.

The old woman got a stunned look on her face before she said. "You're…Hanabi?"

Hanabi looked very put out while glaring at the old woman.

The old woman darted off in the blink of an eye, just like Gai sensei, leaving a dust cloud behind her.

.

She sighed and thought. _"I can't believe the nerve of that old women! She almost had me going about Gai sensei being a kind hearted man."_

Hanabi got out and put on a robe in the changing room. She then realized she didn't have a change of clothes with her.

She looked around the room and saw there were no other clothes for her to wear.

.

A very obvious arm was stuck through the curtain covering door that was waving a green jumpsuit at her.

Her face faulted. "You…You have got to be kidding me! NO WAY! I'd rather go naked." She yelled.

"I'm not sure that's going to work. The servants already took your clothes to be wash. They will not be done until in the morning.

Besides if you go around showing off all of your no, no places Lee will likely beat you to death for doing something immoral…"

Gai said as his flapped the green jump suit a few time and waited a second…

"Then when Hiashi finds out he'll get the Hokage to bring to back to life and He'll yelled at you until your ears fall off." He said waving the jump suit again and waiting.

"Then Nar…" She snatched the ugly green jump suit out of his hands in frustration.

.

Gai looked over at Lee in the hall with his arm still behind the curtain. He pulled his hand out with a thumbs up and gave Lee a gleaming smile.

Lee jumped up and down with his arms over his head while mutely yelling. "Yeah!"

Hanabi was in a very foul mood as she put on the horrendous thing.

She hated the look of it, but she had to admit it was very comfortable. It was easy to move in and soft to the touch.

It felt as good as it looked bad. She checked herself in the mirror and blushed.

.

"I'm Gai sensei…I think I need a bigger size…" She said while looking at the outfit revealing every facet and curve of her body in a very indecent way.

"Oh right…Sorry I think I gave you one of Lee's from when he was a boy. Here try this one." He dropped another one through the curtain.

This one was much thicker and a larger size that didn't look so…alluring.

She put it on and timidly came out of the bath.

Lee said. "Yay! Now you're one of us!"

Gai smiled and said. "I take it you don't like the color, but it's made of the finest and most durable cloth money can buy. It's your reward for training with us."

She was clearly embarrassed but managed to say. "Th…thank you."

.

"Ok you two, we are going out to eat tonight!" He said with a smile.

"YAY curry of life, curry of life!" Lee cheered.

Hanabi dreaded going out in the green outfit and asked curiously and quietly to Gai. "What's the curry of life?"

Gai whispered to her. "Whatever you do…don't eat the curry of life….it's the curry of death to anyone, but Lee…Even Naruto couldn't stomach the stuff."

Her eyes went wide in stunned silence.

.

"Umm that's ok, I'd rather stay here until my clothes are done being washed. You two have fun." She said nervously.

Gai looked at her and said. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't let you stay.

You have to have a Jonin rank or higher guard Hanabi and my father isn't even a ninja. My mother isn't either."

She slumped her shoulders in dismay.

"You have to come with us or your father will get upset with me for leaving you unguarded." He said in a 'that's final tone.'

.

Unluckily for her the eatery was all the way across town and most of the town saw her wearing Gai's old uniform.

Several even openly pointed and laughed at her. She trudged her way there feeling like the village's spectacle clown.

"Yay we are here!" Lee said as he raised a fist to the air.

They were at a humble old wood building and had a sign that read. "The Dragon's Fire Eatery."

They walked inside and took a seat at the bar.

"Hi Karashi!" Lee said happily while waving at him.

He replied. "Coming right up." He turned around and went back to the kitchen.

Hanabi was miserable and took a seat and let her head fall to the bar counter with a dull thud.

.

The chef Karashi came back with a note pad to take their orders.

"What would the two of you like?" He asked.

"I'll just have the beef plate with white rice." Gai said.

Hanabi never moved her head from the bar and said. "I'll have the curry of life."

Gai got a wacky multi posed shocked look and whispered loudly in her ear. "I told you it's the curry of death to anyone, but Lee!"

She looked over at him and blinked blankly at him a few times and then turned back to the chef and said. "Curry of life please."

.

"Ok two beef platters one spicy, one normal coming up." He said with a quick rise and fall of his eyebrows and headed back to the kitchen.

"So just anyone can't get the curry of life I see." She stated with her head on the bar.

Gai gave her a dreading look and whispered loudly.

"Nooo of course not! You have to sign a waiver to even get the stuff that states if you die from it…it isn't the restaurant's fault."

Hanabi just shook head on the bar in misery.

.

* * *

.

Naruto's worry for his students hadn't stopped in the least. He had sent a clone with Konohamaru and had been watching her all day.

Naruto watched her come out of the hot spring wearing the same uniform as Gai and Lee.

He watched her endure the horrible looks of the village as she went to eat with them and he left when they finally went inside.

Naruto whispered softly to himself in a defeated manner.

"So you have chosen a new Sensei rather than return to me…I understand… They are far more suited to teach you then I am…"

.

* * *

.

After notes:

I wanted to go over this chapter more, but I've went a lot longer then I meant to in posting a new chapter.

I'm still going back through my pages of reviews to fix the stuff you all are telling me about.

I'll try to have the next chapter up by the end of the month. Hope you enjoyed.


	16. Chapter 16: The First Task of The Exams

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**Chapter 16: The First Task of The Exams**

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Author's Notes:

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Questions/Reviews:

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Last Chapter.

* * *

.

The chef Karashi came back with a note pad to take their orders.

"What would the two of you like?" He asked.

"I'll just have the beef plate with white rice." Gai said.

Hanabi never moved her head from the bar and said. "I'll have the curry of life."

.

Gai got a wacky multi-posed shocked look and whispered loudly in her ear. "I told you it's the curry of death to anyone, but Lee!"

She looked over at him and blinked blankly at him a few times and then turned back to the chef and said. "Curry of life please."

"Ok two beef platters one spicy, one normal coming up." He said with a quick rise and fall of his eyebrows and headed back to the kitchen.

"So just anyone can't get the curry of life I see." She stated with her head on the bar.

Gai gave her a dreading look and whispered loudly.

"Nooo, of course not! You have to sign a waiver to even get the stuff that states if you die from it that it isn't the restaurant's fault."

Hanabi just shook head on the bar in misery.

.

* * *

.

Naruto's worry for his students hadn't stopped in the least. He had sent a clone with Konohamaru and had been watching her all day.

Naruto watched her come out of the hot spring wearing the same uniform as Gai and Lee.

He watched her endure the horrible looks of the village as she went to eat with them and he left when they finally went inside.

Naruto whispered softly to himself in a defeated manner.

"So you have chosen a new sensei rather than return to me…I understand… They are far more suited to teach you then I am…"

.

Chapter 16: The first task of the Chunin Exam's.

* * *

.

Naruto sat quietly on the ledge of the Hokage's office watching a new dawn being born over the Hokage Monument.

The first rays of a new day touched the whiskers marks on his face as Tsunade came up the stairs in full ceremonial garb with her assistant in tow.

"Naruto, what are you doing here? The Exam starts in three hours. Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Tsunade said in a very tired tone.

Naruto grabbed the ledge and flipped down in front of her. "Long night of drinking Tsunade?" He asked knowingly.

"Hmph, after all the time I spent putting together the Chunin Exams I'm entitled to a few drinks!... You didn't even come out to see everyone else arrive."

She said slight disappointed as she headed into her office as Naruto followed her.

.

He took a seat in front of her desk. "Sorry I wasn't in a …social mood yesterday." He replied quietly.

"You maybe a Sage, but this will be the hardest Chunin Exams there has ever been. You know that we haven't held it in over three years.

There are many powerful Genin taking the Exam. The water monk Takia is taking the exam this time.

You know he stopped a Volcano in the Land of Mountains with his water Jutsu right?

Gaara's apprentice Matsuri is here as well. And don't forget your own apprentice…

This isn't going to be easy, even for you." She told him sternly.

Naruto gave her a weak smile. "I think I've failed before taking the field.

My teammate for the Exams still isn't ready to talk to me yet and she has been training with another squad."

.

"I'm well aware of your situation Naruto, but you should have at least shown yourself yesterday.

There were many officials that wanted to meet with you.

You have to remember you're a representative of this village more so then any Jonin because of what you have done…

One of your old friends even came here to see you for the exams." She stated in a concerned voice.

Naruto looked up at her. "I'm sure I can meet up with them later then."

Tsunade scowled at him. "The Kazekage doesn't take time away from his village very often!"

"Gaara? Gaara's here?" Naruto asked in surprise.

Tsunade stared him down.

"Yes, he wanted to meet with you and he figured he would be able to since yesterday was supposed to be a rest day for you."

.

Naruto looked solemnly at the floor. "There is no such thing as a rest day for me…Not any more.

I was training all day and most of the night at the Hokage Training ground." He said.

Tsunade sighed and spoke in a much kinder voice. "I know you were, but you can't train away your problem Hanabi.

You two are taking this exam together regardless of how scared of you she is. The both of you are expected to show up…together.

It's expected…It's well known even in other nations that you have been teaching the Hyuuga Heiress and that you two might be starting to be more than just student and teacher…"

Naruto gave her a sarcastic look. "Oh joy. Now other Four Ninja nations are going to think I'm playboy as well.

As if I don't have enough to worry about." He muttered while looking at the ceiling.

.

Tsunade looked over at him and said.

"It's not too late to visit Gaara…You still have some time before the exams start. Maybe you should go see him.

After all he's the only one that might be able to give you advice on your problem.

No matter how much I want to understand what it's like to be a Jinchuuriki just to help you…I can't."

.

Naruto gave her a slight smile. "Thanks, I'll go visit Gaara and maybe have breakfast with him." He said with his mind far away.

"He is staying at safe house number thirteen by the south river in town. Here, I'll write you a letter of audience to see him."

Tsunade said while pulling out a sheet of paper to write something down.

Naruto was already standing with one of his blue kunais in his hands with his eyes closed in concentration.

Tsunade looked up from her writing and scowled at him. "NARUTO DON'T…" She managed to say before he vanished.

"ERGH! DAMN HIM! For all his strength I swear he's still as dumb as a box of rocks when it comes to politics!

He can't just be so friendly with Gaara like that! He IS the Kazekage after all." She said angrily.

.

Kakashi closed his book while leaning against the far wall and sighed.

"When has Naruto ever treated Gaara as anything less than one of his most treasured friends?" He said.

Tsunade crossed her arms while her temper simmered. "Still…how can he ever hope to be Hokage with such bad manners?

I had hoped Hanabi could help him with that problem but…" She trailed off as her anger suddenly subsided.

She sat there for a long moment looking at the floor before saying and a softer voice.

"I'm surprised he didn't come to you for advice."

.

Kakashi nodded his head a few times. "He did...He asked me yesterday morning.

I really am starting to miss when he was younger and I could actually answer all his questions.

Not that he had a lot of them with as headstrong as he was back then..., beyond the one… 'How do I get stronger?'" He said.

He pushed himself away from the wall and stared out at the monument of the Fourth Hokage with a much more serious face.

"The older he gets the more complicated his questions are.

I've been thinking on it for almost a day and I'm still at a loss as to what advice to give him." He said a stood there for many long moments.

.

"Can you feel it Tsunade?" He asked suddenly breaking the silence.

"Hmph, what's that Kakashi?" She asked.

"The next generation…..They are already starting to take over…Soon they will not need us anymore." He said as he turned to look at her.

Her eyes narrowed on him and she said. "Are you implying I'm getting too old for this job?"

Kakashi smiled solemnly at her and drew a blue kunai from his holster and held it out in front of him.

Tsunade looked down and stared at her desk for a long moment.

.

She sighed deeply and reached into the top draw of her desk and pulled out the kunai Naruto gave her.

"You see…whether we want it to happen or not, it is happening…. I think it's time you submitted your list of successors." He said.

She hung her head and then opened the bottom draw of her desk and pulled out a old sheet of paper from the back of it.

She inspected the faded paper for a long time.

"What makes you think I haven't? It's that same three names it's always been…My first choice died in the fight with the Akatsuki…

My second is standing in this very room.

And my third never got approval from the council and he is probably getting attacked by twenty sand ninjas for not following procedures." Tsunade stated sourly.

.

* * *

.

Naruto reappeared in a small, dim room with two beds and a night stand in-between them.

His yellow flash jutsu made no sound and yet he barely managed to avoid a kunai with a rope attached to it that streaked by his head.

"Wind Spear jutsu!" A strong female voice shouted as it passed over his shoulder and went though the outer wall of the room.

A great sound of a gale blowing could be heard after it went through the wall.

"Dodge all you like! I will not let you lay a hand on Gaara! Snake vine tangle jutsu!"

The rope in the wall turned into a rapid moving rope that threatened to ensnare Naruto.

Naruto leaped to the ceiling to avoid it just before hearing. "Sand shield!"

The shield held the rope firm as grains of sand fell to the floor like snowflakes.

.

"Matsuri…you have to know it's a enemy before attacking."

Gaara said slowly then coughed a few times before turning on the lamp near the bed.

Gaara's was in a small bed sitting up right with his chest wrapped in bandages.

Matsuri wasn't the shy, skinny girl she was the last time he saw her.

She had blossomed into a beautiful young woman that carried herself with resolve.

She had two whips in her hands with kunais attached to them that were laying limp on the floor.

.

"Couldn't you feel the great amount of chakra from this person?" He asked.

"It could have been the Hokage trying to kill you for all I knew." She replied sharply.

Gaara coughed several more times. "Tsunade is over seeing my recovery. She isn't about to try to kill me.

You're far too protective of me. I'm still more than a match for almost any foe even in my condition." He said in rasps.

Naruto dropped down from the ceiling near Gaara. "Gaara what's wrong with you?" He asked with is voice full of concern.

Matsuri stared at Naruto for a long moment before realizing who he was and she stepped outside the room just as thundering footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door.

.

"I've been infected with a flesh eating mold, some of it got though my sand armor and took root on my chest.

None of our medics had seen it before and the best they could do was to put it into stasis."

He said trying to catch his breath.

.

"Gaara…Are you in any danger?" He asked worriedly

"No, Tsunade has seen to that. She has removed the mold, but it's a wound that has to heal naturally.

This is the main reason why I'm spending the entire Chunin exams here.

It is so she can over see my recovery." He said.

.

Naruto walked over and sat down on the other bed a few feet away from him and asked. "Do you suspect that you were poisoned by someone?"

Gaara's breathing calmed and he said. "No…it's not likely. The mold naturally eats dead trees or bark.

Its preferred food isn't human flesh. The ninja's that did the investigation on it found it was on one of the old book I was reading from our archives."

Naruto looked at him in thought for a moment and asked. "How does that rule out foul play?"

Gaara replied. "Because the book hadn't been read since the second Kazekage was alive."

Naruto looked at him questioningly before asking. "How can you be so sure?"

.

"Because it was sealed with a seal that only a Kazekage can open. I'm sure your village has seals equaling its kind.

Forgive me, but I can't tell you much more than that.

I do have to protect our archive secrets…I'm sure you understand…" Gaara said knowingly.

Naruto looked up at the ceiling. Of course he knew what Gaara meant. He was the keeper of the villages back up archive.

.

"So you're really going to stay here for three months? Are you sure your village can do without you so long?" Naruto asked.

Gaara gave him the slightest of smiles. "The exams will only last two to three weeks Naruto.

You're not supposed to know that, but it makes little difference.

If you asked me, I'd tell you the set up for the whole exams in the interest of your opponents.

I feel you shouldn't even be made to take this test with all you have done for the five nations."

.

Naruto gave him a smile while nodding his head and said.

"In many ways I agree with you, but if you make exceptions for one then you'll have to make exceptions for others.

I don't want the order of our ninja system disrupted for me."

There was a long silence before Gaara asked. "How is your training going?"

Naruto let out a long sigh and feel back onto the small bed.

"In the last four years I've effectively done over forty-two hundred years worth of training.

Medical Ninjutsu taught me the water element well enough to master it.

I learned fire fairly quickly too because of Ruby being fire based. Earth…" He said and sighed.

"I still struggle with earth. I'm not a master by any means, but I can use it well enough for my needs.

.

Gaara nodded his head. "If it were any other time when I had a few days away from the village, I'd personally teach you the earth element." He said kindly.

Naruto looked at him honestly. "Yeah I know…But I would never ask you to do that.

I owe you enough for the anti-poison training your medics taught me."

Gaara became quiet and asked. "And lightning? How is that coming along?"

Naruto wore a solemn look and said. "Nothing. No matter how hard or long I train. The results are the same. My element leans the farthest away from lightning.

I don't know how the Moon Sage did it…Even with his eyes."

.

"You never seem to change Naruto. You're always training. So why have you come to me?" Gaara finally asked.

Naruto looked over to him with a friendly smile. "You hungry? I thought we could get breakfast together seeing as I missed you yesterday…

Matsuri you can stop hiding at the door and come in."

A loud thud was heard and the scrambling of someone getting back to their feet before the door opened a few moments later.

The door creaked open slowly and Matsuri came in awkwardly.

.

"Umm I was…just gu-guarding the door. I…I sent the other guards back to their post." She stammered.

Naruto smiled at her nervousness and said. "So what does Gaara normal like to eat for breakfast?

She blinked a few times at his odd question and replied. "I normally feed him grilled cactus and doe weed.

It's a pretty common morning meal in the desert."

Naruto rubbed his chin in thought for a moment. "So…YOU feed him breakfast…"

"Wait wait…" She said with her arms shaking defensively out in front of her.

"That's…That's not what I meant! I meant I bring him his breakfast!" She stammered.

Naruto chuckled at her.

"It's not like that Naruto. She is over protective of me because of all the times I've saved her from harm.

She feels the need to repay me for doing was a master should do." Gaara said in an emotionless tone.

.

"Uhh hu…and does that include sleeping in the same room?" Naruto said suggestively.

Gaara stood up and put on his formal Kazekage robe and hat and said.

"She helps me change my bandages and reminds me to take my medication, nothing more."

Naruto chuckled. "I was only messing with her.

I don't think there is a place in the village to get that kind of breakfast though.

We could always go to my favorite place to eat." He said with a big smile.

"Where is that?" Gaara asked as he was adjusting his hat.

"Ichiraku Ramen of course!" He said as he walked out the door.

Gaara followed him and said. "I remember the medics said you talked about that place quite often when you came to get your anti-poison training."

"Yup. It's not open yet, but if we take our time getting there then we should make it just as he's opening up."

.

* * *

.

Naruto, Gaara and Matsuri made it to Ichiraku's Ramen just before opening time.

The small humble stand still had its shutters closed.

The sounds of boiling water and chopping could be heard coming from the other side.

The smells of chicken broth and pork hung thick in the air.

Naruto took a seat on one of the six bar stools and Gaara sat next to him.

Matsuri looked around and said.

"This isn't really what I was expecting…I thought your favorite place to eat would be a fancy restaurant. Not a to-go bar."

She took a seat next to Gaara.

"I've been coming here since I was little. This is the first place I come to after a long mission.

It's one of the things I miss most when I'm away." He said with a longing smile.

Matsuri asked him respectfully. "So the food is really that good here?"

"You better believe it!" He said enthusiastically.

.

Soon the sound of a lock clicked and the linked shudders clattered open. Teuchi had his note pad in hand.

"So what will you… WOH!" He flinched and dropped his pen that bounced a few times on the bar.

Gaara gave the ramen master an odd look and asked in an emotionless tone. "Does my appearance…frighten you?"

Teuchi had his hand on his chest trying to clam is racing heart. "Yes…I mean no. Sorry, I just wasn't ready for it."

He said collecting his composure. He gave Gaara a respectful bow and said.

"I'm sorry for my reaction. I hope you haven't taken any offense."

.

Gaara paused for moment and said. "No offense was taken."

"Well what will you have today?" He asked with a smile and his pen over his notepad.

Naruto enthusiastically spoke up. "I'll have four bowls of pork cutlet with extra eggs!"

Matsuri gave Naruto a curious look and asked. "Is this food salty?"

Naruto eyes narrowed at her. "Of course. It IS ramen after all…"

.

Teuchi put his head in his hands and said. "Naruto…most sand ninja's don't like salty foods…Even I know that."

Naruto gave him a strange look and asked. "Why not? What's wrong with salty foods?"

"Naruto, water is scarce in our village. We don't eat salt because it dehydrates the body.

We are all taught not to waste water at a very young age. Even the wealthiest of our village doesn't eat salt very often." Gaara stated.

Naruto got a foreboding look and said. "No wonder I thought all the food there was so bland."

"Don't worry, I'll take it easy on the salt. You two aren't the first sand ninja's I've served." He reassured them.

Gaara took a moment to look over the menu and said. "I'll have the vegetable bowl please."

Matsuri said respectfully. "I'll have the same please."

.

"How are things in your village these days?" Naruto asked.

Gaara look over at him and spoke calmly.

"Every day brings new challenges and new problems. Over all it's been peaceful these last three years, so I have no complaints.

Our ninjas taking the exam are well trained. I'm hopeful to get at least six Chunin's this year."

"Six? Wow that's a lot for one year." He replied in mild surprise.

.

Gaara watched Teuchi cutting up noodles and said. "Not really. We have thirty- four squads taking the exams this time."

Naruto's eyes went wide and he said.

"Wow! My first time through we only had about fifty squads total. No wonder Tsunade said it was going to be tough this year."

"I believe all the nations are having thirty-four teams participate this year. All the nations are overdue for promotions.

Our village had an exam just to qualify before we got here." Matsuri said.

.

"Speaking of which…Where are your teammates?" Naruto asked Matsuri curiously.

"I don't have any. I'm the only student Gaara ever accepted. I'm taking the exam alone.

I haven't gotten my hopes up to become a Chunin my first try, but I will do my best." She said respectfully.

"Hmm I thought you had to have three members…" Naruto said in thought.

.

Gaara looked at him solemnly. "As much as I wish I was gifted with your great ability to forgive anyone for anything.

I do not possess it to the degree that you do.

I would lay down my life for any of my people, but I just can't bring myself to train those that treated me so poorly or to train their children.

Not yet. I do have another I am training. He's a small boy and he has no idea it's me helping him with is Taijutsu.

He too was being mistreated because he was small. I come to him masked and cloaked to oversee his training at night.

I hope he will be ready for the exams in another year. Then Matsuri will have a teammate.

I don't have enough time to take on students as it is. This is the best I can do for now." He stated.

Matsuri gave Gaara a sour look of disappointment. "And he will not even give me a hint as to who it is."

.

Naruto laughed at her. "Of course not. He doesn't want you trying to steal his student!"

Matsuri chuckled loudly.

.

Naruto finished his third bowl of ramen in an inhaling manner and set the bowl down.

"Woh! That's was good. I hope the first task is a mission quest.

Maybe escort a merchant or maybe like the scroll test the last time I took it." Naruto said hopefully.

Gaara said. "It's a wr-"

.

A voice from down the street cut him off saying the same thing over and over while getting closer and high speed.

"Ramen ramen ramen ramen RAMEN!" Konohamaru sprinted at full speed and skidded to a halt right in front of Ichiraku Ramen with his dust trail over shooting him.

"Hey! You're supposed to treat your students on an important day like this!" He said with a quivering finger of accusation pointed at Naruto.

"Hmm?" He said as he was slurping the noodles of his fourth bowl of ramen into his mouth.

"DON"T HMPH ME! WHERE'S MY BOWL?" He yelled at him in anger.

.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Ok, ok it's my treat. Order what you want."

"YAY! Three bowls of pork cutlet ramen please!" He said as he happily sat down.

Matsuri eyed Konohamaru for a moment before asking. "Who is that guy?"

"That is Naruto's student and the Third Hokage's grandson Konohamaru." Gaara said quietly.

"Actually I made him my apprentice of sorts." Naruto said casually between slurps.

"This is the 'God of Ninjutsu's grandson'?" She asked skeptical manner.

.

Konohamaru looked over at her and casually said. "Hey, how's it going…."

Naruto said. "Matsuri."

"Matsuri…Wait this is Gaara's only student? Do you think she can summon a sand tsunami like Gaara?" He asked Naruto intently.

Naruto reached over and held his hand over Konohamaru head for a moment without looking at him and smacked him on his head.

"OWE! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" He asked in protest while rubbing his head.

.

"For asking about a competitor's jutsu before the test." He said through his food in an annoyed voice while eating.

"Aww , but you said he can summon a huge wave of sand and I never got to see it…" He complained while still trying to numb his throbbing head with his hand.

"Would you really want him to show you it when we are in the middle of the village? He'd bury most of this area." He replied.

"Well…no, not here, but I'd still like to see it." Konohamaru said hopefully.

"The only way you're likely to see that jutsu is if you attack him and survive long enough that he doesn't have any other choice, but to use it. I don't recommend it." Naruto stated.

Konohamaru's eyes went wide. "There's no way I'm attacking one of the five Kages just to see a jutsu!" He stated ominously.

Naruto nodded his head a few times and said. "Then don't ask about it."

.

"Your student is a lot like you when you were younger Naruto." Gaara said.

"I know." He said in a knowing manner that was both proud and sarcastic.

They finished their breakfast at a leisurely pace and Konohamaru got up and said. "What do you think the first part of the test will be?"

"I have no idea." Naruto said.

"It's a written test." Gaara said without any emotion.

They both hung their heads and said. "Crap! I hate tests like that."

"I'll see you later Naruto. And don't think I'll be holding back when we get matched up in the third round!" Konohamaru said with a wave as he darted off.

"He's certainly lively." Matsuri said.

.

"I need to get going as well. You two take care." Naruto said and got up to leave.

"Naruto I have a favor to ask of you." Gaara said suddenly.

Naruto turned back and looked at him curiously. "If you get pitted against Matsuri in the test…Don't hold back." He stated.

All the color drained from Matsuri's face and she stood there blankly.

Naruto gave him a honest smile said. "Sure thing Gaara."

.

He leaped away through the crowds of ninja that where heading to take the test as well.

"Ma-master w-why did you do that? Have I displeased you so much that you want him to kill me?

You said it yourself that it was unlikely that even you could beat him." She stammered.

Gaara turned to her with his emotionless eyes. "That is true. If you ever want to find out why, you'll have to fight him yourself."

Matsuri was clearly on edge as Gaara led her to the academy where she would be taking her test.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi was at the dining room table with her father, sister and cousin.

"Are you nervous?" Neji asked her.

She threw him a sideways glance and said. "A little." She went back to staring at her food.

"I'd say that it's more than a little. You haven't even touched your food." Hinata said knowingly.

Her father spoke in a commanding voice. "You have to put your feelings for the Sage aside and take the test with him.

Just concentrate on the task in hand nothing more. Remember you are our Clan's representative for this exam.

I expect you to behave properly."

"Yes father." She said meekly.

.

The sounds of chop sticks on plates boomed loudly in the silent room as they ate.

"Will Naruto be taking me to the exams?" She asked nervously.

"No, he's meeting with the Kazekage this morning. I'll be escorting you to the test." Neji stated.

"You two best hurry. The streets are crowded with other ninja this morning." Hiashi said.

.

The streets were indeed crowded, more so then Hanabi had ever seen them.

Every eave and hotel on the way to the academy had ninja's on them getting ready.

"I've never seen the village so pack." She said loudly over the noise of so many others talking.

"I had no idea it was going to be this bad or I would have left earlier." He yelled back through the loud noise of everyone talking.

The roof tops had Anbu on them watching over the crowd and breaking up fights that broke out.

Neji kept anyone from getting too close to Hanabi.

.

Some places were so bad that the ninjas were smashed right up against each other.

It took them three times longer than normal to get to the academy building they were assigned to.

The crowds were much thinner once they were off the main roads.

The five story building had a short line of Genin and a Jonin instructor with a clipboard and a paper at the door.

.

They waited in line quietly until they made it to the instructor.

Once they reached him he asked. "Name, squad, affiliation and Jonin instructors name?" The ninja asked them.

Hanabi straitened herself up tall and said. "Hanabi Hyuuga, Squad Seven, Land of Fire and…" She paused for a second to think before speaking again.

"My instructor is a Genin named Naruto Uzumaki."

.

The instructor peered over his clipboard at her as Neji put his head in his hands.

Neji mumbled loudly. "It figures Naruto wouldn't even teach her the basics."

He took his head out of his hands and said. "Her Jonin instructor is Kakashi Sensei."

.

"Kakashi? He's retired. I thought Naruto was the leader of Squad Seven." She said in near offence.

"No, even if Kakashi was taken out of Squad Seven the leader would be Sakura until the Hokage assigned a new one as she's the highest rank in the group." He stated.

She blushed slightly from embarrassment.

She then crossed her arm while giving him a stubborn look and said. "Kakashi isn't the one teaching me though."

"He's still the instructor of the group. Naruto is your master of sorts, but technically he isn't allowed to take on students until he becomes a Jonin.

He is taking on students only because there isn't a law against it because they never had a Genin capable of handling it until now.

Nor have there been students that wanted to be trained by a Genin. He is training you in Kakashi's place." He stated in exasperation.

.

The instructor chuckled softly and said. "Well, well you're one of the Sage's students. It will be interesting to see how far you make it.

Your test room is seven C. If your team members aren't there by ten o'clock you all fail." He motioned her inside.

Hanabi bowed slightly and went inside the door. Neji tried to follow but the instructor held out his arm to stop him.

"I'm sorry test takers are the only ones allowed to enter." He stated firmly.

"I'm assigned to protect her by the head of the Hyuuga Clan. She is our Heiress." He stated firmly.

"Sorry rules are rules. I can't let anyone else in. There are a lot of Nobles taking the test I can't make exceptions."

.

Hanabi transverse the hall were several three man squads were loitering and talking about the test

Some seemed nervous, others were over confident to the point of being arrogant.

Hanabi kept quiet while moving through the crowded hall.

"Hey there honey. I think you're in the wrong place." A giant, fat earth ninja with no hair said as he stepped into her path.

"What a beautiful little girl and she's all alone. Just the way I like them." A tall skinny man with short read hair with a evil glare.

"Pretty girls…I hate pretty girls." The purple haired woman with green eyes said while scowling at Hanabi.

Hanabi ignored them and kept moving forward.

.

The fat ninja stepped in front of her barring her way. "Hey now I'm talking to you missy. That was very rude, now you better apologize."

"As if I would apologize to you. You fat slob." She snapped at him.

"What did you just say?" He retorted angrily.

"Yeah the little twit doesn't even know who she's messing with. I already hate this girl." The angry woman said.

"There is an empty room down the hall that would be perfect for teaching her a …lesson in manners Senkai." The red hair man said.

"That a great idea Lenza. If we hurry we can even make it back for the exams on time." He said with smile.

"She will not be so pretty when I'm done with her." The woman said with a sadistic grin as she drew a kunai.

Hanabi wore a expression of annoyance and gritted her teeth before whispering. "Byakugan."

The veins in her temples bulged.

.

Whispers from a group of leaf ninja's could be heard saying. "Look someone's picking a fight with Hanabi."

"Really? Are they stupid or something?" Another said.

"I've got to see this." Another said as all three of them watched the battle about to unfold.

.

"Aww I think she's scared now? Look at her face." Lenza said in a teasing manner.

"Nasty. Look at those veins." The woman said.

"Still, you're coming with us." Senkai said and tried to grab Hanabi's forearm.

Hanabi moved around his clumsy grab and hit him right on the forehead with an open palm.

She quickly turned in fully Taijutsu form to the other two and the big man hit the floor out cold.

"What the heck did she just do? She barely touched him and ends up on the floor!" Lenza said in surprise.

.

The other squad of leaf ninja were already trying to suppress there giggles.

"Akema I think we might want to get out of here." He said looking around at everyone staring at them uncomfortably.

"HAHAHA! Now he figures it out. What morons! Who in the right minds picks a fight with a Hyuuga?" The middle leaf ninja said.

"Yeah I know." Another agreed.

Lenza reached down and helped drag the fat man to his feet.

Akema sneered at Hanabi for a long moment before saying. "This isn't over wall flower. I'll find a way to get you."

"Hey give me a hand. Senkai's freaking heavy!" He said as he strained under the big man's weight.

She went over and helped haul the fat man away.

.

"You get those types of guys every exam. They try to bully others to make others think their strong." The shortest in the leaf ninja squad said.

"And then they turn out to be weaklings." Another said.

_"Maybe it wasn't so smart to come inside without Naruto. I'm making myself a target for other groups."_ She thought as she headed off to the stairs.

.

* * *

.

She made it near the stairs where there was a crowd of twenty or so ninja all talking loudly.

_"Can't anything be simple? Even making it to the room is proving to be a chore!"_She thought in exasperation.

"What's the hold up?" She asked another leaf ninja.

.

"They say Naruto is blocking the stairs telling everyone to go home, that they aren't worthy of taking the test." He said.

She blinked a few trying to process this information. "He what?" She said in disbelief and shock.

She slowly worked her way through the crowd while hearing his voice.

"None of you guys are worthy so pack up and get out of here." Naruto said loudly.

"I didn't come all the way here just to get turned away." One ninja said.

"Me either!" Another said.

"Let's just force him out of the way." Someone suggested.

"I'm not touching him. He's already dropped two others without breaking a sweat. You can go for it if you want." Another replied.

Many of the other ninja were protesting and getting mad when Hanabi finally made it to the front of the crowd.

.

Her expression went from disbelief to rage. Even the loud room started to quiet down as she stared daggers at him.

"Woah! Who's that short girl that looks like she's about to attack him?" Someone whispered.

"I don't know." He whispered back.

"You're…." She said through gritted teeth. "You're not Naruto you imposter…"

"Ha come prove it then!" He replied and taunted her.

_._

_"How DARE he muddy Naruto's name like this! Naruto can do that just fine on his own!_

_Kunai launch at his left side and side spin and land a strike at each of his lungs. _

_That should shut this imposter up, especially when he can't breathe."_ She thought angrily.

She grabbed a kunai out of her holster and charged her hands for the attack.

.

She suddenly felt a huge mass of chakra behind her and a hand on her shoulder.

Naruto's eye pupils were flattened out and he was radiating chakra out in all directions from behind her.

Several ninja backed away from the sudden overwhelming killing intent coming out of the Naruto behind Hanabi.

"Wow, now there are two of them." One guy said fearfully.

"Maybe he IS the real Sage. I didn't even see him move and he did the shadow clone jutsu. He is fast." Another said is disbelief.

A smaller girl ninja from the Land of Wind was visibly trembling.

"That's not a shadow clone behind her. That's the really one.

I've never felt this much chakra before…The air…it's humming with chakra."

She said while backing away in terror. "That guy is total different then there other one!"

.

The tension in the air was stifling.

As the two Naruto's stared at each other. The Naruto behind Hanabi slowly let go of his killing intent until the tension broke. The other Naruto's henge broke into a puff of smoke.

A Jonin instructor hit the floor panting from the stress.

Naruto turned around while his eyes went back to normal.

"Hanabi….I asked you to never use that unless you were in dire need." He said in a stern manner.

Hanabi blinked a few times and gave him a blank stare for a long moment.

She slowly looked at the kunai in her hand…A cobalt blue kunai and it hit her.

_"Oh Kami I loaded my Kunais in the wrong order!"_ She thought in dismay.

Naruto sighed as his eyes went back to their normal blue. "I just wasted a lot of chakra… Come on let's get to the testing room." He said as he walked up the stairs.

.

"Sorry Naruto. I didn't mean to call you like that." She said apologetically.

Naruto stopped suddenly. "By the way…Which room is our testing room?"

He asked with a boyish grin while scratching the back of his head.

She gave him odd look and said. "Seven C."

"That's on the third floor then." He said.

"It's right over there Naruto." She replied while pointing at a room in front of them.

Naruto leaned down and whispered to her.

"This is the second floor. Just making it to the class room is part of the test. Be mindful.

In a mission little things like that can cost someone their life."

"Yes sensei." She said with wide eyes.

.

They entered the class room that could hold over a hundred people.

They took their assigned seats at different ends of the class room and waited for the bell to ring.

"_Wow this takes me back to my days in the academy."_ Naruto thought nostalgically.

The class room slowly filled up and the bell rang. Everyone took their seat at a desk. A thick paper booklet was on each desk.

_"This looks like a ton of questions. Ergh I hate these kinds of test!"_ He thought as he rolled his eyes.

.

There was a short puff of smoke from behind the desk and the instructor appeared and said.

"I am Shibi Aburame, the instructor for the first test.

Just by making it here you have passed the first part of the test, but now the really test begins.

The rules of the test are as follows.

.

You are allowed to use any jutsu you wish to help you absorb information from your test booklet and only the test booklet as long as it's not disruptive.

You are also allowed to use any jutsu to increase your speed of writing down answers if you posses any.

The use of any other form of jutsu is forbidden and since I know we have at least one elemental master in the room,

I'll also add this includes jutsu that can be done with thought alone.

The use of any drugs to enhance your intelligence is forbidden as they are almost certainly fake and are likely poison that you bought from a con-artist.

You will have to pass this test on your own.

.

If anyone is caught cheating you will instantly fail. The failure of one person in a squad means the whole squad fails.

You are to answer as many of the questions as you can in the one hour time limit.

As we haven't had the exams in a long time, the point system has been changed to weed out those that have a weak mind.

For every correct answer you get you will get one point, for every one you answer incorrectly you will get deducted five points.

Anyone with a negative number at the end will automatically fail. Your squads score will be added together at the end of the test.

Only the top seven squad's scores will advance to the next task.

If you finish please sit quietly until the test is over.

Oh….one last thing." He said with a deadly calm.

"The Hokage has required that I tell you all that there is a very real possibility that many of you …will die while taking this test…" He said ominously.

.

A stunned silence filled the room before someone said.

"Ha die from a written test." The ninja was clearly trying to hide his nervousness.

"Yes. Unfortunately I'm required to give everyone the chance to leave the class and try again next year if you don't feel you're up to the task this year."

He stated with a open hand pointing at the door at the back of the room..

"You have five minutes to speak to your squad and make your decision."

The room was suddenly a whirl of movement as squads got together and spoke.

"You don't really think we can die from this written test do you?" One person asked.

"Not a chance. They aren't allowed to kill us just to test us." Another said.

"You fools…there were a few ninja's that died during the second test last time they held it. We aren't allowed to kill our opponents during the third test.

They are encouraged to make sure there is a chance of death during these tests!" The ninja hissed loudly.

.

Naruto never moved from his seat and waited calmly for the five minutes to expire.

Hanabi quietly made her way over to Naruto and when she was within five feet of him he suddenly said. "Remember my lessons Hanabi."

Hanabi stopped in her track. _"I hate that he knows where I am without looking at me."_

She thought as she closed the gap between them. She kneeled down next to his desk. "Do you…"

"Yes." He answered her question before she spoke it. His eyes were locked on the chalk board at the front of the class.

.

"Really?" She said worriedly.

He lean over and whispered to her. "The clock for the test has already started…

It's on his desk, you're already failing to grasp the first part of the test. Be aware of your surroundings…

He's already shown just how deadly this test is going to be as well." He stated without emotion.

Hanabi suddenly looked at the chalkboard.

On it were hand drawn pictures of beetles and insects and a short description of each of them…most were highly poisonous.

Hanabi's face suddenly wore a look of dread though she did well to hide it.

_"Oh Kami! They are going to release all those bugs while we are taking the test!_

_That's what he meant when he said this was going to be a deadly test_…" She thought ominously.

.

"Back to your seat Hanabi." He said as he pulled out a kunai and picked up his test booklet.

He cut the paper seal it and opened it up. Several other Genins faced lit up when Naruto did this and started their own test.

"What are you doing Naruto?" She whispered loudly.

Naruto was already on the second question. "I told you the test has already started." He stated loudly.

.

"No it hasn't. He hasn't said start yet. He gave us five minutes to…"

The wind ninja said as he looked around room to see several others had started there test and several more squads heading for the door to retire from the test.

"But..but… you said we had five minutes to…" The ninja said to Shibi.

"Oh dear me…I forgot to tell you…the test started…when the bell rang…

The five minutes is the time in which you can choose to leave before the test gets …deadly." He said in an eerily calm manner.

The wind ninja wore a frozen stare.

"Only fifty-six minutes left to answer as many questions as you can." He said with a slight laugh.

.

Hanabi raced back to her seat and opened her booklet.

Hanabi quickly picked up on the pattern of the test. One insanely hard question, then five easy ones…over and over.

_"If I miss even one of the easy ones I'll have a negative score and fail right off the bat. Kami, the highest score I can hope for is a ZERO!"_ She thought in dismay.

.

"The five minutes is up." Shibi stated. "Please seal the doors."

Two Anbu closed the doors and a heavy bolt could be heard sliding into place with a loud boom in the quiet room.

"Now is when you will put your life on the line."

He said ominously as thousands of bugs emerged from his body and filled the room in a deadly swarm.

"You are no longer allowed to move your feet during this test….Let me explain why."

He said as he pulled out a long stick and slapped it loudly on the chalkboard which caused most of the Genins to jump with a start.

"This is the tusker cloud beetle. Its shell is a bright green color because it is a grass insect. This helps to camouflage it from its enemies.

This breed also has one other thing that makes it unique…if it is stepped on its poison gland of quickly evaporating poison is released into the air.

It's a poison that…"

.

A crunch echoed through the room from under the desk of one of the test takers that was nervously taping his heel while trying to block out Shibi's grotesque lesson on bugs.

"Oh…. it seems Mr. Hekai of the Land of Lightning has offered his services on what happens when you step on a tusker cloud beetle…" He said.

The unknowing ninja looked up just after his name was called as a green puff of poison wafted up from under his desk.

At first nothing happened…but soon all the bright green beetles in the room started flying around erratically.

Some were even knocking other bugs out of the air to get to Hekai.

Within a second they swarmed him. He tried to scream, but all that came out was a water gurgle as they entered his mouth and devoured his body.

In the span six heart beats his body was reduced to a pile of bones that littered the chair and floor around his desk.

.

"They are also known as the cannibal frenzy beetle. Fascinating aren't they?" He said in a emotionless tone.

One ninja panicked and ran to the door screaming. Bugs scurried out of his way as he ran to the door.

"LET ME OUT! I QUIT!" He yelled in terror as he banged on the door.

"Oh you don't understand Mr. Zahei of the Land of Lightning…You can't escape this room until the test is over.

You already had your chance to leave." Shibi said without emotion.

He continued to bang on the door and scream for help.

"It's not a good idea to make noise like that. You'll attract the dust red beetle…" He stated

Red beetles swarmed him. Each time they bit him he flinched or jerked wildly, but he kept banging on the door while screaming.

.

His movements became more and more sluggish until he fell down.

"Here I'd hope to save the dust red beetle for last. Pay attention everyone. This beetle paralyzes its victims.

Once it has you sedated it eats you while you're still alive and conscious.

Mr. Zahei will watch the beetles devour him slows while being fully aware of what's happening to him…" He said coldly.

_._

_"This is INSANE! No one could pass this test under these conditions! What are they thinking! What are they really testing us on?" _

Hanabi thought while trembling in her desk as bugs crawled and flew all around her.

.

"Oh silly me. I forgot to tell you all one of the rules. Each skipped question is minus ten points." Shibi stated.

The few people that were doing the test quickly started flipping back in there booklets.

_"Think, think Hanabi…What is Naruto doing? Maybe that will give me a clue."_ She thought as she looked up the aisle.

_"He's just sitting there doing his test like nothing's wrong!…The test..."_ She thought.

_"Naruto told me to be aware of my surroundings…I'm surrounded by freaking man eating bugs! How does that help?"_

She looked around the room and noticed something written on the chalk board.

_"The seven teams with the highest test scores will advance."_

_"I see. The bugs are there to distract us from the test!...The bugs…there is far too many of them._

_There is no way he could house all of them in his body and the Aburame clan only house one type of bug per member."_ She thought.

.

"Haa finally someone decided to cheat. I was hoping for that. Ms. Siekra of the Sand Village…

Thank you for volunteering to show what happens when you upset a nest of desert scarabs." He stated.

The young ninja wore a look of utter terror as large beetles with giant pinchers enveloped her.

Her horrid screams caused almost everyone in the room to flinch as she fell out of her desk while watching the beetles bore under her skin and devourer her innards.

"These beetles are fond of the heart muscle.

After they eat the heart she will still feel the pain of the beetles for six minutes after wards before she dies from lack of blood flow." He stated.

The ninja next to the girl being eaten by the scarabs threw up on the floor from the grotesque sight.

Hanabi breathing was heavy and she was starting to panic. She couldn't hold her pencil still from all her trembling.

_._

_"I have to remain calm…" _She told herself.

She kept reading the rules that were on the board.

_"You may only use jutsu on your test booklet or answer sheet."_

_"How is that going to help? There are deadly bugs all over my test booklet…Wait…_

_There are too many bugs…They are too many kinds of bugs…We can use jutsu on our test booklet…_" She thought.

She whispered softly. "Byakugan."

The bugs on her test book disappeared.

.

_"That it! It's Genjutsu!"_ She thought as she released her jutsu and looked around the room.

There were no dead bodies or bones on the floor. The students that had been eaten by bugs were just passed out on the floor.

None of the bugs he was talking about were in the room. The only kind of bugs that was in the room was the chakra eating type.

Most of them were just watching the test takers. Several of the ninja's had fainted from stress and lay slumped in their desk.

The ones that haven't given up were feverishly working on their test.

.

"Only thirty eight minutes left of the test." Shibi said in a warning manner.

_"I see the only rules that matter are the one that pertain to the points on the written test…Only the top seven go on…I'm such a fool!_

_Why did it take me so long to figure it out? We are already at a disadvantage because we only have two in our group and I've wasted almost half the test time."_

She lamented as she began working on her test with renewed vigor.

Shibi continued his lesson on bugs while they worked away on the test.

.

_"Ergh I've got to get one of the hard questions right to score some points_.

'_Question thirty-seven: What is the Lumrka formula and how is it applied in combat.'_

_I don't know this one either. Kami this test is hard." _She thought.

She worked through the next set of easy questions until she got to the next hard one.

_"Question forty-two: What are the effects of the dorin red spotted mushroom and how can it be used to aid a ninja?' _

_Great I don't know that one either…" _She thought in dismay

.

_"Only four minutes left…I've got to get the next hard question. I'm pretty sure I missed one of the easy questions in this block._

_'Question forty-eight: Pokai Manual of Political Maneuvers states that you should always bring what to a political debate?'_

_I...I've read that book. Father made me read it a long time ago. Oh think! What's the answer? I've only got a few minutes left"_

She thought back. The book was green and it had a picture on the front of it.

A picture of a man sitting at a round table with others in a debate room.

_"That picture…The man in the center was the only one with an assistant! Because two heads are always better than one. That's the answer!"_

She thought as she wrote it down and had just enough time to get one more of the easy question.

The bell rang cutting of Shibi lesson on the bark beetle known to carry diseases.

.

"Pencils down everyone. The test is over." He said and several of the students poofed into smoke as well as several things in the room.

Twelve instructors that were hidden during the test emerged after the smoke cleared.

The sound of metal on metal came from the back of the room as two Anbu un-barred the door and opened it.

"All those that have a bug sitting on their desk, please stay in the room.

If you do not have a bug on your desk then either you or one of your teammates has been disqualified regardless of your score on the test.

Please gather your teammates and leave the room." Shibi said while pointing at the door.

Hanabi was reluctant to look down at first, but she looked only to find one of Shibi's beetles on her desk.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

.

Squads of ninja's left the room, some were carrying their passed out teammates.

Some of them were mad at their teammates, but most were relieved it was finally over and they could leave.

All of the bugs returned to Shibi's body in a buzzing whirl.

"Now I will tell you the squads that scored the highest." He said.

"But wait you haven't even graded our papers." A leaf ninja said.

"Actually I've already graded all your papers. You all had thousands of eyes on you during the whole test. I can see what ever my bugs see.

I was grading your paper while you wrote down the answers." He stated.

Someone whispered. "Wow he was giving that lesson on bugs and grading all our papers at the same time…that's unreal."

.

"The squads passed are squads three and six of the Land of Earth, squad fourteen of the Land of Lightning,

squad nine of the Land of Water, squad Disciple of the Land of Wind and squad eighteen of the Land of Fire."

He stated.

.

"Wait a minute, that's only six squads. Who's the last squad that passed?" Someone protested.

"The last squad has yet to be determined because of an answer someone gave to one of the questions.

The answer given by that person is not yet known to be correct or not." He stated.

"A answer to one of the questions? Whose answer was it?" He said.

"That would be Naruto Uzumaki's answer on question seven." He replied.

"That's special treatment. What a load of crap. I don't care if he is some sort of hero." Someone replied.

.

"If anyone else feels this way you're welcome to follow us to the roof and try to perform his answer to question seven yourself.

If you can… I'll pass you." He stated.

Most of the ninja flipped back in there test booklets to see what question seven was.

"What's the farthest you can throw a kunai based on Kimrai law? Please explain how you came up with that answer." Someone said.

"How can you not know if his answer was right or not?" Another said.

"I will give his answer when we are on the roof." Shibi replied.

Murmurs filled the class room as Naruto and Shibi went out the window and up to the roof.

Almost everyone in the class followed.

.

Naruto positioned himself at the edge of the roof on the top floor.

"So what was his answer to the question?" Some asked with their arms crossed

"I quote 'I'm not bound by Kimrai's law or his formula's of air currents. The distance I can throw a kunai is dependent on my elemental control of the wind.

As a kunai gets farther away from me it becomes harder and harder to control it or aid it with wind.

By charging the blade with my wind element the kunai will create its own wind that will negate the effect of almost any air current.

With my current chakra levels I could land a kunai on top of the Hokage monument within three meters of where aim it from this building." He said.

.

"You gotta be kidding me! That's…That's like two kilometers away! No one could do that!" One of the ninja said is disbelief.

Many others murmured agreement.

"Well Naruto… let's see it." He said as he handed him a marker tag.

Naruto drew one of his kunai and tied the marker tag to it.

.

Everyone became silent as he eyed the monument.

The breeze blew lightly as Naruto drew back his arm and charged the blade with his wind element.

Thousands of tiny wind blades appeared on it as it started to hum louder and louder.

After several tense moments he threw the kunai and gale force wind was released that knocked down almost everyone behind him.

Naruto stood silently watching it rocket through the air.

.

A ninja that was struggling against the wind to get back to his feet said. "Kami I think he could hit the moon with that much chakra."

"Man that was unreal." Another said as the backlash of wind nearly knocked him over again.

"Did he land it on top of the monument?" A red hair ninja asked.

.

"Where were you aiming Naruto?" Shibi asked him slowly from beside him.

Naruto drew another kunai and wrapped his arm around Shibi neck and they disappeared.

"What the heck? Where did they go?" A ninja asked.

"Time space jutsu…He really is one of the Great Sages." The red hair ninja said in amazement.

.

"You're kidding me. He just used time space jutsu? Only a few ninja in history could use that.

It is said to be the hardest of all jutsu to learn." Someone replied in shocked awe.

.

* * *

.

"I was aiming here Shibi?" Naruto said from just behind the Fourth Hokage's head on the Hokage Monument.

Shibi reached down at his feet and picked up a cobalt blue kunai and marveled at the marker tag on it.

"Impressive Naruto." Shibi said.

Naruto didn't seem the least bit interested in his feat.

His thoughts were far away while looking out over the village.

"Something on your mind?" He asked.

Naruto shook away his thoughts and gave him a weak smile. "Sorry…It's a habit I have to think while I'm here. Let's get back."

.

Naruto and Shibi leaped from roof to roof before finally getting back to the academy roof.

"Well? Did he hit his mark." They asked.

Shibi spoke loudly. "The seventh squad to pass is Squad Seven of the Land of Fire.

All of you that passed return to the class room."

.

Once everyone was seated again he spoke.

"Congratulations on passing the first test everyone. Are there any questions?"

Someone asked. "What were you really testing us on?"

"That is simple. You were given the opportunity at the start of the test to leave, but in any mission there is danger.

You will be expected to put your life on the line.

The door was sealed to teach you that once you take on a mission you can't just run away because you might die.

.

You all were being tested on your perception skill as well.

The bulk of the Genin didn't notice the timer on the desk that was already ticking away.

The mentally sharp ones picked up on this and started their test right away. The others were five minutes behind.

That few minutes gave them an advantage over their competitors. In a mission five minutes can mean failure or success.

But there were also things to use your perception against you. Like the descriptions on the board.

At first it just seemed like trivial knowledge that many over looked. It was quite another matter later in the test.

In missions you will have to gather and sift through a lot of information. Some of it will help you and others will lead you astray.

.

The next part of the test was to see if you could break the Genjutsu that was in the room.

The jutsu was designed to see how you would handle stress.

Many of you figured out that the things happening in the room were too horrific to be possible or real.

Those that broke the jutsu had a much easier time than those that didn't even know it was there.

As you may have figured out the highest score any of you were likely to achieve was a zero.

This further added to the stress. Many cracked under that stress.

.

How you handle stress will mean life or death in many of your missions.

Remember your squad is only a strong as its weakest link.

If one of you cracks in a mission they put everyone else in your squad in danger.

Are there any other questions?" He said.

"Why could only seven squads pass the test?" A black hair ninja asked.

"With thirty-four squads from each nation taking the test, we have to cut the numbers of ninja we send to the next task.

The first task is designed to cut the field down to thirty- five squads." He stated.

.

"I have a question. Why is the Great Toad Sage here? I mean come on.

You can't honestly expect us to believe he's taking the Chunin exams with us." A large earth ninja said.

Shibi raised one of his eyebrows at him. "I regret to inform you that his official rank is Genin.

Even a Sage or hero is bound by the laws of the five nations Mr. Mekio. There are no exceptions.

On the bright side there are several books written about him.

I suggest you pick one of them up because you will be competing against him in the next part of the exams." He said flatly.

"What? No way! He's…He's a Genin?" Another ninja said.

"I thought he was just part of the first test. Who knew we'd have to compete against a guy like him." A short ninja said in an ominous tone.

.

Naruto just shook his head.

"Are there any other questions?" Shibi asked.

The room grew eerily quiet.

"The second task will be held at training ground forty-two at ten AM sharp tomorrow. You're all dismissed." He said.

.

Naruto walked over to Hanabi.

"Come on Hanabi, I'll take you home." He said in a distant voice as he led her out of the room.

.

* * *

.

They arrived at the Hyuuga compound gates after getting through the crowded villages main streets.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the second task." He said, never looking at her and walked away.

_"Why is he so distant…?"_ She thought and instantly her mind brought back the image of Naruto fighting terrifying Nine Tailed Fox.

She trembled for a moment before mastering herself once more.

_._

_"I'd forgotten about it… I was too focused on the test to remember. Just remembering makes me uneasy. _

_Like I don't know whether to run away or run into his arms."_ She thought.

"Are you catching a chill Lady Hanabi?" The gate guard asked.

Hanabi shook her head and looked at him. "No, No I'm fine." She replied shakily.

"Did your test go well?" He asked.

"Yes, we passed. It was much more challenging than I thought it would be." She told him.

"I'm sure your father will be pleased." He replied with a smile.

.

When Lord Hyuuga heard the news he took Hanabi and Hinata out to the finest restaurant in the village.

Hanabi was unusually quiet the whole time even though Hinata was trying to cheer her up.

He father warned her about the possible trials she would face in the second task.

When they finally got home she went straight to her room to finally be with her thoughts.

She laid on her bed looking up at the ceiling for many hours trying to find the solution to her problems.

_"Throughout the entire day he never once looked me in the eyes… It was hard for me to look him in the eyes as well._

_He seemed so distant and…sad."_ She thought carefully.

.

_Flashback_

* * *

_._

"Whether I like you or not has nothing to do with it. You're a Heiress Hanabi, you can't end up with someone that can't give you heirs.

I'm just telling you that this is not likely to change. If you still want to be my pretend girlfriend that's fine, Even though it does look bad on me as your Sensei.

If you don't want me to teach you anymore because of what I am then I'll accept that as well.

It wouldn't be the first time someone wanted to distance themselves from me after finding out.

These decisions are yours to make…" Naruto stated.

.

* * *

_Flashback end_

.

_"Decision…He is waiting for my decision…_

_I'm a Heiress… My clan has to come first, but I just can't let him go…I just CAN'T._

_I'm fearful of that thing inside him, but it's driving me insane to not be near him…"_ She warred inside her head and rolled over in her bed to stare at the blank wall.

A loud knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Yes?" She replied in a tire manner.

A servant said through the door. "There is a Kage scroll of summoning here for you."

She blinked in surprise and went to the door and opened it.

"A Kage scroll? What would the Hokage need to summon me for?" She thought out loud to herself.

.

"It is not from the Hokage…It is from the Kazekage." The servant stated respectfully as he handed her the scroll.

"Why would he summon me of all people?" She said as she opened the scroll to read it.

"I do not know Lady Hanabi. The Kazekage has sent a squad of his Anbu to escort you should you accept his summons."

He said and the bowed slightly and walked away.

.

She was bemused while heading down to the sitting room near the front door to meet them.

Her father had just gotten back from a late meeting with the council and met her before she reached the door.

"I have heard Gaara summoned you." He said.

"Yes father." She replied respectfully.

"He would not have summoned you without good reason Hanabi.

Make sure you act accordingly." He said slightly stiffer than normal.

"Yes father." She replied.

She went out the front door and followed the Anbu to a run downed inn on the river.

.

"The Kazekage is waiting for you." An Anbu with a bird mask on said as he opened the door and motioned her inside.

The room he was staying in had a desk and two beds. Gaara was doing paper work when she came in.

"Hello Hanabi Hyuuga. Please forgive me for summoning you.

I hope your father doesn't take offense." He said and turned around to face her.

She bowed and said. "Hello Kazekage, I'm here as you requested."

"No need to be so formal with me. I wanted to speak with you not as the Kazekage, but as a friend of Naruto's.

You can just call me by my name if you like." He said.

"Yes, Gaara. Why have to summoned me?" She asked clearly a little uncomfortable in his presents.

.

"Naruto is worried about something. He didn't say anything to me about the matter, but I can tell that he isn't his normal self.

He is hiding a great amount of pain and worry.

If I'm not being to forward, I was hoping you could tell me what has upset him." He said.

Hanabi broke eyes contact with him and looked at the floor.

"I …Umm." She fumbled with her words.

.

"I would not ask, but I owe him so much and I've already asked him for a favor during this exam.

I am only trying to repay him." Gaara stated.

"I'm…I'm not sure I am ready to talk about it." She said still unable to look him in the eyes.

"I wonder…How much do you know about Naruto?" Gaara asked while watching her reactions carefully.

"He's told me…quite a bit about himself." She stammered.

.

Gaara stared at her for a long moment like he was deciding whether or not to ask his next question.

"Do you know what a …Jinchuuriki is?" He finally said.

Her eyes instantly lock on to him and her look went from scared to sad.

"Yes, I know about him being the Nine Tailed Foxes cage."

"I see, so he has confided in you. He must trust you very much." He stated.

"Not exactly. I…I kind of walked in when he was…I don't know. I'd guess you'd call it… fighting it."

She said with a long sigh and then explained the entire story to him.

.

"I see. You are fearful of him now. That would make any master upset.

To a master, their students and the passing on of their knowledge are one of the most important things in the ninja world.

When we die all that is left of us is our memory and our teachings. This is why our students are so important to us.

It is the only way for us to live on after we pass away. We live on in the lessons and jutsu we pass on to our students." He said wisely.

.

"You talk like Naruto is an old man that doesn't have many years left. I just need some time to accept this." She said shyly.

Gaara eyed her again for a long time before finally asking. "How much do you know about the seal holding Kyuubi inside of him?"

Her eyes went slightly wide before she mastered herself again. "I know it's the Fourth Hokage's Eight Trigram Seal."

"I'm afraid you're wrong. The Key seal was meant to reform the Eight Trigram Seal by using a Nine Prong Seal.

The Key couldn't reform the seal after Madara nearly broke it.

.

There wasn't enough of it left. It's just a Nine Prong Seal that's protecting what is left of the original seal." He stated.

She gave him a curious look and asked. "Wouldn't the Nine Prong Seal be stronger than the original?

"I'm afraid not. The Fourth Hokage was extremely powerful, but he made The Key when he was still alive.

He had opened the Eight Celestial Gates when he made the Eight Trigram Seal using his entire life's chakra.

The Key seal does not compare. This is why he made it to reform the original seal, instead of replacing it." He said.

.

"Naruto told me that a Jinchuuriki dies when they are separated from their tailed beast…

You mean when the seal breaks he is going to die? How long does he have?" She said very worriedly.

Gaara sighed and leaned back in his chair as he crossed his arms before he looked at her calmly. "At most… two years."

Hanabi eyes went wide with a blank look of utter shock.

.

_"Two…? Only two years?"_ She thought suddenly very shocked.

Gaara waited quietly until she came out of her shock for many moments.

Hanabi's hands began trembling in front of her.

"But…but he almost had the Nine Tailed Fox taken from him before and lived….

Isn't there a way he might live from it again?

Isn't it possible he could fight it and win with the help of the other ninja's?" She asked emotionally.

.

"He lived….because of Itachi Uchiha, Hanabi. He transferred his power to Naruto just before giving up his life to his brother.

The power he transferred was the ability to absorb the Sharingan and use it like he was born an Uchiha.

He also sealed his strongest jutsu into that power so his brother could never have it.

The strongest jutsu of the Sharingan that hasn't been awakened for over a thousand years until Itachi awakened it." He stated.

Hanabi looked at him with her mind a whirl and asked. "What jutsu is it?"

Gaara gaze bored deep into her eyes. "The ability to stop time."

Hanabi wore a confused look. "But Naruto can already use Time/Space Jutsu…" She stated.

.

"Time/space jutsu isn't the same as stopping time Hanabi."

He said and grabbed his head in thought like he was struggling with his memories.

Gaara sighed and let go of his head.

"I will try to explain it as Naruto did to me. His yellow flash jutsu doesn't stop time as so many think.

What he does is move back in time while he is running toward a target. When he is half way to where he wants to be he releases his back ward flow of time.

For each action there is an equal but opposite reaction. So he starts moving forward in time until he gets to where he wants to be.

Here I will explain it as he did to me." Gaara said and pulled out a fresh piece of paper.

.

On it he drew a river with a giant sling shot stretched across the river. He then drew a man at a forty-five degree angle from the center of the slingshot.

He drew another man on the exact opposite side of the river and then drew a V that started at on the first man, hit the center of the slingshot and ended at the other man.

"At first he starts going backward in time represented by the river moving forward and him running against its flow to the middle sling shot."

He said as he traced the line from the man on one side of the river to the sling shot.

"He then releases his backward flow on time and sinks into the sling shot that forces him forward in time. He walks, not runs to the other side as the river propelling forward him."

He said as he traced the line to the other man on the other side of the river of time.

"Until he ends up where he wants to be and at the right instant in time.

To you or I it looks like he just disappeared and reappeared in another place.

But he was actually moving the whole time across the river of time.

This is why it is called time/space jutsu. He is moving through time and space at the same time." He stated.

.

"Then what is so special about stopping time?" She asked intently.

"There are many rules you have to follow when moving through time.

Even moving through the air is deadly in time/space if you do not do it correctly.

When moving through time you cannot simply attack your opponent.

Your opponent is moving through time a different rate then you are.

It is physically impossible to touch them until you are both moving in the same time and space.

This is why he doesn't attack until after he comes out of time/space.

.

If you could stop the river of time you could affect anything within time and space, effectively freezing time.

You could stab either one or twenty thousand ninja through the heart without them ever knowing it until you started time flowing again to devastating effects.

The name Sharingan does not mean "Mirror Wheel Eyes' as so many others and most of the clan thought.

Sharin, in the oldest of the clan's language means 'Time Still' and Gan means 'Eye's.' So it means 'Time Still Eyes' or the ability to stop time." He stated.

.

"Are you telling me Naruto can stop time?" She asked in confusion.

"He only stopped time once to save Sasuke and reseal the Nine Tailed Fox.

This ended the Fourth Great Shinobi War. This is only based theory though.

We will never know all of what happened as Naruto shuns the Sharingan…" He said before she cut him off

"But, why are you telling me all this? I don't understand." She said loudly while covering her head in her hands.

"The way to stop war is to understand one another…Naruto taught me that.

The more you understand about him and what he is trying to do, the less you will war with yourself about how you feel about him."

He said kindly and continued speaking.

.

"So we do not know if he can stop time again. It is unlikely though from the information we have pieced together.

We don't have any accounts of a Jinchuuriki letting his seal decay away to release their Tailed beast.

So we aren't sure if it's the extraction process or the release of the Tailed beast that kills the host.

As best we can determine it is the stress on the body and mind when the Tailed beast is released.

It is simply too much chakra for the body to handle.

He will most likely die when the seal is broken.

And if he doesn't die, he will likely be in no condition to move let alone fight.

.

If he can fight he will likely be severely weakened.

Even if he wasn't weakened for all accounts his only option to save everyone else would be to seal it in another person and he would still be at a huge disadvantage.

Even the Fourth Hokage couldn't do any serious damaged to Kyuubi. That is why he sealed it.

Naruto refused to even look for Fourth Hokage's Sealing jutsu.

He told me he would never subject another living being to the childhood he had.

Even if he somehow defeated Kyuubi it would mostly likely cost him his life." He stated.

.

Hanabi had tears forming in the rims of her now blood shot milky eyes as she shakily asked.

"Is there no hope for him?"

Gaara genuinely smiled at her. "Of course there is hope Hanabi.

Naruto has accepted that the odds are indeed stack against him, but he has not given up.

He knows he will probably die before he can fight the Nine Tailed Fox, but he trains himself night and day because of that sliver of hope.

He still intends to win and become Hokage. He has just come to the understanding that it is unlikely to happen.

.

This is why he has taken on students. He has to find the next Great Toad Sage within two years or less.

Neither he nor his master, Jiraiya, has any children. So he cannot hope for someone of the lineage of former Toad Sage to find his disciple.

Jiraiya handed the title off too the Fourth Hokage, but received his responsibilities back when the Fourth died.

He searched for over a decade before Naruto forced him after days of badgering him to teach him.

Naruto has to find someone whose chakra leans toward the Toad animal and train that person to the chakra levels of an elite Jonin before the seal breaks.

Or the Toad Sage line will likely die with him. He is searching for the person to succeed him desperately.

Tell me, what was the first jutsu he taught you?"

.

Hanabi fought through the despair of feelings she was feeling.

"The Shadow Clone Jutsu." They both said together.

She eyed him in surprise.

"Naruto taught you a very dangerous jutsu to increase your chakra levels quickly. I bet he even found a way to train you in is safely.

You see…He even has hope that someone with the exact opposite of what he needs in a student can become his successor.

Yet for the hopeless path before him I have never once heard him complain.

Nor has he ever giving up on his dreams of becoming Hokage. A more determined man could you will never find." He said both kindly and with great understanding.

Hanabi clutched her elbows as tear tailed down her face.

"What…What am I supposed to do then?" She begged him for an answer.

.

"You are a Heiress bound to your clan and he is likely to die within two years.

Are you sure you want my advice?" He asked her softly with genuine care in his voice.

She shrugged her shoulders and said in a hopeless tone.

"It's not like I have anyone else advice to turn to now."

.

"If you follow my advice, you will likely hurt Naruto greater then you can imagine and you will hurt yourself even worse, but in the long run it is what is best for him.

I ask you again. Do you really want my advice on your problem?" He said firmly.

Hanabi took a long deep breath and said. "Yes please give me your advice."

.

* * *

.

Hanabi was outside Naruto's estate staring at the dungeon like door with beautiful yellow roses surrounding its frame.

She walked up to the handle and took a long deep breathe to steeling her nerves.

_"Gaara is right…This is what is best for him…Best for both of us."_ She thought with sad resolve.

"Good luck." A sand Anbu guard said as she opened the door and entered the flower sanctuary of his estate.

,

She slowly picked her way of the cobble stone path that lead through the field of flower in the orange sky light of dusk.

_"This reminds me so much of the first time I came here…_

_I was wondering what the inside of his house actually looked like and I was thrilled to finally see it." _

She thought as she walked by the place where she had stepped off the path way to get away from the statue of the Nine Tailed Fox.

She passed the two statues, one of the Fourth Hokage's that was sloppily painted and the other that was so life like of the Nine Tailed Fox.

She stepped up on to the slight rise of the stone pouch and walked over to the two mismatched ornate doors.

She took a long breath and let it out.

_._

_"You can do this Hanabi. It IS what is best." _

She told herself over and over before knocking on the door with false hopes that he wasn't home, but she could feel his presents.

She knew he was here and that he was waiting for her.

She barely touched the door on her first knock and it opened.

.

Naruto stood at the door way with a henge over his eyes that were not his own trying to hide his depression.

It did no good. Hanabi could feel the connection between their heart string charka networks.

She steadied herself and shakily said. "Naruto I…"

_._

_"Say whatever you want Hanabi…I have prepared myself for the worst."_ He thought with resolve.

"Naruto… I'm sorry." She said

_"Tell me I'm a horrible monster…I can take it."_ He thought while swallowing.

"Naruto… I have made my decision." She said emotional trying to get her words out.

_"Tell me you have a new master that is better suited to you. I will accept it."_

He thought as his resolve held firm though he still couldn't look her in the eyes.

"Naruto I am sorry, but." She stammered with fresh tears flowing down her face out of her milky liquid eyes.

_"Tell me you never want to see me again. That you'd rather go your whole life with ever seeing my face again…"_ He thought while cringing.

"Naruto…"She said as her heart string chakra line lit up connecting them in both thought and emotion.

_"I can take whatever horrible things you say to me…Just tell me… and get it over with."_ He thought as he cringed away bracing himself for her blow.

"Naruto…" She said in tears of pain.

.

The words she spoke…Naruto thought he was prepared for…

The words she said he thought he could endure…

The words she spoke brought the greatest ninja of their time to his knees.

A ninja that could move mountains and stop wars between nations…was toppled, from the words of a fifteen year old girl.

He couldn't defend himself from the devastation of her words.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Naruto…..I love you." She said as she embraced him like she couldn't live without him while crying.

.

* * *

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Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry for not getting it out sooner, but I haven't had a lot of free time lately.


	17. Chapter 17: The Second Task Of The Exams

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**Chapter 17: The Second Task Of The Exams**

* * *

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Author's Notes:

* * *

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Questions/Reviews:

* * *

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_**RyanRendan  
2010-03-11 . chapter 17**_

_**Great chapter. I liked the twist at the end.**_

_**Who knew Gaara could be so kind?**_

"Gaara was kind, but he was also very cruel.

You must understand that Gaara understands Naruto better than anyone else because he was also sealed with a tailed beast.

Naruto didn't even tell him about his problems with Hanabi and he knew exactly who to ask about his problems.

Luck played a part in who he asked, but overall it was his own knowledge of what being a Jinchuuriki is like.

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InARealPickle  
_**2010-03-11 . chapter 17**_

_**You like the word ominous a lot, don't you?:)**_

_**Well aside from the repetitiveness of that particular word and the instances where you skipped words, the only other thing you need to look out for is the word presents.**_

_**Presents are gifts. What Hanabi was able to feel was Naruto's presence?**_

Wow you've been with this story since chapter one Pickle and you're still reviewing me.

I honestly had a lot of trouble with the "pauses for effect" my muse showed me during the first task of the exam and I may have over used that word.

Thank you for the grammar correction.

Thoughts13  
2010-03-11 . chapter 17

_**.**_

_**THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR UPDATING! I'm so happy! This chapter was great. **_

_**That bit at the end was a cheap way to pump up suspense but it worked, and I cried when I read the last sentence!**_

Rest assured I will finish it.

Trust me. Between this story and my book my muse doesn't leave me alone.

I may have another 400,000 words to write to complete it, but one day it will be finished and hopefully perfectly and grammatically correct with all of your reviews.

.

Last Chapter.

* * *

.

Any words she spoke…Naruto thought he was prepared for…

Any words she said he thought he could endure…

The words she spoke brought the greatest ninja of his time to his knees.

A ninja that could move mountains and stop wars between nations…was toppled, from the words of a fifteen year old girl.

He couldn't defend himself from the devastation of her words.

.

.

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"Naruto…..I love you." She said as she embraced him like she couldn't live without him while crying.

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Chapter Seventeen: The Second Task.

* * *

.

Naruto was on his knees on the porch of his estate with Hanabi's arms around him.

Naruto was in excruciating pain while clutching his chest and his breath came in rasps.

_"How can it hurt…this much?...It feels like the first time I saw Ino after…after the accident." _He thought as he felt Hanabi's tears hitting him on the top of his head.

"Naruto?" Hanabi asked in a shaky voice.

_"No I can't…As much as I want to accept her feelings. I know I can't…This is wrong!"_

He thought through his pain while drawing one of his kunai and disappeared.

"NARUTO NO! DON'T RUN FROM ME!" She yelled at him even though he was gone.

She cried inconsolably for many minutes until a familiar voice spoke to her.

.

"Come on Hanabi, I'll take you home." Neji said from up the walkway.

Hanabi turned around and looked at her cousin through her puffy swollen eyes and said.

"I'm sorry Neji I can't go with you." She said while wiping her tears on her sleeve.

Neji gave her a confused look.

"I already AM home…" She stated with resolve.

.

Neji shook his head and sighed. "Hanabi don't be so selfish." He stated.

"I'M NOT BEING SELFISH! You may have been branded with the bird in a cage curse mark, but I have been that bird in a cage all my life.

This is the first time I'm NOT doing something for the Clan or myself.

I'm doing what's best for Naruto and it will likely cost me dearly in the long run!" She snapped at him.

.

"And what do you think Lord Hyuuga will say when he hears of this.

Do you think he is just going to let you walk away from your duty to the Clan?" Neji stated.

"YOU should have been the Heir, not me! And who said I was walking away from my duties to the Clan?

I will spend the next two years training under Naruto!

For all he's done for the village it's the least I can do to make his life a bit happier." She spat at him.

.

"Two years hu? And what do you hope to gain in these two years?" He asked her as he crossed his arms with a sarcastic look.

"I hope to comfort him by becoming his Disciple. He has to pass on his knowledge and teachings within two years." She said in a softer voice.

"HAHAHAHA. Listen to yourself Hanabi! Naruto's Ninjutsu style and ours are complete opposites.

We have a small amount of chakra and use it with precise control.

Naruto has a massive amount of chakra and only average control of it. He uses huge jutsu only because he had the brute chakra to do them.

He could never control our Gentle Fist even if he had our eyes. I know your father taught you 'As you gain more chakra you sacrifice your control over it.'

If you continue on chakra training you will lose our Clans Gentle Fist. What kind of Heiress would you been then?" He said in obvious amusement.

.

A strong hand griped Neji's shoulder from behind. "The Sage kind."

Gaara said without the slightest flicker of emotion from behind him.

_._

_Flashback._

* * *

_._

"You are an Heiress bound to your Clan and he is likely to die within two years.

Are you sure you want my advice?" Gaara asked her softly.

She shrugged her shoulders and said in a hopeless tone. "It's not like I have anyone else's advice to turn to now."

"If you follow my advice, you will likely hurt Naruto greater then you can imagine and you will hurt yourself even worse, but in the long run it is what is best for him.

I ask you again. Do you really want my advice on your problem?" He said firmly.

Hanabi took a long, deep breath and said. "Yes please give me your advice."

.

"You are fifteen correct?" He asked.

"Yes." She replied.

"Then I take it you don't have to get married until your eighteenth birthday under your Clans laws?" He asked.

"Yes that's right." She told him.

"Then if I were in your shoes, I would train under him and learn all I could in the time he has left.

Even if you're not a Ninjutsu type, he might find a way to make you into the next Toad Sage if the untimely happens.

If he does passes away fighting the Nine Tailed Fox then you have another year to find a suitor for the Clan." He said.

"But…But I don't want another suitor." She stammered at him.

"That doesn't matter Hanabi. Your Clan comes first. If he does perish in battle…, you will have to marry another."

He said and paused for a moment.

.

"One last thing." He said as his eyes peered at her intently.

Hanabi looked at him questioningly.

"You have to tell him how you feel about him… and this will likely hurt you both severely. He will most likely flee from you."

"I..I don't want to hurt him." She stammered while shaking her head and backing away.

"I never said this course of action did not have its share of risk.

If you really want the sliver of hope of being with him, you will have to take his Nindo as your own and never give up on him.

It will be hard, make no mistake about that and the odds are against you." He said.

Hanabi clutched her elbows and looked at the floor in indecision. She finally looked him in the eyes and asked.

"Do you really think we have a chance?"

"If you were going to bet on a thousand to one long shot…Can you think of anyone better to place your faith in then Naruto Uzumaki?" He asked empathetically.

_._

* * *

_End Flashback_

.

Naruto reappeared on the Hokage monument clutching his heart on all fours trying to resist the incredible pain in his chest.

_"This…This isn't just mental pain…What is it? It feels like Tsunade is squeezing my heart with all her strength."_ He thought in a panic.

He was suddenly infused with some of the Kyuubi's charka. His heart began beating again and the pain eased.

_**.**_

_**"I told you not to fall in love again Naruto." **_Ruby's voice boomed into his head in an almost kind manner for her.

_**"With three words she nearly killed you. You are far too weak when you're in love." **_

_"So that pain in my chest?..."_ He asked her.

_**"Yes, she stopped your heart with her words. If I didn't restart it you would have likely died without the lightning element to restart it yourself." **_She told him.

_"You almost sound…like you care for me Ruby. Why did you save me? You know this seal isn't like the other one…If I die you will probably be free."_

He told her as he rolled over onto his back and caught his breath while watching the last rays of light fade into darkness.

_**.**_

_**"Make no mistake about that Naruto.**_

_**I may become free if you died, but I wouldn't have my revenge on you, your father and all the ninja that have imprisoned me over the centuries.**_

_**That and we already have an agreement should you survive my release. I never said I held a great deal of personal grudge against you,**_

_**but I will show my children that no mortal will ever again hold me."**_ She said.

"What am I going to do now?" He asked himself with his mind on Hanabi.

_**"You're asking for my advice?"**_ Ruby replied.

"Hmmm…Sure, why not? You are thousands of years old." He said with his mind only half paying attention.

_**"I already gave you my advice…Don't fall in love again and keep training to fight me.**_

_**I want you at your best for our battle. You should know this by now."**_ She replied as her voice reverberated in his head.

.

Naruto took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah I know… I'm not totally in love with her yet though." He said.

_**"HA, you stand on a cliff that towers above the land with her at the bottom of that cliff. You want to fall down to her and I'm the only thing holding you back. **_

_**I never pretended to understand what you humans call love, but that sounds pretty close to my understanding of the emotion." **_

Ruby said with the slightest bit of sinisterness in her voice.

"I guess you still have a lot to learn then…" Naruto said and then remained quiet for many long minutes.

.

"Tell me something Ruby…Anything to get my mind off my problems for a few moments."

He asked her while staring up at the twinkling stars in the sky from the head of the fourth Hokage monument.

_**"I wanted to be released at the last battle you had with the Uchiha's. **_

_**With all of the five nation's armies there I could have fulfilled my ambition of wiping them all out and never having any of them imprison me again." **_

She stated with hatred in her voice.

.

Naruto chuckled slightly and shook his head back and forth. "No, no, tell me something I don't know." He said.

_**"Like what?"**_ She snapped at him.

Naruto stared off into the cloudless night at the full moon. "I don't know…How about you tell me about your children?" He asked in a lost manner.

_**"Why should I privilege you with such knowledge?"**_ She asked.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. We rarely talk and you can only talk to me.

I figured you might want to just talk about something you cared about for a change." He said.

.

Ruby stayed silent for a long time before finally saying.

_**"It will make no difference in our final battle I guess. Which of my children would you like to know about? **_

_**That is if you have even figured out who they are." **_She said in a unbelieving tone.

Naruto gazed out into darkness and said. "Tell me about Shukaku. How did he become the way he was when I fought him?" He asked.

_**.**_

_**"I see… You did figure it out…Very well. The one you call Shukaku is my first child and son. **_

_**Unlike you mortals, my children aren't born from me. They are parts of my being I cut away from myself."**_ She stated.

"So Shukaku is actually part of you? I'm not sure I understand." He said in a confused manner.

_**"Yes Naruto. I doubt you would have any idea of the enemies we face. You may think that our greatest foe is you ninjas, but that isn't even close to true.**_

_**We are eternal. Since we are eternal, we ourselves are our greatest foes." **_She said.

"Um, I don't get what you're saying at all Ruby." He said in utter confusion.

_**.**_

_**"I expected as much. You mortals don't live long enough to know the true dangers of time. When you are eternal it is a very lonely existence.**_

_**Who would you confide in or talk to when their lives are barely a eye blink in your existence? We have no one. **_

_**Our greatest struggle is to remain sane and still exist. Most of us lose this battle and we are driven insane by our own minds. **_

_**We create our own world in our head rather than living on the one we truly exist in.**_

_**This drives us insane even though we think we are quite sane in our own head because…as your kind would say 'We aren't living in the real world.'" **_She told him.

"I don't get all of what you're saying, but I do understand the …alone part." He said.

_**.**_

_**"Hmm how is it best to tell you?...You remember the spy Shikamaru caught last year?"**_ She asked.

"Yeah, the one I saw in the prison cell a few weeks after he had been imprisoned. He looked totally out of his mind.

I wonder what did that to him." He replied.

_**"Time did that to him Naruto. He was locked away in solitary confinement for two weeks. **_

_**He went inside sane and after two weeks of nothing, but a dark cell and his own mind he came out nearly insane. **_

_**This is the effect of time and loneliness on the mind and even we eternals aren't immune to its effects."**_ She stated.

"What does this have to do with Shukaku though?" He asked her.

_**.**_

_**"You mortals….You ask me to talk and then you complain that I am being long winded…"**_ She stated in a sarcastic voice.

Naruto wore a strained expression and said. "Umm… sorry, please continue."

_**"As I was saying, even we aren't immune to the effects of time. **_

_**Long ago I felt I could bear time no longer. I felt I was losing myself in my own mind like I had seen others of my kind do long ago.**_

_**I did the only thing I could think to do. I created a companion by shearing away part of myself into a new being that you know of today as Shukaku. **_

_**I lost all memory of the part of myself I cut away, but I finally had someone to speak with…to teach and interact with.**_

_**Even we eternals are far from perfect. I cut many of the parts of myself away I didn't like to create him. **_

_**I took some of my brashness and my wilder side that you might call weird and humors as well as my love of the hunt."**_ She said.

Naruto giggled a bit.

_**.**_

_**"What is it?"**_ She yelled at him in a offended voice.

"I just can't see you having a humorous side." He said as he fought to regain control of his laughter.

_**"Hmm maybe humorous side isn't the word I was looking for then. I'd guess it's like when you flex in front of the mirror.**_

_**You wouldn't want other to see you doing it, but you do it in private and you may feel strange about it later on.**_

_**Something a kin to that."**_ She said.

Naruto was doing well to not bust up laughing at the mental image of Ruby flexing on her hind legs in front of a mirror.

_**"As such, me and my son didn't get along very well. He was unruly and hard to be around.**_

_**He wouldn't listen to me and annoyed me to no end. **_

_**If it wasn't for the fact that he was likely keeping me sane enough to exist, I would have simply devoured him.**_

_**Sometimes I thought insanity was preferable to being around him.**_

_**.**_

_**One of the few things we did that seemed to make him tolerable was hunting.**_

_**There was nearly nothing to hunt in the mountain range where we stayed so I would take him to a forest.**_

_**He used to call that place 'The land of little trees.' He enjoyed the challenges I set out for him.**_

_**I'd tell him to hunt a single type of animal and bring it back. **_

_**Rarely did he fail to complete his task in the time limit, but he was far too destructive in his favorite forest.**_

_**After a time the forest was gone and nothing was left but sand. Here is when he found a game that kept him busy for centuries.**_

_**He would try to pick up as many individual grains of sand as he could. At first he was clumsy at it.**_

_**He was far more used to using brute force instead of finesse that was needed for the task.**_

_**I watched him spend countless hours playing with the sand until I grew bored and eventually gave up on him as a companion.**_

_**All he cared for was the sand and his un-seriousness and goofy antics are only interesting for so long."**_ She said.

.

"So that's why Gaara was hunting people. It was Shukaku's influence." He said to himself while remembering Gaara saying, _"You are MY Prey!"_

_**"Yes it was. I saw much of my son's behavior in his host from your memories.**_

_**After he left I felt time closing in on me again much quicker than the last time and I sheered away another part of my being.**_

_**Unlike the last time, I cut away parts of myself I liked to make her.**_

_**Nabi was graceful and powerful. She was always my favorite. We talked often until one day she needed her space as well and left many centuries later."**_ She said.

"So you've cut yourself into nine parts just to have a companion over the years?" He said in thought.

"Eight times…you've divided your soul…"

_**"Only seven times. One of the tailed…No I will not tell you that." **_Ruby said.

Naruto laid still in the cool night air staring up at the twinkling stars with his mind trying to process all that Ruby had told him as well as his own problems.

.

After what seem like hours Naruto suddenly asked.

"How do you feel about me?"

He instantly felt a inhuman hatred and killing intent well up in Ruby.

_**"I HATE YOU! I HATE THIS CAGE THAT IS YOU! I hate that it was YOU that killed my prey and resealed me!" **_She roared into his mind with utter fury.

Naruto shook his head and sighed. "I know you hate being caged Ruby…I meant how do you feel about me as a person…as a being?"

He asked as much as he was thinking in the depths of his mind.

He could feel her eying him in the long moment of silence before she finally said.

_**"You are the strangest and most trusting mortal I've ever met. None of my other host ever bared as much of my chakra as you did.**_

_**They guarded their memories like their very soul depended on it. Yet you let me freely see your memories at great cost to yourself.**_

_**You strive with great conviction and purpose. You strive toward goals that few of your kind would ever attempt.**_

_**Truths be told, I'm envious of you and you intrigue me to no end."**_ She said quietly, but very honestly.

Naruto cringed at her last words. Words he didn't remember until they were again spoken to him

.

_Flashback_

* * *

.

Naruto had fully given himself over to Kyuubi to bring out the fourth tail near the Heaven and Earth Bridge.

The sheer power that was released caused his foe to duck to the ground to avoid the massive shock wave of chakra

Orochimaru eyed him intently from the ground as he ducked and said. "This child….intrigues me to no end…"

.

* * *

_End of flashback_

.

Naruto thought in stark realization. _"Orochimaru told me that too."_

_**"Yes he did, didn't he? Orochimaru…He thought like us, but what a fool he was wishing for eternal life. **_

_**If he ever stopped to think about what happens after he had fulfilled his ambitions and asked himself 'Now what?'**_

_**Just like all foolish mortals that wish for everlasting life. They never stop to think what will happen when their life out lasts their ambitions."**_ She stated.

"Why would you be envious of me?" He asked.

_**"You seem unable to ask the same question…What then? You have goals and ambitions. We eternals do not. **_

_**At first it is easy to keep ourselves occupied, but soon we find ourselves with nothing to do. We have no purpose. **_

_**We have nothing to drive us. The world is a hollow and empty place to us. To find purpose is what we are always seeking and rarely find."**_ She said.

.

Naruto shook his head and got to his feet.

"I guess I'm still an idiot just like Jiraiya said. I didn't understand most of what you told me, but at least my problems don't seem so bad compared to yours."

_**"Then you understood more than most mortals would have."**_ She said.

"Thanks Ruby." He said as she faded back into his sub-conscious.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi awoke on the couch in Naruto's living room with the morning rays of light dancing across the carpet from the bay window aquarium.

She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes while looking down the hall.

_"I guess I feel asleep waiting for him to come home. His bedroom door is still open. So he didn't come back last night." _She thought as she got up and stretched while looking down the hallway.

She headed into the kitchen and said. "What's for breakfast?"

The kitchen was silent. Naruto cooking clone was nowhere to be seen.

Hanabi stood there staring around until it came to her. "NO BREAKFAST?" She yelled loudly.

.

Hanabi decided to dig around in the kitchen to look for something to eat.

"Pots, pan, cups….dust bunnies? Ergh he doesn't he have anything to eat!" She said as she looked around frantically while her stomach growled.

The only thing she found was some wilted greens in the fridge. She slumped down in dismay.

"I'm already starting to regret my decision." She said in dismay while clutching her noisy stomach.

She decided she'd take a shower and get something to eat in town if she had to.

.

Hanabi finished drying her hair and getting dressed. She went down stairs to the sounds of a crackling frying pan.

She raced the rest of the way to the kitchen and rounded the bend. "Narut…" She stopped in mid sentence.

Shizan was wearing a apron and turned around from her cooking.

.

"Well if it isn't our AWOL Heiress. I hope you slept well on the couch." She said as she smiled and went back to her cooking.

"Shizan…What are you doing here?" She asked as she tilted her head in confusion.

"I'm making breakfast. I would have woken you up, but I had to go shopping seeing as the Sage didn't have any food in the house." She stated casually.

Hanabi shook her head back and forth a few times. "No, that's not what I meant. What are you doing HERE?" She asked while pointing both hands pointer fingers at the floor.

Shizan turned off the stove and turned around. "It seems I'll be living here with you for the next two years."

.

Hanabi's eyes glazed over. "Wait what?" She asked after she regained her thoughts.

Shizan giggled slightly and headed into the dining room with two plates of food.

Hanabi followed timidly. She sat down and asked. "Is…father mad at me?"

Shizan took her time thinking about it and finally said.

.

"I don't think he's mad, but he was caught off guard. You are growing up faster than he thought you would.

He is not going to be sending the Clan out to retrieve you if that's what you are worried about." She said as she started eating.

Hanabi stared at her blankly before asking. "So…so he agreed to it?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Not at first, but after speaking at length with the Kazekage he finally gave in." She stated and went back to eating.

.

"Gaara? Gaara talked to him on my behalf?" She asked is disbelief.

She nodded her head and finished the food in her mouth. "Yes they spoke for over two hours. In the end your father agreed as long as the Sage agrees to it."

"But…but there isn't any way father would agree to this without some sort of compensation. It goes against his political nature." Hanabi said.

Shizan smiled at her. "I believe Gaara already took care of that, but I don't know what that compensation was. They spoke in private.

You had best eat; you only have an hour to get to the second task."

.

Hanabi's mind was still a whirl as she checked over her equipment at the front door.

She was still trying to absorb the fact that her father agreed to let her stay with Naruto just like that.

She also was worried about what Gaara traded for such a favor.

She took a long time marveling over the blue kunai before holstering it.

She finally opened the door and headed out.

Naruto and Neji were talking at the flower covered arch of his estate door.

Naruto was wearing his ceremonial Sage robes.

.

They looked exactly like his normal ones, but from the left shoulder to the right hip the words 'Toad Sage" was written in broad letters angling across his back.

Over the right shoulder were the names of all his teachers in order.

Iruka Umino, Kakashi Hatake, Jiraiya of the Sannin, Fukasaku the elder Toad Sage, Tsunade of the Sannin and

two other names that were sloppily sewn under them that read Might Gai and Rock Lee.

"You really think the second task is going to be that hard?" Naruto asked.

"Yes they have something special planned for the second task. That's all I can tell you what though." Neji told him with a reserved smile.

"Aww damn…That's not fair! I hate being held in suspense!" He yelled and then they both laughed.

.

"Umm Naruto…I'm ready to leave." She said meekly.

Naruto looked over at her with a cheerful smile, but she could tell something was off about it.

"Then let's go!" He said as he raised his arm in front of him and pointed down the street enthusiastically.

He walked ahead of them and Hanabi leaned over to Neji and whispered. "What's got him in such a good mood?"

Neji smiled at her and whispered back. "You."

She blushed feverishly as her mind went into a chaos of thoughts.

.

Hanabi still hadn't completely mastered herself when they got to the training ground for the second task.

The training ground was nothing but a large open paved area with a fence around it.

It was noisy and soon everyone was formed up into rows waiting for the instructor to arrive.

"Is that who I think it is?" One ninja said quietly to his team mate.

"Yeah that's him all right. He was in the same testing room as us during the first part of the exam. If you see him during this test run away or forfeit.

He's on a whole other level." Another ninja said.

.

"What do those names on his uniform mean?" Another asked.

A leaf ninja near them said. "Those are all his teachers."

"No WAY! Kakashi the Legendary Copy ninja, Jiraiya of the Sannin and the Hokage herself? How are we supposed to compete against him?" A ninja said.

"To put it bluntly. Follow your friend's advice…Run or forfeit." The leaf ninja said.

.

"NO talking! Wait quietly until the proctor of the exam arrives!" One of the instructors yelled.

The minutes ticked by in silence. One minute…five then ten minutes and after fifteen minutes the ground in front of them filled with a huge sand dune.

The sand shrank back into the earth and Kazekage Gaara stood before them.

Next to him was a small table with a stack of different colored scrolls stacked in a pyramid.

"Hello everyone. I'll be the proctor for this part of the second task." He said in his calm eerie voice.

Whispers could be heard throughout the crowd of ninja's.

"No way…the Kazekage is our proctor?"

"I bet this is going to be way harder than the first task." Another whispered with a hint of dread in his voice.

.

"First let us get a mix up cleared away before we start with the second exam. There was only supposed to be thirty-five squads that made it to this point.

We currently have thirty-six. Instead of outing a squad we have decided to combine a squad of one and a squad of two members that made it through the first round.

Squad Seven of the Land of Fire and Squad Disciple of the Land of Wind will be combined for second task.

If anyone has a problem with this they are welcome to forfeit their own squads place to correct the mistake." He stated.

No one spoke as silence reined.

.

"Good, now try as we might we couldn't come up with a single task for all of you. There is just too many of you at different levels.

We decided to give some of you much harder tasks then the others. If you look to my right you will see the mission scrolls.

Twenty-two of them are white." He said pointed at the bottom of the pyramid.

"Seven are blue, five are red and two are black.

The white scrolls are for the least experienced. The blue are for the slightly more experienced.

The red are for the seasoned Genin and the black are ANBU level tasks.

Only your Kage or Jonin instructor could put forth your name for a red or a black scroll as they are highly dangerous task." He stated.

More than a few ninja's eyes the scrolls nervously hoping not to get one of the colored scrolls.

"Those of you in the first six rows to the left come and take a white scroll and head to Forty-Fourth training ground for further instruction on your task." He said with his open hand out.

The squads of ninja took their scroll and left quietly.

.

"Next I will tell you that these tasks have multiple parts. Some of them have as few as two parts; some have as many as five parts.

These tasks are ones your Jonin instructors have put forth for you and they have been agreed to by our councils.

Each task is different and meant to challenge you in a number of ways. Part of the task is to figure out what we are testing you on.

Those in the next row please come when your name is called for a blue scroll." He said.

They came and got their scroll and were instructed to another training ground.

.

"When I call your squad please come and get your red scroll." Again the squads came and got there scrolls.

Konohamaru gave Naruto a smile as he went to get his squads red scroll.

Naruto gave him a proud smile back. Soon only Naruto, Hanabi, Matsuri and three water ninja monks were left on the training ground.

Each of the water ninja's towered over Naruto. They wore clay colored uniforms and carried large wooden beads around their neck. All of them had shaved heads.

"Now for the final and hardest of the tasks, Squad Two of the land of water. Takia please come forward." Gaara said loudly.

The tallest and most muscled of the water ninjas can forward and took the scroll with both hands and bowed. "Thank you."

"You may open yours and head to your starting point." Gaara told him.

He opened his scroll and quickly left with his comrades.

.

Gaara waited for them to leave before slamming his hand down on the table. The final black scroll flipped into the air and landed in his other hand.

"Squad Seven of the Land of fire…You first task is to…get this scroll from me. You only have one hour." He said as his body started turning to sand.

"You only get one clue. 'I am with what you fight hardest for'…" He said as his sand clone fell in to a pile of sand on the ground.

"What does that mean?" Hanabi asked while she blinked a few times.

"I don't know." Matsuri said in a bemused state.

Naruto was eying the pile of sand on the ground intently. "The riddle is obviously for one of us….But which one?" He asked himself a loud.

.

"Hanabi." He said.

"Yes?" She replied.

"What do you fight hardest for?" He asked her intently.

She blushed slightly and stammered. "I…I guess I fight hardest for my Clan."

"Hmmm Gaara did speak to your father at length last night….He could have set this up then." He said in thought.

"Matsuri." He said.

"Yes!" She replied nervously. "Oh…I guess I fight hardest for…Gaara." She said in a embarrassed manner.

"Gaara is always with himself. I fight for the peace of the five nations and he's already in the Land of Fire. So…" He said in thought.

"We are going to the Hyuuga compound?" Hanabi asked curiously.

"Unless either of you have a better idea. It doesn't seem like the right answer to me, but it's all I can come up with." He said with unknowing look.

Matsuri shrugged her shoulders.

"Then let's go. It not very far away, if it's wrong we will still have plenty of time to check somewhere else." He said as he headed out.

.

They were going up the winding road to the Hyuuga compound at a near sprinting pace.

"Slow down Naruto. I think my legs are about to fall off!" Hanabi said in protest while panting with her hands braced on her knees.

"She is your student and she is in this bad of shape?" Matsuri asked in disbelief to Naruto.

"I've only been training her for a month. Come on Hanabi we are almost there. Don't complain." He stated.

She took a few breaths that burned in her lungs and struggled to get back up right.

.

They reached the Gate and headed into the compound.

"I don't feel Gaara's chakra here…We should still have a look around just in case he found a way to mask his chakra." Naruto said while scanning the grounds.

"Right." Hanabi and Matsuri said.

They quickly surveyed the area until they came to the garden behind the main house.

The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and their petals littered the ground. The air was thick with their smell.

The only people they found was Lord Hyuuga and Neji sitting on a bench feeding the fish in one of the ponds in the garden.

.

"Crap." Naruto said and hung his head. "He's not here. Where else could he be?"

"Where could who be?" Neji asked him curiously.

Naruto slumped his shoulders. "Gaara. Our first task is to find him and get a scroll. He gave us a hint, but all of our answers to it where different.

We tried here first because it seemed like the best of the three answers." He said.

.

"What was your hint Hanabi?" He father asked calmly.

She stopped rubbing her sore legs and said. "'I am with what you fight hardest for…'"

Her father smiled at her. "You are looking at the problem wrong. All good ninja's fight the hardest for the same thing, whether they know it or not."

Matsuri eyed him carefully. "So it's a philosophical question then…"

Naruto eyed him in confusion. "I'm looking at it wrong…" He told himself.

Hanabi was lost in thought. _"Something I would fight hardest for…Naruto obviously…Maybe it's an item that worth a lot of money…_

_Something can't be bought with gold or coins, those are the most valuable. People's lives are the most valuable…but which lives are the most valuable…"_

_._

_Flashback_

* * *

_._

Hanabi was in a small dark room with Gaara talking to her in front an old desk.

"To a master, their students and the passing on of their knowledge are one of the most important things in the ninja world.

When we die all that is left of us is our memory and our teachings. This is why our students are so important to us.

It is the only way for us to live on after we pass away. We live on in the lessons and jutsu we pass on to our students." Gaara said wisely.

.

* * *

Flashback end.

.

Hanabi stood in silence as she thought. "Students…Where are the most important students in the village?" She thought out loud.

Her eyes went wide as Naruto's did and they said the same thing.

"The King!"

Matsuri looked at them in utter confusion.

Naruto looked over at her. "No time to explain. It's on the other side of the village. We have to go if we are gonna make it!"

He said as he grabbed both their arms and flew off in perfect Gai Sensei fashion.

"Thanks for the advice!" He yelled back before he was out of sight.

.

Neji looked over at Hiashi and asked. "You think they will pass this test?"

He pulled a black scroll out of his robes. "They still have a long way to go before they can pass. The Kages really out did themselves this year."

.

Naruto was flying through the crowded village with Matsuri and Hanabi flapping behind him like rag dolls.

"CAN'T WE JUST RUN ACROSS THE ROOFS?" Hanabi yelled through the turbulence of Naruto's full on sprint on the sides of the buildings that led down the main street.

"No, because it's off limits during the testing!" He yelled back.

Hanabi was screaming for her life and Matsuri's eyes where rolling back into her head from nausea.

.

Naruto made it to the Academy in record time.

Hanabi was panting on the ground rubbing her shoulder from her near death experience while Matsuri crawled up on to all fours and emptied the contents of her stomach onto the ground.

Matsuri curled up into a ball on the ground and said. "Stop the world…I want to get off…"

Hanabi was still trying to catch her breath and winced as she touched her shoulder.

.

"Ok guys let's go!" He said as he marched toward the front door.

"Naruto…" Matsuri said from her prone position." If we are going to be fighting master Gaara for the scroll, I think it would be wise if you healed me enough to see straight…"

Naruto looked back and saw the state the two were in. He scratched the back of his head innocently and said.

"Yeah I guess that would be a good idea…"

He placed one of his hands on her stomach and the other on her shoulder. Green healing chakra emerged from his hands.

Matsuri's clenched teeth relaxed until she was breathing normally.

.

"Tsunade taught you that? It's no wonder she took you on as a student." She said feeling as though nothing had happened.

Naruto headed over to Hanabi who had propped herself up to a tree trunk and looked back at Matsuri.

"I'm barely average as far as a medic goes in healing. Tsunade always called me a screw up and told me I had no talent for Medical Ninjutsu."

He said as he leaned down to inspect Hanabi. He reached over to her shoulder that she was clutching.

"No! Don't touch it! Just heal it like you did for Matsuri." She protested.

"I'm sorry Hanabi." He said softly as he raised his hand and started healing her torn shoulder muscle.

_"The way he said that…He wasn't just apologizing for my arm…"_ She thought.

.

It took him much longer to heal Hanabi then it did Matsuri.

"How do you feel?" He asked her.

She rotated her arm a few time and said. "It is still a little stiff, but I am fine."

"I think we should come up with a plan of attack to get the scroll from Gaara." Naruto said as he sat down under the tree by Hanabi.

"He has a huge tactical advantage here." Matsuri said as she sat down near them.

"Very true Matsuri. With so many students here, it cuts down all my best jutsu that could break his sand shields." Naruto said.

"And he has had time to prepare the field which gives him another advantage." Matsuri replied.

"You really think he's here?" Hanabi asked.

Naruto glanced over at her and said. "Yes, he is on the training field behind the school. I can feel his chakra."

.

Hanabi eyed him and asked. "How far away can you feel a person's chakra?"

"Depends on the person and how well I know their chakra. Normally I can only sense a person's chakra within about three-hundred meters.

But I can extend my sensory to encompass the whole village if I need to." He said casually.

"So that's how you always know when people are near you…Wait a minute!

You mean you could have sensed where Gaara was back at the training field?" She yelled at him.

Naruto's looked at her very seriously and said. "Hanabi this is just like a mission. We do not waste chakra. Also if I did that we wouldn't have the answer to the riddle."

Hanabi crossed her arms and scowled at him. "So we need to figure out how to attack Gaara…" She said angrily at Naruto.

"Seems simple enough. You have fought him before. What is his weak point?" Hanabi asked.

.

"Gaara's main jutsus are based around earth and wind. So lightning would be his main weakness. He's also injured so we can't attack his chest." Naruto said.

"He's injured? What is he doing being our proctor then?" Hanabi asked intently.

Naruto leaned his head back and watched a flock of birds fly by. "Because of me obviously…I bet he volunteered for it."

"Even I don't know that Naruto. He didn't tell me any of this. I do know of something we may be able to use as a weak point though." She said bashfully.

"And?" Hanabi said curiously.

.

She touched her pointer fingers together nervously and said. "Well you see…He's umm. Well he's actually."

"Spit it out already we don't have a lot of time Matsuri." Naruto said impatiently.

"Umm right he's…ticklish…" She finally said. "I have to be very careful when I change his bandages or he will burst out laughing."

Naruto feel backward in a roar of laughter. Hanabi couldn't suppress her snickering as well.

"Hey it's not funny! He's been protected by the sand all his life. It is no wonder he has such sensitive skin." She said in annoyance.

.

"Well I guess we can use that to make a plan of attack. It's not destructive so it should be safe to use here without endangering anyone.

I can strip off most the sand from his body, but it will take all my concentration. You two are going to have to go in for the attack."

Hanabi and Matsuri looked at each other with strained expressions.

"We have to go in for the attack?" Matsuri said clearly unhappy about it.

Hanabi thought for a moment and then smiled. "Why don't we recruit 'The King' to help us?"

Naruto smiled back at her. "That's actually a great idea. Come on."

.

Naruto led them down the hall to class room 3A. They quietly snuck inside where all the students were reading a book.

He stalked his way over to Iruka sensei who was grading papers.

"Psst Iruka sensei." Naruto said from a couched position behind his desk.

He glanced down beside his desk and jumped ever so slightly.

"Don't do that Naruto. Can't you just come in and not sneak up on me for once." He whispered loudly.

"Hey Iruka can I borrow the class?" He asked.

.

Iruka folded his arms together and sighed. "I guess, I always get out voted on this kind of thing anyway.

No teaching them forbidden jutsu unless you have the Hokage's permission though."

He smiled at him and stood up.

"Ok class it's time for another Naruto lesson!" He said loudly.

The sound of books being dropping onto desk sounded throughout the room followed by Naruto getting swarmed by students all talking at once.

Matsuri leaned over to Hanabi and asked. "Is it always like this?"

.

"Yes and don't underestimate them. Naruto has been giving them lessons and helps teach them from time to time.

He is surprisingly effective at mobilizing them into fighting force." Hanabi replied knowingly.

"Ok silence!" Naruto yelled and everyone finally stopped talking.

"I need you guy's help. This is the biggest mission I've ever given you all…We are going to defeat one of the five Kages." Naruto said with a smile.

Iruka face faulted from his shocking words.

.

* * *

.

Gaara was standing in the middle of the training field directly behind the academy waiting quietly.

_"He's only has eighteen minutes left. He should be here anytime if he has figured out the riddle."_ Gaara thought to himself.

As gust of wind blew and knocked his formal Kazekage hat off his head.

Gaara he eyed it carefully before he reached down to pick it up and…

.

"NOW!" Matsuri yelled.

Naruto summoned a massive vortex of wind that stripped off most of Gaara's sand armor as the students from the academy charged out the back door yelling their battle cry.

"CHOOCHY CHOOCHY COOOO!" They charge him without stretched hand intent on tickling him mercilessly with a huge dust cloud behind them.

Gaara saw the impending attack and started summoning more sand from the ground to reform his armor when he was struck from behind.

Hanabi hit him in the back of his left hamstring with her gentle fist.

There was nearly no damage done to him, but it was enough to distract him just long enough for the students to get their hands on him.

.

"Hahahah…HAHAHA!" Gaara yelled from the bottom of the dog pile of students. It was hard to tell if he was laughing or screaming.

Most of them where keeping him prone with laughter while two others were searching him awkwardly for the scroll.

A fiery red head darted away with a black scroll in his hands.

"Commander Matsuri! Mission success!" He yelled loudly as he ran up to her at the side of the building.

He handed her the scroll and she yelled to the students still tickling Gaara.

"Mission complete you guys! No more picking on the Kazekage!"

.

Most of them threw their hands up and cheered. "Yeah! We beat a Kage!"

Naruto jumped down from the roof and they all lined up.

"Ok what did we learn today?" He asked them.

A short girl said. "That even the Kazekage isn't immune to a tickle attack."

Naruto joined in with everyone else giggles. "Yes that is true, but what else did we learn?"

"That girls are just as good at leading a mission as boys are!" A blue eyed blond girl with her hair braided said while looking at the spiky redheaded boy.

"Yeah you keep thinking that Haruki!" The boy replied and stuck out his tongue at her.

"You're still a fat head Rukien!" She said back.

"Ok ok. Anyone else care to try?" He said trying to calm them down.

.

No one spoke up for a long time.

"Even a Kage can be toppled by an army." Hanabi said.

Naruto smiled at her. "Exactly. Now back inside and good work."

They all cheered and went back inside except Rukien and Haruki.

Naruto kneeled down in front of them and said. "Ok… let's see how far you've come."

Rukien smiled and pulled out a water balloon. He held it out and concentrated as hard as he could.

He spun the water in the balloon so fast in one direction that it leveled it out into a saucer before finally breaking.

"HA! Pretty good hu?" He said clearly proud of himself.

Haruki scowled at him and then grinned.

.

She said. "I can break the balloon faster than him! Just watch!"

She held out her balloon and concentrated. At first nothing happened and then she suddenly shifted the water quickly to one side popping the balloon.

Naruto nodded his head. "Haruki you're doing it wrong. The purpose of this exercise isn't just to pop the balloon. You have to do it the way I did.

Rukien, you're on the right track, but your balloon didn't pop the same way mine did." He said kindly.

.

"Aww… Can we see you do it again?" He said handing him a water balloon.

He smiled and took the balloon and stood up right.

"Watch carefully. Remember what it looks like just before it explodes." Naruto drew his chakra into the balloon.

Its surface became pointy in all directions before exploding and showing them with water.

"That's so cool. I wonder what the jutsu is going to look like when we master it. Will you show us please?" He begged.

.

Naruto thought about it for a moment.

_"Tsunade didn't say I couldn't show them what I was teaching them…What the heck, I guess I'll show them. It helped me when I was trying to learn it."_

Naruto held out his hand and said. "This is a master rank Ninjutsu and the only master rank Ninjutsu that isn't elemental."

Naruto formed a perfect ball of whirling blue chakra in his hand and slammed it into a nearby tree trunk.

"RASENGAN!" The ball of chakra ate deep into the tree trunk before he released it.

"Wow it almost left a perfect hole in the tree. That was SO cool!" Rukien said while jumping up and down in excitement.

"This…This is the Fourth Hokage's jutsu isn't it?" Haruki said in a bemused state.

.

Naruto smiled at her. "Yes it is. The ninja's that come before us leave us their jutsu. This is one of the Fourth Hokage's.

I learned it from his master that later became my master, Jiraiya. Come here you two I'm going to give you something that should help you."

They timidly step up to him as he pulled out a writing brush. He took their right hands and painted a swirl on them.

"Concentrate your power on that mark. Now back to class." He told them as he patted them on the shoulders.

They looked at the mark on their hand and went back to their class room slightly confused.

.

Gaara was panting on the ground and pushed himself back to his feet.

"I don't know what is more surprising. The fact that you used kids to get the scroll or the fact that you didn't figure out that all you had to do was answer the riddle to get it…"

Gaara said as he looked sourly at his crumpled hat.

"What? YOU MEAN?" Naruto said before falling over from disbelief.

Hanabi scowled at him and said. "Naruto…You knucklehead!"

.

"Ergh" Gaara said while clutching his chest.

"Gaara! Are you ok?" Matsuri said before charging up to him.

Gaara held up his hand to stop her. "I'm fine. I'm just a little sore.

Commander Matsuri…You have achieved quite a high rank in the last hour." He said giving her a amused smile.

"Umm it was Naruto's idea to let me lead this part of the task. I had the most knowledge about you. The kids kind of gave me that rank." She said shyly.

Gaara smiled at her…A very rare smile. "I'm very proud of you. Even though it was un-necessary, it was still quite impressive."

He turned to Naruto that had just picked himself off the ground and was mumbling himself about being tricked.

.

"So Naruto…What is the answer to the riddle?" He asked.

Naruto looked over at Hanabi.

"The next generation." She said.

Gaara raised a eyebrow. "So it was Hanabi that figured it out?"

"Yes and it was mainly her and Matsuri that planned out the attack on you…Sorry I thought we had to fight you to get the scroll." Naruto said innocently.

"I see….That's why you used the students here…You used the answer against me." He said with amusement.

"I didn't think you would use any jutsu if you were rushed by them." He replied.

Gaara nodded his head. "You certainly live up to your reputation as Konoha's 'Most Un-Predictable Ninja.'" He said.

"Congratulations the scroll is yours." He stated as he tossed the black scroll to Matsuri.

.

"Well open it Matsuri." Naruto said.

She opened the glossy black scroll and read it aloud. "'I am with who you have fought hardest for.' I wonder what that means." She said in confusion.

Naruto looked up to the wispy clouds in the sky while remembering his fight at The Valley of the End.

"Naruto?" Hanabi asked.

He shook off his memories and looked over at her. "This answer IS different for each of us."

.

"I know who I've fought hardest for, it's Gaara." Matsuri said while looking around at the empty field.

"Where did he go?" She asked in confusion.

"It looks like part of the next task is to find him, at least for you it is." Hanabi said.

"I know my answer. Do you know yours Hanabi?" Naruto asked her.

She nodded her head at him. "I think mine is the easiest to guess."

"We are going to have to split up then. Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He said and two clones appeared next to him.

"I'll send a clone with each of you." He said.

.

* * *

.

Naruto picked his way across town at a slow pace with his mind on what he would have to do to get the next scroll.

He arrived at a white house with red trim that was faded from years of weathering.

He stepped up to the door and heard. "Come in Naruto."

He opened the door to the dark house. There were two cups of steaming tea on the plain table.

Sasuke was sitting in front of one of the cups with his eye sockets covered by a white cloth and he motioned Naruto to the chair by the other.

"I've been expecting you." Sasuke said.

"Yes I would guess you have." He said as he took his seat.

.

"I take it training has still stalled." He asked with his hands around his cup of tea and took a sip.

"I've gotten my clones back up to where they were, but yes there is still no change in my progress." He said as he took a drink of the tea and choked.

"Ergh. What is this stuff? It tastes like an ice cream experiment gone horribly wrong!" He said in protest.

"It's pepsin leaf tea. It's supposed to add in digestion or so Sakura tells me." He replied with slight amusement.

"Eww its disgusting is what it is!" He replied and pushed the drink away from him.

Sasuke gave him a slight chuckle. "I agree with you, but if it makes Sakura feel better then it is a small price to pay for all her help."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "So what is the task to get the next scroll from you?" He asked.

Sasuke placed the black scroll in the center of the table and said.

"No task. They wanted me to test your knowledge of elemental Ninjutsu, but I think we both know that is an act in futility.

Instead tell me how things are going with your students." He asked.

.

"I rather miss teaching Konohamaru the way I used to. I handed his training over to the Monkey Clan. They are taking up the bulk of his training now." He said.

"And what of the Hyuuga girl Hanabi? Is she still parading around as your girlfriend?" He asked as he took another sip of tea.

"Umm that's kind of tricky to answer. We are kind of at a crossroads." He said.

Sasuke wore a confused expression. "I know this has been a big prank to you…Could it be your actually starting to like her?" He asked.

.

"Whether I like her or not isn't the point….She's in love with me…" He said honestly with worry in his voice.

"It's probably just teenage love. I'm sure you have seen it before. It will pass." He said in a dismissing tone.

"Ha. If only it was that simple to discount. That forbidden medical jutsu erased all thoughts of doubt in me. She really is in love with me." He said and looked at the floor in sadness.

"I see." Sasuke said. "So that jutsu is a double edged sword even for you?"

"Yes I guess it is." Naruto replied and nodded his head.

.

"So what will you do now?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "If what Neji said is true then I will devote more time to training her. I have to pass on my Toad Sage title.

She is far from ideal for this, but my time grows shorter every day. I just can't pass up on a student even if she isn't ideal." He said.

"What will you do if she is unfit to become a Toad Sage?" He asked.

Naruto looked away from him and said. "Then are two others I will consider testing. They are probably too young though.

They remind me of us back in the day. They're bitter rivals and feed off each other successes and failures just like we used to." He said nostalgically.

.

"Are you talking about Rukien and Haruki by chance?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm surprised you remembered their names." He said.

"You are right. They are too young. Imagine a thirteen year old running around with the power of a Sage if you succeeded?" He said.

Naruto looked back over at him and said. "I was only sixteen when I became a Sage."

"You were far more mature then most any sixteen year old when it came to using your powers in battle.

You would have never used your jutsu on another without just cause. That type of maturity only comes with experience and time.

Don't you have any other prospects? Surely out of the whole Land of Fire there is another you could teach." Sasuke said.

.

"Maybe there is, but I have no guarantee on finding them in time. I have to train the best students I can find and right now its Hanabi and them." He said.

"And what if you can't train someone to take your place? I hope you have planned for that." He said as he took another sip of tea.

Naruto face became saddened as he looked down and said. "Yes I've planned for that as well. If that happens I will leave the Toad Scroll to Konohamaru.

I know he's not a Sage yet and when he becomes one he will have to put finding the next Monkey Sage ahead of the Toads, but it's the best plan I can come up with for now."

.

"I see. You have started to use your head much more effectively over the years." He replied.

"I didn't have much of a choice if I wanted to teach others. They don't have Kyuubi to bail them out if they mess up." He said in agreement.

"It's too bad you lean toward the Snake and Hawk. Otherwise I could train you to find the next Toad Sage." He said with a smile.

"Yes just as you are like your master, I am like mine." He replied.

Naruto cringed at his words.

.

Sasuke chuckled softly. "I know you hate when I speak of him, but he was my master. I would have never told him that back then, but I'm far more mature now.

I don't know if I would take your teachings even if I hadn't decided to stop being a ninja." He said honestly as he handed Naruto the scroll.

"Finish the exams and then worry about who the next Toad Sage will be."

Naruto took the scroll from him and said. "Thanks I'll try to keep you posted on my progress."

Sasuke nodded at him as he left with the scroll.

.

* * *

.

Naruto returned to training ground forty-two. Soon Hanabi showed up with his clone and a black scroll in her hand.

"Well this part was rather easy. 'Return to were you started.' I hope the next task isn't going to be on the other side of town.

My legs are already killing me." She said as she sat down on the ground and massaged her legs.

"Did you have any trouble getting the scroll from you father?" He asked

She scowled at him. "He bombarded me with political questions for over an hour. My head hurts almost as bad as my legs.

I hope Tsunade gave you just as much hell getting your scroll." She said with venom in her voice.

Naruto's eyebrows raised and fell as he said. "Actually I didn't get my scroll for Tsunade…I went to see Sasuke…"

.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "And what did you have to do to get the scroll from him?" She spat at him.

He shrugged his shoulders casually. "We just talked for awhile." He admitted.

"Just…Just talked for awhile?" She said in offense. "YOU should have been dragged through hell too! How come you didn't get tested?

Damned Sages and your special treatment!"

.

Naruto spoke to her calmly and said. "You have already heard my stories about Sasuke. I chased him for years trying to save him from himself and Madara.

I ended the Forth Great Ninja War and brought him home. What test could he give me that could compare?"

Hanabi instantly regretted her outburst and looked at the ground. Her body language alone told how sorry she was.

"I apologize. I shouldn't have said that…forgive me." She said as she looked up at his blue orbs.

He tilted his head slightly at her and gave her a understanding smile. "It's ok. I know you get a bit moody when we are late for lunch.

"It's already passed noon and we still have at least one more task to go. I hope Matsuri gets here soon." He said as a loud explosion reverberated from nearby.

.

Konohamaru was running for his life with Moegi slung over his left shoulder and Udon flailing out behind him like a rag doll with four Anbu in hot pursuit.

One of the Anbu chasing him was throwing Kunais with exploding tags at him that he was barely avoiding and another of then had stopped to make hand signs.

"ALMOST THERE! ALMOST THERE! ALMOST THERE!" Konohamaru shouted to himself through the explosions as he headed for the area near Naruto and Hanabi.

Hanabi was having a déjàvoo watching them.

She put her head in her hands and said. "He really is just like you…"

Naruto smiled and scratched the back of his head innocently and said. "Yeah I guess he is, isn't he?"

.

"Water style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!" The Anbu with the cat mask said as a huge water dragon emerged and tore its way toward its prey.

Konohamaru heard the Jutsu going off and looked behind him.

"AHHHHH!" He said as he darted to and fro trying to avoid it.

The jutsu followed his every move until he finally managed to get back to the place where he was standing just hours ago right as the Jutsu exploded showing them with water.

.

He was thrown to the ground and Moegi was send bouncing across the pavement with Udon skidding to a halt behind him.

Konohamaru took three sharp breaths and was instantly up on his feet while pointing at the four Anbu.

"AH HA we won! We protected the scroll all the way back to the starting point!" He yelled at them.

Udon was nearly knocked out and said. "How can he still have enough energy to stand, let alone yelled with all we have been through?"

Moegi breathlessly said from the ground. "I….don't…know…"

The Anbu kept stalking Konohamaru and stopped fifty feet away. They suddenly huddled up and began talking.

.

"He didn't go back to training grounds eight like he was supposed to…" The Anbu in the cat mask said.

"Well this IS where he got the first scroll." The Anbu with the snake mask said while trying to catch her breath.

"But…but I spent all morning setting up those traps and he just ran the other direction." The Anbu with a elephant mask stated in disappointment.

"True, but instead of eight hundred meters of traps he dealt with us for fourteen kilometers of pursuit." The Anbu with a dog mask said.

Konohamaru let his hand fall to his side clearly perplexed.

"HEY! I CAN HEAR YOU!" He said angrily as he stomped his foot.

They continued speaking like he wasn't there.

.

"He did show great use of the Shadow Clone Jutsu. He threw us off several times and Udon helped him with strategy no doubt." The cat masked man said.

"True, but Moegi didn't help much during the second part of the task." The man with the elephant mask said.

The man in the dog mask stated. "Yes, but she was the one that figured out the first task."

The others nodded in agreement.

"HEY I'm talking to you guys! Where's our next scroll!" Konohamaru yelled at them.

.

"Next scroll?" Udon said in dismay barely looking up from the ground.

"I hope there isn't another scroll…I'm starting to like the idea of staying a Genin. If there is another scroll you better forfeit Konohamaru." Moegi said from the ground.

Naruto and Hanabi where watching intently.

.

"Even when he did throw us off the trail his yelling was a dead giveaway as to where he was heading." The man in the elephant mask stated.

"Like HELL I'll forfeit!" Konohamaru shouted at his teammates.

The woman in the snake mask was still panting from the chase and said.

"If YOU guys want to keep chasing them all the way back to Training Ground Eight be my guest! I vote we pass them.

And you owe me dearly for helping you with this!" She directed at the man in the cat mask.

Moegi managed to pull herself up to a sitting position and started healing the scrapes on her elbows from the fall.

The man in the elephant masked said. "I vote no on passing them.

They didn't return to the right starting point and Konohamaru practically did the whole second part of the task while carrying his teammates.

That is not team work."

.

The man in the dog mask told the man in the cat mask. "It's your call…You're the leader after all."

The man in the cat masked looked at them for a long moment.

"Very well. I have the results of you test and…" He said as he turned to them.

Konohamaru was on the edge of his seat waiting for his answer.

The man in the cat mask removed his mask.

Kakashi had his Sharingan activated and said. "You passed…"

.

"YEAH, WOOHOO! WE PASSED!" Konohamaru said as he leaped high into the air.

"How the hell does he have so much energy left after all that?" Udon said as Moegi crawled up to him and started healing him.

"Two words…Naruto Uzumaki." Moegi said sourly.

.

"However I will tell you two…Udon and Moegi…I think you should refrain from the third task this year." Kakashi said. "The competition is too stiff this year.

I feel it is an unnecessary risk." He said.

"What do you think Udon?" Moegi asked.

Udon got up to his feet. "Kakashi only has our or best interest at heart, but…"

"Like HELL!" Konohamaru yelled. "Who cares if we might get hurt?

You can't run away from a mission and if it's harder than the other exams it just means you have that much more right to call yourself a Chunin when you win!

Naruto would never back down and you guys shouldn't either! If they knock you down you just have to have the guts to get up and keep fighting no matter how much it hurts!"

Kakashi looked over at Naruto and he smiled. "Well said apprentice."

.

_"I really hope one day he will call me that…"_ Hanabi thought.

Naruto walked over and place his hand on Konohamaru's shoulder.

"Good job on completing the second task and for being a leader to your group. Just leading isn't the only thing you need to do as a leader.

There will be many times in the future where you will need to inspire your team as well as lead.

To become the strongest and more inspiring ninja in the village…That is our dreams Konohamaru." He said like a wise old Sage.

"I'm... I'm not going to quit Konohamaru! I don't care what Kakashi says!" Moegi said with resolve.

"Being a leader sometimes means steering your comrades away from unnecessary danger as well." Kakashi said.

"Well Udon?" Konohamaru asked him.

.

Udon got back to his feet and looked to the sky. "I'm going to drop out of the third task."

Konohamaru's eyes narrowed at him and just as he was about to start yelling at him Udon held up his hand to quiet him.

"I'm not dropping out because I'm afraid of getting hurt…You two have been leaving me behind in skill for awhile now.

Ever since you started training under Naruto in earnest." He said and he turned to look at Moegi.

"And ever since you started training under Sakura. I think it's time I too find my own master to train under." He said firmly.

.

"But,..But we fought SO hard to get this far? How can you…" Naruto stopped Konohamaru's advance.

"Sometimes it's harder to walk away from a fight than it is to fight it. Konohamaru…Let it go. He is still searching for his path." Naruto told him.

"But if he needs a master I'll find one for him!" He said clearly hurt and mad at Udon.

"That's not the way it works Konohamaru… A student has to choose their master and the master has to choose them. You can't find his master for him.

It is something he will have to do alone." He said trying to calm him.

After he stared daggers at Udon for a long moment he walked away alone.

"Udon wait up!" Moegi chased after him.

.

"It's always like this. I'm holding the team back. I'm just not pulling my weight as always.

Konohamaru is always picking up the slack for me. I just don't want to be that kind of ninja anymore." Udon said more to himself than anyone around him as he looked at the ground.

"You sound a lot like Sakura did just before she decided to train under Tsunade…

Go… find your master and train until you can stand beside them again." Naruto told him.

.

"But I don't even know where to start looking for my master." He said hopelessly.

Naruto sighed and said. "Jiraiya told me something once long ago. It was an old saying. 'When the student is ready the master will appear.'

When he told me that I thought it was just bravado, but the more I look back on it, the more it seems true.

I guess the only answer I can give you is to just start looking."

Udon turned and walked several paces away before turning back. He said. "Thanks Naruto. When I return to them I'll be a different man."

Naruto nodded at him.

.

"You're certainly living up to your title of a Sage Naruto." Gaara said as he walked up with Matsuri.

"I take it you got the scroll from Gaara?" He asked Matsuri.

She held it up for him to see.

.

"It took her longer than expected. Sorry we are late." He said as he took his place beside the empty scroll table while Matsuri went back to Naruto's side.

Gaara straitened himself up and reached down into the sand that his jutsu left that morning and pulled out the black scroll he left there.

"It seems you are ready for the finally task." He stated as he held out the scroll.

Naruto face faulted. He quickly picked himself off the ground. "So… So you mean all we had to do was get the first scroll that the sand clone had?"

Gaara gave him a questioning look. "Technically yes."

.

"Ergh we have wasted half a day!" He said as he grabbed his head in frustration.

Gaara gave him an amused look and said. "Come with me Matsuri. The final part of the task is for Naruto and Hanabi alone."

He left the scroll on the table for them and left with Matsuri.

.

Naruto walked over to the scroll and opened it with his annoyance in clear view.

He read over it and blinked a few times in stunned shock. He read over it again and the scroll slipped from his hands.

The metal rod that the scroll was bound to hit the pavement with a loud Clang as a gust of wind blew.

.

"No way. Even I might die if I do that…" He said soullessly.

Hanabi walked over in confusion and picked up the scroll. "'Present Hanabi to the Toad Sage elders to see which type of animal her chakra leans towards.'

And? What's so bad about that?" She asked him in confusion.

Naruto's head turned very slowly toward her with his gaze showing he was still in shock.

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA! The food there is horrible!

They beat me to a blood pulp for even asking about Konohamaru and now I have to take you there for chakra animal testing!

If you aren't a Toad type then they're gonna kill me!" He stated.

.


	18. Chapter 18: Mount Myoboku

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**

**Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Mount Myoboku**

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Authors note:

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.

You guys are slacking on review or questions for me to answer.

Another interesting thing that happened in the series changed a part of my own story. Naruto doesn't have Sasuke's eyes…

It looks like he has Itachi's that were transplanted into Sasuke if things go the way I think they are going to go. Very interesting.

I wonder how my Muse is going to play that little detail out.

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Reviews questions:

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_**.**_

_**kyuubi27  
2010-03-23 . chapter 17**_

_**Holy hell I just read this in one day, man that's a lot of reading. I hate to imagine how long you have spent on this just curious how long?**_

_**Also pretty depressing he can't have kids he will die in less than two years can't find a replacement, but yay she loves him thanks for the great read I just had to add this to my favs.**_

I've been writing this for over a year. As for time spent writing and researching my facts on the series…god…Easily eighty hours a chapter.

I must say that the hardest part of writing this story was the first sentence. It seems the same with every story I write.

I guess that old saying is true. "The longest journey begins with a single step."

What it doesn't say is that first step is the hardest one for a writer because you can build on each step you took before it.

Vryce54  
2010-03-16 . chapter 17

_**Ok awesome story best chapter in my opinion next the drunken date chapter. **_

_**Only thing I just wish it had been a tad bit longer but all in all great I give it 10/10.**_

_**Now please update sooner I eagerly await your new chapter to see his response and see where this goes. **_

_**Also are you gonna be using the forest of death or since there's only a few teams in this chunin exam are you gonna come up with a whole new test or a variation of the first like u did **_

_**with the bugs.**_

.

Ha, oh yes my drunken ninja games chapter. That one actually came out from me getting drunk and my Muse deciding it would make a interesting idea for one of my chapters.

Did the descriptions of them being drunk seem just a bit too real? That because I was drunk the night before writing it!

I'm not sure whether or not I should answer the question about the forest of death, but I guess I will as it seems it's of no consequence to my Muses story.

The students that got the white scrolls went to the same test in the forest of death that Naruto did his first try at the Chunin exams.

That part of the story, as far as I know, will probably not be written out or talked about much.

I'm not sure if I made another point clear about the first task…not everyone has the same Instructor for the first task.

There were six class rooms and six instructors for the first task. I only went into detail on the class that Naruto was in.

_**.**_

_**Subject: The Great Sage Naruto: Chapter 17Tristan76  
Apr 08th, 6:35pm**_

_**This seems to be happening a lot when I try to review, it comes up as a duplicate review. **_

_**I know I haven't read this chapter before, so I don't have the foggiest idea on what's going on. **_

_**Anyway, Naruto, that poor guy gets nothing but shit thrown at him non-stop. **_

_**Anyway, I wonder if Ruby truly will go through with her threat to Naruto once she's released? **_

_**It seems that she has gained an immense amount of respect for Naruto, even if she doesn't show it. **_

_**The question remains, will she allow Naruto to live once she is released and leave peacefully? **_

_**If she does, will Naruto be able to visit her to keep her company and sane.**_

_**If she allows that then, if Naruto has children, his Clan can keep her company throughout time and protect her and her "children" from people trying to seal them again. **_

_**Though I doubt that it will go down that way without a seriously huge battle between Naruto and Ruby, to see if her respect is well placed. **_

_**Anyway, great chapter. This is one of my most favorite stories to read and I look forward to each and every update. Until the next one. Later.**_

.

Wow I was just about to post the next chapter when I read my in box.

I needed another review and I only had two...I like to answer three at a time.

Thanks for giving me another one to answer.

The reason you can't review my chapter 17 is because I removed a notice that was chapter 13 making chapter 17 that you already review chapter 16.

When I posted the new chapter it posted as chapter 17 and the server thinks you have already reviewed that chapter. Hints the reason you can't post another review.

As for your review… Your mind is indeed sharp at understanding this story and the conflict in it as well as the ramifications of the characters decisions.

I can't answer much of your speculation on the story, but I can tell you this.

This is the first review my Muses has seen that had idea's for what happened next up to even it's high standers.

I noticed you have 210 favorite stories… In that time of reading all those stories you must have told yourself hundreds of time.

"It would have been better if this would have happened." Or "It would have been better this would have happened here."

That's your Muse talking to you not just your opinion speaking.

You are already very close to where I was when I had exhausted all the romance manga and fanfic I wanted to read.

The longest ten minutes of my life was spent staring at a blank screen when I put in what kind of fanfic I wanted to read and there was none.

You my friend should stop wonder what's going to happen in other peoples stories and start writing your own story.

Maybe you are like I was. I hated all writing assignments in school and was instantly turned off at the slightly mention of it.

It wasn't until I started writing my own story that I truly understood the joys of writing for myself.

Honestly the way I look at it is that I'm writing this story to share my Muses work with everyone else as much as my Muse shares its self with me.

If no one else likes my stories then oh well. I can read this story a hundred times or more and still want to read it again because to me it is exactly what I want to read.

The critic's will likely be harsh on you at first, but take them with a iron skin. Ignore their harsh words and address their problems with your story if they have a legitimate point.

The only advice I can give you is…

Paint the picture of your world.

Place your characters in your world.

Make them relatable and action.

From here your characters will take shape. You will quickly find out at a blank screen and a keyboard is more entertaining that any movie or video game or story you've read or seen.

Though I hope it doesn't drive you to near obsession as it did to me, in the same way… I hope it does so you come to the stark realization of who and what you are.

You are a writer even if you don't know it yet.

.

Last Chapter.

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"No way. Even I might die if I do that…" He said soullessly.

Hanabi walked over in confusion and picked up the scroll. "'Present Hanabi to the Toad Sage elders to see which type of animal her chakra leans towards.'

And? What's so bad about that?" She asked him in confusion.

Naruto's head turned very slowly toward her with his gaze showing he was still in shock.

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA! The food there is horrible! They beat me to a blood pulp for even asking about Konohamaru and now I have to take you there for chakra animal testing!

If you aren't a Toad type then they're gonna kill me!" He stated

.

Chapter Eighteen: Mount Myoboku

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.

Hanabi eyed him intently. "It can't be all that bad." She said.

"Oh yes it is. I'll have to take you to Mount Myoboku, the sacred land of the Toads. It takes a month to get their on foot.

The entrance is protected by all types of Genjutsu and then traps.

The only other way is for me to summon one of the Toad elders and have him use the Un-Summoning jutsu to get us there, but you would have to sign the Toad contract for that!"

He said clearly on edge.

"So? Father wouldn't have a problem with me signing a summoning contract." She said as she crossed her arms clearly unimpressed.

"You still don't get it. If I take you there the right way according to the Toads laws we won't get back until well after the exams are over!

If I have you sign the contract and get one of the other Toads to Un-Summon us there, then not only did I let you sign the contract without you being tested.

But I'll be taking you there knowing full well that you don't have the chakra to be a Summoner yet.

To say nothing of letting you sign it without their permission." He stated with worry.

.

Hanabi looked at him in thought for a moment before saying.

"So we are in a Catch Twenty-Two? Why can't you just summon them here and have them test me?"

"Because with how little chakra you have you will have to be taken to the Summoner's room on Mount Myoboku to be tested.

If you came from a lineage of a former Toad summoner, then I could let you sign the contract and worry about the spirit journey to Mount Myoboku later.

I've already check your records and it doesn't list any Hyuuga ever being a summoner." He stated with dread in his voice.

.

Kakashi said. "Why don't you summon one of the Toads here and ask them about. They wouldn't have given you this task if you couldn't complete it."

Naruto scratched his chin in thought. "Well if it could save me a bludgeoning…I guess I can try it."

He bit his thumb and yelled. "Summoning Jutsu." A cloud of smoke filled the training ground and slowly dissipated.

When the smoke cleared a eight feet tall yellow toad stood before them.

.

He spoke slowly and said. "Hi Naruto. Do you have any snacks?"

"Umm, no I don't have any snacks with me right now Gamatatsu. Look I need your help.

I need to know how to get someone who hasn't signed the Toad contract to Mount Myoboku today." He said.

He blinked a few times and said. "I'll answer you…for some snacks."

"Won't you take an IOU for now? I'm in a hurry." He asked in an almost begging manner.

"I'm hungry nooow though." He told him.

Naruto hung his head. "Fine I'll get you some damned snacks."

.

Naruto returned some time later with two clones with their arms full of junk food. They dumped the food in a huge pile in front of the Yellow toad.

He licked his chops and opened one of the bags of chips and devoured the whole bag in one bite.

He kept devouring the food at a disturbing rate.

Hanabi eyed Gamatatsu with a look of disgust and said. "And I thought Naruto's table manners were bad..."

"Ok, I got you food now tell me how to get Hanabi to Mount Myoboku today without endangering my life." He said.

Gamatatsu continued eating like he wasn't there.

.

"HEY! GAMATASU!" Naruto said as he jumped up on him.

He had his foot on his snout and his hands around his arm that was trying to stuff food into his mouth.

"Why you stop me from eating?" He said slowly.

"You gotta tell me how to get Hanabi to Mount Myoboku! That was the deal!" He yelled at him

Gamatatsu blinked at him a few times before saying. "I…don't know."

.

"WHAT?" He said in offense and clubbed him right between the eyes.

Gamatatsu was un-phased by his strike. "So can I finish eating now?" He asked.

Naruto got down off him and mumbled loudly. "No good lousy Toad…"

Naruto sat down on the ground while Gamatatsu continued eating and a revolting pace.

.

"What are we going to do now?" She said while inching away from the large toad.

"I don't know. I could try summoning another Toad, but I don't know if that's going to get us anywhere." He said in dismay.

"Why not summon bigger one like Gamabunta?" She asked hopefully.

Naruto gave her a strained look. "You've never met Gamabunta have you?

He's not the friendliest of Toads, especially when you don't have a good reason to summon him.

I'll try to summon a Toad that's…easier to get along with."

.

"Summoning Jutsu!" He said and slammed his hand into the ground. Again the training ground filled with smoke.

This time he summoned an orange Toad.

"Hi Naruto…Hey Gamatatsu! What are you doing pigging out without me?" He yelled at his brother.

Hanabi didn't think it was possible, but Gamatatsu began eating even fast to keep his snacks from his brother.

"That's not important right now Gamakichi. I need to know how to get Hanabi to Mount Myoboku today without breaking any of the Toad laws!" He said.

"Oh…that. I'll tell you…for some snacks." Gamakichi said with an evil twinkle in his eye.

"ERGH!" Naruto yelled and started pulling his hair out. "You guys are going to drive me INSANE today!"

.

Sometime later Naruto returned in a foul mood with still more snacks and dumped them in front him.

He happily dug in and ate in an only slightly less revolting manner.

"You had BETTER have an answer other then 'I don't know.'" He warned him.

Gamakichi talked through a full mouth while showing partly chewed food. "No I have an answer. Just let me finish my snacks first."

Naruto's eyes narrowed at him while he finished his food.

Gamakichi finally swallowed the last bag of snack and said. "Woah, that was good."

.

"Come on already I don't have all day!" He said irritatedly.

"Oh right." He said as he grabbed his brother by the arms. "Ask dad."

He said as he and his brother Un-Summoned themselves.

"AHHH WHAT THE HELL!" He yelled so loudly people could hear him miles away.

.

It took Naruto more than a few minutes to calm down after being cheated twice.

He finally steeled his nerves and drew in a huge amount of chakra.

"Summoning Jutsu!" He said. The entire training ground filled with smoke.

It took much longer for it to clear and Hanabi got her first look at the Toad she had read about in the books about Naruto.

The clay colored Toad was over one-hundred and fifty feet tall from his sitting position. He was nearly as big as the Hokage Tower.

He wore a blue robe and had a pipe in his mouth bigger than most elder trees.

Here was the Toad that hadn't been ridden on since the Fourth Hokage until Naruto won his respect.

This was Naruto's mount Toad and the largest member of the Toad Clan, Gamabunta.

.

Hanabi was in stunned silence at the sheer size of the creature. Even her story books didn't do him justices.

Naruto yelled up at him. "Hey Gamabunta! I need your help!"

He looked down at him and said. "Yes I know. Gamakichi told me everything."

"So you know how to get to Mount Myoboku without breaking any of the Toad laws?" He asked him loudly.

.

"Yes, I'll tell you….fer some snacks…" He said calmly.

Naruto face faulted into the pavement. "What the hell! There's no way I could feed you!" He said instantly getting to his feet while pointing a quivering finger at him.

Gamabunta rolled over on his back with a thundering crash while laughing.

"HAHAHAHAHA, Gamakichi told me to tell you that!" His voice boomed.

"Yeah, Yeah laugh it up!" Naruto wait for him to calm down.

…

"So are you going to help me our not boss toad?" He asked.

Gamabunta got down low to eye him.

"This isn't a very smart idea to bring her to Mount Myoboku Naruto. I hope you know that and are prepared for what might happen." He warned.

"Yeah I know what I'm getting myself into." He said as he crossed his arms.

"For your sake I hope so.

To get her there you will need our Toad scent on her and use the Un-Summoning jutsu while concentrating on where you want to go on Mount Myoboku." He told him.

"How do we get your scent?" He asked and already he regretted it.

.

"HOORRK."

Gamabunta spit a huge glop of saliva on Hanabi.

Hanabi went from being held in awe at the great toad to utter revolting shock while holding her arms out to her sides like someone had clocked her in the head.

She was so stunned by this indignity she couldn't even speak.

"Eww gross Gamabunta!" Naruto said in disgust as he took a step back from her as she dripped.

"I never said it was a preferred way to get there, but it's the only way she can get there today." He said.

"How do I do the Un-Summoning Jutsu though?" He yelled up at him.

"Just do the summoning signs backwards and say 'Un-Summoning Jutsu.'" He replied as he disappeared into a huge cloud of smoke.

.

Naruto did well not to laugh at Hanabi's priceless expression of her looking like a white blob.

He inched close to her and carefully touched her foot with his as it was about the only place not cover in the toad's spit.

He slowly went through the hand signs backwards and said. "Un-Summoning Jutsu!"

They disappeared.

Kakashi happily left with his camera in hand to go get his new pictures developed.

.

.

Naruto had been concentrating hard on one of the training grounds on Mount Myoboku, but didn't quite make it there.

Naruto and the glop covered Hanabi appeared twenty feet over one of the many hot springs on the mountain.

They screamed as the fell into the water with a loud splash.

.

_"Oh great place to land…Right in Gamabunta's toilet!...I guess I won't tell Hanabi that part though."_ He thought.

They both slow dragged themselves to the shore panting

"Well on the bright side…at least it…washed the scent off of…you." He said breathlessly.

Hanabi was trying to catch her breath as well as she looked over at him and said. "I'm starting… to hate…Toads."

.

After Naruto used a wind jutsu to dry them off Hanabi looked around the area.

It was the strangest place she had ever seen. Hot springs were everywhere.

The rock terrain had many weird looking giant, hollow roots growing out of the rocks that were shooting water out of them into the hot springs.

The rocks were covered in a bright green moss and there were small shrubs all over the place.

The air was humid and hard to breathe.

.

"Where are we?" She asked Naruto.

Naruto looked around and said. "It looks like we are in the southern hot springs area of Mount Myoboku.

It's not far from the training ground where I learned the throw the Rasenshuriken."

"It's so strange here, but it's really pretty." She said gazing around while listening to all the insects flutter about.

"I keep forgetting you spent most of your time at the Hyuuga compound. It just looks like an area in the wilds to me." Naruto said casually.

"I guess I just don't get out much." She replied knowingly.

Naruto headed off in a northern direction. "Come on let's go. We are about two hours away from the Toad village."

.

They entered a open field area near a bunch of short mountain tops some time later. Three of the mountain had the tops of them cut clean off.

"So this is the training ground you where talking about?" She asked.

"Yeah this is it. I snuck out here to train away from the elder Toads during my Sage training." He said while walking.

She gave him a concerned look and asked. "How hard is Sage training?"

Naruto shook his head not really knowing what to say.

.

"It sounds easy, but when you try to harness the natural energies around you for the first time…

You will see its one of the hardest things you could ever do. You can easily die from it even under the care of one of the Sage elders."

Hanabi's eyes went wide before she mastered herself.

"Naruto please stop, I need to speak with you." She said with resolve.

.

Naruto stopped and turned to her. He had never seen her so serious.

Hanabi got on her knees and bowed before him. Naruto gave her a confused look as she did this.

"Naruto if I am a Toad type please…Take me as your disciple and teach me the ways of the Toad Sage." She asked formally.

Naruto blinked a few times in surprise before asking her. "Gaara told you, didn't he?"

She bowed even lower and said.

"Yes he did. I know you have to pass on your teaching soon. Please Naruto I'll work as hard as I can to learn from you!"

Naruto was humbled by her gesture and grabbed her by the shoulders and brought her back to her feet.

.

He hugged her fiercely and said. "That's all I could have ever hoped for…"

He let her go after a long moment and told her.

"We have to go see to Sage elder to get you tested first. Let's go so we can make it before night fall.

It's not safe to be out here after dark." He told her.

"What comes out here after dark?" She asked curiously.

"You see how big Gamabunta is right? Well there are bugs here big enough to fill even his stomach that only come out at night.

The village is one of the few safe places from them." He said.

.

It took them quite awhile to traverse the rugged land and finally make it to Toad Village.

The Village was in a huge valley area nestled in the mountain tops with several giant hot springs as big as small lakes.

There were house varying sizes from houses that barely came up to her waist to ones that where as big as temples that littered the landscape.

Many of the smaller houses were built right into the side of the rocky mountain tops.

Most of the larger houses were built on the flatter area near the bottom of the valley.

A thin misty fog hung low on the ground making it look like they were walking on the clouds and the air was filled with the sounds of croaking Toads.

"This has to be one of the prettiest places I ever seen…" She said in awe.

.

"It's like living in a fairly tale book. This is the sacred Village of the Toads." He said pointing his arm out over the vast landscape.

After a long moment that he let her enjoy the view he said.

"Come on. Gamabunta's house is over by the biggest spring." He led her down the rock paths to the largest house in the valley.

"Looks like he's in the spring. HEY Gamabunta!" He yelled out over the water.

The large Toad came up from the bottom of the spring and a great waterfall streamed off his back filling the area with steam.

Hanabi choked and coughed unable to breathe the thick air.

"I see you made it." He told Naruto.

"Yeah we did. Can you tell me where the Elder Sages are?" He yelled back at him.

Gamabunta raised one eyebrow at him and stated. "They are right behind you…"

Naruto turned around and the last thing he remembered seeing was Fukasaku wooden staff coming at him and hearing the distinct bong of Shima's frying pan before his world faded to black.

.

"I'll get Naruto. You take care of this girl." Fukasaku said as he picked Naruto up on his tiny shoulders and carried/dragged him away.

Shima yelled at Gamabunta. "You were the one that helped him bring this girl here, weren't you?"

"I told him he had better be prepared for what would happen." Gamabunta stated as he looked away.

Shima turned around in disgust with him. "Come on you." She said to Hanabi in a annoyed tone.

Naruto awoke two hours later in a small, dim hut covered in a moss blanket inside the Elder Sages home.

His head was still stinging. He looked around the blurry room and could just make out Hanabi's outline sitting next to one of the Toad Elders.

.

He couldn't tell which of them it was before…

"Honey! He's waking up." Fukasaku yelled to his wife.

He could just make out the pitter patter of little feet racing toward him before another loud bong hit him, knocking him out again.

"Call my food bad!" She yelled at the knocked out Sage.

.

Two hours later….Bong!

.

Two more hours later and Naruto awoke with his head hurting like hell from his none to gentle forced naps.

He wrapped the covers over the four lumps on his head and started healing himself with his chakra.

"Kami what's got them this upset. I followed Gamabunta instructions!" He said through the ringing in his ears.

It took him what seem like forever to heal the lumps enough to bear the pain.

When he could finally stand he took the covers off his head and looked around.

A pot of foul smelling bug soup was boiling next to the fireplace and the hut was empty.

_"Where could they have gone?"_ He thought.

.

.

Hanabi was following Fukasaku through a winding mountain path heading down the mountain.

"Is Naruto in trouble?" She asked in a reserved manner.

"That's none of your concern girl." He said coldly.

"Then where are you taking me?" She asked

"Off of the Toad's sacred land. Naruto had no right to bring you here." He said shortly.

Hanabi stopped in her tracks. "What?"

"I wouldn't dawdle if I were you. There are dangerous things out here at night." He stated as he turned around to look at her.

.

"Like hell you're leading me off the mountain buster!" She walked right up to the small toadman and poked him right in the chest.

Fukasaku was clearly surprised that she did this.

"Look here I got spit on by a giant toad, dropped in a boiling hot spring, had to walk for two hour and watch you beat up my master!

I came here to get my chakra tested to see which animal I can summon and that is what I'm going to do. You got it!" She said angrily.

.

He never moved her finger off of him and replied. "Do you even know who I am little human girl?" He said.

"You're one of the two Toad Sage Elders and I'm guessing you're not the brighter of the two." She spat.

_"She's got guts threatening me I'll give her that."_ He thought.

"Hmph who says we didn't already test you chakra? We don't even need to test your chakra.

It's far too low for you to even be considered to join the Toad Clan!" He yelled at her.

"I'm going back to Naruto and I WILL go through you if I have to." She stated loudly.

"Hahhahah…That's a good one. I haven't heard one that funny in over a hundred years! Come on and take your best shot little lady." He said as he laughed again.

.

"Byakugan!" She said as she got into a fighting pose. She quickly saw that this tiny toad was much more then he seemed.

Not only did he have so much chakra that it made her eyes water to look at him, but he was constantly drawing chakra into himself.

"Well come on little lady. If you're going to try to take me on hurry up already. I'm not getting any younger." He stated.

.

Hanabi steeled herself. "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She said and summoned three clones.

Her mind shifted to the spirit realm. Fukasaku was standing in the middle of a YingYang symbol and her and her three clones where surrounding him.

She grinned ever so slightly. "You're in range…."

Her and her clones moved quickly toward him. "Four Palms!"

Just before Hanabi touch him he leaped so high into the air that he disappeared.

_"Damn I lost him…How can he do that? I had him locked on!" _She thought as she looked to the skies for him.

.

"Impressive. She summoned three clones with such little chakra and has even learned to fight in perfect timing, but I'm no mere human.

She will have to do much better than that if she wants to get passed me." He thought.

From high in the clouds he drew chakra into himself and concentrated.

"Air Bullet Jutsu!" He yelled and sent four Air Bullets screaming down to earth.

.

Hanabi couldn't see the toadman any more and had switched to a defensive stance.

She was focusing on the parameter waiting for him to break it.

Not a second later she heard and felt the jutsu coming at her.

Her and her three clones all move as one. "Rotation!"

They spun releasing chakra form ever point in their bodies.

Her and two of her clone dissipated three of the Air Bullets in a howling whine, but one of her clones could only cancel it out before poofing into smoke.

.

_Flashback_

* * *

.

Hanabi and her father where sparring at the Hokage training ground.

She had decided to try a new move she had read about.

She charged her father and preformed a flying jump kick.

Lord Hyuuga barely touched her foot while she was in mid air that was coming at him and it sent her spinning wildly and she crashed to the ground hard.

"HANABI!" He scowled her. "How many times do I have to tell you? Fighting is about balance. We never let our feet leave the ground during combat!

In the air you weigh nothing and it only takes the slightest of touches to unbalance you! Where did you learn such a stupid move?" He yelled at her.

.

* * *

_Flashback ends_

.

Hanabi stretched her mind out in all directions and found the chakra that once looked like a star in the dusky sky plummeting toward her.

_"I have to hit him before he touches the ground."_ She told herself.

He screamed toward the ground at great speed. Just inches before landing…

_"Now!"_ Hanabi told herself and attacked.

.

She struck him in the foot knocking him into a spin heading for the ground.

"Four Palm!" Her clone said and struck four times sending him flying into the other clone while charging him.

"Eight Palms!" The second clone said striking him four times as the second came up behind him and struck him another four.

The real Hanabi yelled Sixteen Palm!" As she joined her clones in the melee with them all striking the small toad body in quick succession.

"Thirty-Two Palm!" All three of them yelled as they when full out on the tiny toad in a rapid exchange.

When it was over her and her three clones where holding the toadman up in a three way strike to the neck.

Hanabi was breathing hard as her two clones poofed away and the toad slipped off her hand and collapsed to the ground unconscious.

.

She panted hard for many moments.

_"I think I used up almost all my chakra in that attack… I can hardly move and that was just an old toad."_ She thought trying to catch her breath.

She heard a strange clacking noise from the nearby shrubs and a ten feet long brown beetle emerged from the under growth.

Hanabi still hadn't had time to rest when it yelled an inhuman battle cry and charged her.

_._

_"I don't have much chakra left…I'll have to make this strike count."_ She told herself as she stepped in between the tiny toad on the ground and the charging insect.

The giant armored bug charge at her as she stilled her mind for her attack.

"RAGHHH!" The bug screamed as it charged her.

Just when it came within striking distance baring it giant pinchers she hit it in the middle of the forehead. It skidded though the dirt on its back as twitched several times.

Hanabi hit her knees panting. She took several sharp breaths before hearing the loud scamper of more giant bugs.

.

_"I-I have to get out of here. I don't have any chakra left. I can't end up as bug food!"_ She told herself as she strained to push herself back to her feet.

She started moving as fast as her slow body would carry her back up the path when she heard several more of the giant beetle's battle screams heading toward her.

She turned to see the prone toadman. He was knocked out with his long tongue hanging out to the side of his mouth.

_"I can hardly hold myself up. I can't afford to take him with me."_ She warred with herself.

Another bug battle cry echoed thought the mountains in a much louder voice.

She just couldn't take leaving the toadman to die. She cringes as she staggered back over to him and strained to lift his tiny body onto her back.

She took in several more sharp breaths and said. "Well we are probably both going to die here, but I'll try my best to get us back to safety."

.

She managed to struggle up the harsh mountain path for just over five-hundred meters before collapsing near a large tree.

The horrible sounds of the giant bugs grew closer and closer.

It was all she could do the try to hide the small toad in a bush beside the tree before the bugs rounded the bend and caught sight of her.

She braced her back against the tree while she drew a kunai from her holster. She tried to run chakra through the blade, but didn't have any left.

She waited for her inevitable fate.

.

Fourteen of the giant bugs charged her with their screams filling her head as the ground shook her body.

They were mere feet from her when she closed her eyes and waited for death to take her.

The wait seemed like forever…The noise of the bugged had seemed to stop.

*Crunch munch crunch* She opened her eyes to see a Toad so large it could only be Gamabunta.

.

"Man that hit the spot. I haven't a feast a brown backs in years." He said.

She was finally safe and slipped into a deep sleep.

"Hmmm." Gamabunta said as he turned around.

"I'll be, if it isn't that Hanabi girl." He said and his eyes curiously inspected her hand that was holding the hand of a small green toad that was sticking out of a bush.

The Great Toad used his massive tongue to move the small plant.

"Well I'll be. That senile toad probably got lost. I guess I'll take them to the chakra testing rooms. It's not safe for a human out here at night."

Gamabunta scooped them up into his mouth and jumped back to the village in a single supersonic hop though the skies.

.

Gamabunta landed so hard that he shook the ground in a small earth quake.

He carefully deposited the old toad and the sleeping Hanabi outside a small circular hut on the top of a mountain.

Hanabi's back was resting against the hut and the Elder Toad Sage was sitting beside her.

"There they should be safe here. Now back to hunting for some dessert." He said as he leaped away.

Fukasaku opened his eyes and smiled.

_._

_"Even though she doesn't have the chakra she needs to be a Toad Sage, she certainly has shown enough loyalty and guts to be tested." _

He thought as he slowly tried to move out from under her arms.

"Ummm." She said in her sleep and hugged the small toadman fiercely causing several loud pops to emit from his body.

"Umm five more…minutes Naruto. Can we just stay like this for…a few more minutes please…"

_"Ouch…what strength she has in her arms for a human." _He thought as he gently but firmly tried to remove her arms from him.

.

Sometime later he managed to get away from the snuggle hungry teen's arms and carefully moved her into the small hut.

There was nothing in the dim room, but twelve statues around the outer wall of spirit animals.

He laid her in the center of the stone floor and placed his hands on her chest.

He began drawing her chakra out of her and into his hand.

The chakra formed a beam of light coming out of the top of his hand that shined towards two of the statues.

The fainter of the two beams of light shined on the statue of the Turtle.

The brightest of the beams shinned on the statue of the Toad.

_"Strange."_ He thought to himself. _"I've only heard of a few other cases where someone's chakra leaned toward two types of animals…"_

…

Hanabi awoke on a cold damp floor with Fukasaku leaning over her some time later.

"I see you're finally awake?" He said.

She blinked away her blurry vision and sat up. "Where am I?" She asked in a sleepy manner.

"You're in the chakra testing hut here in the toad village." He told her.

She tilted her head at him and asked. "So we aren't dead then?"

"HAHAHA… Heavens no child." He said as she got to her feet.

She looked around the bleak hut and asked.

"What happened? How did we get here? The last thing I remember is nearly getting eaten by giant bugs."

.

"There will be time for that later. First I need you to answer some questions." He said in a serious tone.

She wore a confused look and asked. "About how I beat you?"

The old toad gave her a thoughtful grin and snickered.

"No, not about your Gentle Fist Art. I already know quite a bit about that. I need to ask you if you're a chakra stealer type as well." He said.

.

She stared at him blankly and after a long moment of thought replied.

"No I don't have any chakra stealing jutsu. We in the leaf village frown upon that kind of jutsu."

"Hmm then how is it that when I tested your chakra animal type, that yours leans toward two animals then?" He asked her carefully.

"Wait, what? You tested my animal type? When? I thought you were intent on beating the hell out of Naruto and throwing me off your lands." She bombarded him.

.

He nodded his head at her and said. "Yes I was going to evict you from our lands.

You haven't earned the right to be here yet, but that was before you tried to protect me from the bugs when you thought I was out cold." He said.

"Wait you mean you weren't knocked out? You were playing possum?" She said in accusing shock.

"I'd like to call it testing you. You failed on one hand for attacking me, but you succeeded in gaining my respect for what followed." He said.

"YOU!" She yelled angrily as she pointed at him. "You had me carry you that far thinking I was going to die a horrible death by getting eaten by bugs just to test me!"

He smiled at her with his arms folded behind his back before saying. "Exactly. I had to know what type of person you really were.

You can talk to a person all you want, but only when the situation is dire do they show their true self."

.

She glared at him and crossed her arms before bluntly asking. "So then. What animal type am I?"

He raised his eyebrows at her. _"Kami she's nearly as hot headed as Naruto was."_ He thought.

"I don't know. The test was inconclusive. That's why I asked if you were a chakra stealer." He said.

She threw her hands up and said. "What does that have to do with anything?"

.

"Because this test always shows us one animal, not two. The only way it would show two is if you had someone else's chakra inside of you.

There is only two ways to mess with the results of this test. One is to have someone else's chakra inside of you.

The other can only happen with females when they are with child." He told her firmly.

She face faulted. "Wait …I'm …I'm not pregnant with Naruto's child!" She said very defensively.

He gave her a sour look and said. "I know that…I hope you realize I'm the one that taught Naruto how to use chakra sensory perception.

If you where with his child I would have sensed it the moment you got here."

.

She relaxed and put her hand over her heart. "Oh…Sorry about that then." She said slightly embarrassed as she looked at the floor clearly flushed.

"I…I think I might still have some of Naruto's chakra inside me." She stammered.

He peered at her curiously and asked. "I thought you weren't a chakra stealer though?"

"I'm not. Naruto has a technique to force his chakra inside of someone else to refill their chakra levels.

It is how he managed to teach me most of the Shadow Clone Jutsu in two days." She admitted.

.

He nodded his head at her. "I see. How long ago did he do this for you and how many times?" He asked.

She got a strained expression and said. "It was over a month ago. He refilled me over seventy or so times from almost no chakra back to over full in two days."

"Ribit…Over seventy times? That would explain why there is still some of his chakra inside you. Our chakra test is useless then.

It would probably be a year before you are free enough from his chakra so that we could test you this way." He stated.

.

Her eyes went wide. "No I can't wait that long…Naruto can't wait that long to teach the next Toad Sage!" She said desperately.

"I'm well aware of Naruto's predicament. I'm taking you to the head of our Clan." He said as he turned to walk out of the hut.

"How will that help?" She asked as she followed him.

"You talk too much. Just be quiet and follow. You'd do well to listen and pay attention to the toads if you want to become part of our Clan." He told her.

.

* * *

.

Naruto walked outside the elders hut. The valley in the mountains had fog sticking to the ground in the full moon light.

The sky was littered brightly with stars and the black of night was starting to fade to red in the east.

_"It's almost dawn. I don't sense her anywhere near here and I'm too weak to use Sage mode to increase my range to find her."_ He thought.

.

He went down to Gamabunta's house that was nearby only to hear him snoring loudly.

Naruto knew waking him up would be a very, very bad idea, so he turned to leave.

"Hey Naruto." Gamakichi said as he hopped into view from behind the massive house. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Oh hi. I was looking for Hanabi." He said.

"Pops said he dropped her and Fukasaku off at the statue shrine hut hours ago before he turned in for the night." He said.

Naruto's mood brightened and he said. "Thanks Gamakichi!"

He turned to leave and took two steps away…Then he turned right back around and asked. "Where is the statue shrine?"

.

"Honestly…I don't know." He said quietly. Naruto fell over.

"What'd ya mean you don't know? You've lived here your whole life!" He nearly shouted at him.

The toad wore a confused look and said.

"It's not like we have to be tested to know which Clan we belong to. It's pretty obvious when we are born.

I've never been there, so I don't know where it is." He said.

Naruto hung his head and sighed. "Great! It will take forever to find her just wandering around."

"You should go see the Great Geezer Sage. I heard he is going to want to see you anyway." He said.

Naruto picked up his head and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it's as good a place as any to look."

.

* * *

.

Fukasaku led her for what seemed like forever on a winding trail up the tallest peak of the mountain.

For the longest time the fog was so thick she could barely see until they had finally risen above the fog.

What she had thought was mere fog was clouds they had been walking through.

A vast ocean of puffy white clouds stretched as far as her eyes could see as they neared the top of the mountain.

They reached a small plateau at the top where a short path led to a large temple like structure made of ancient stone that had been weather through the ages.

.

"No gawking. Hurry up!" Fukasaku told the befuddled girl and she quicken her pace.

The temple was much smaller then it looked.

Inside were a few younger toad females tending to the plants and a large wrinkly toad sitting on a throne like chair.

He led them through the open room and stood in front of the squinting old toad.

"Great Geezer I have come to you so that you can settle a matter of someone trying to join our Clan." He said stiffly.

.

The old toad towered above Hanabi and lean over to get a better look at her.

"Who is this human girl?" He asked in a raspy voice.

"She is little Naruto's student, Hanabi Hyuuga. He brought her here to get animal tested. Unfortunately Naruto fed her his chakra making the test inconclusive." He stated.

The old toad gave him a blank stare and asked. "Who is this Naruto person?"

Hanabi gave Fukasaku questioning look and he wiped his face with his hand in exasperation.

"Little Naruto is the Child of Destiny Grand Geezer and he's our Sage in the human world. Don't you remember him?" He asked.

The old toad took several long moments think before saying. "Is he the perverted man with white hair?"

"No that was his master Jiraiya. Naruto has spiky yellow hair." He said as he shook his head.

"What happened to Jiraiya then?" He asked slowly.

.

"He perished in battle years ago. Don't you remember?

It was just after that we trained Naruto to be a Sage." He said clearly feeling like he was getting nowhere.

"Spiky yellow hair right?" He said in thought.

"Yes Great Sage." Fukasaku said with a nod.

"I think I remember him…Didn't he get killed fighting a fox?" He asked.

The elder Sage took a long deep breath. "No, that was his father Minato."

.

Hanabi leaned over a quietly asked the elder. "Are you sure this is your Great Elder Toad Sage? He sounds kind of…."

"Yes, this is him. He is a little forgetful at times." He replied absentmindedly

Hanabi stared at him and said. "A little? Are you sure he even knows his name? He looks like he is over a hundred years old."

The Great Elder Toad Sage smiled down at her which kind of unnerved her for a moment. "I'm starting to like this girl. She is kind to compliment me so..."

.

Hanabi turned and gave the elder a confused look and he said. "The Grand Geezer is over a thousand years old child."

She wore a shocked look and asked. "Then…then how old are you?"

He gave her a chuckle and said. "I'm eight-hundred and thirty-seven years young."

She slowly absorbed the knowledge. "Then how old is Gamabunta? Like two thousand?"

"No Gamabunta is only sixty-four years old. Just because he's the largest toad doesn't mean he's the oldest." He replied.

Fukasaku proceeded to tell The Great Sage who Hanabi was another four times before the doors to the temple opened up with a loud creak.

.

Shima and Naruto, with a fresh lump on his head, entered the building.

Shima had a frying pan in her hand and Naruto looked over at her apologetically.

"Look I said I was sorry. Can you just stop giving me the cold shoulder already?" He pleaded.

"Hmph, I'm never going to feed you again! You can starve! Call my cooking bad…" She said as she crossed arms and looked away from him.

"It's not your cooking…It's your ingredients." He muttered a loud with a revolted look on his face.

.

"Who is this child again Fukasaku?" The Great Elder Sage asked.

He drew in a sharp breath and sighed. "I've told you five times now. She is Naruto's student and we need to know what her chakra animal is."

Naruto walked quickly walked up next to Hanabi and the elder toad. "Yo wrinkles how have you been?" He asked the Grand Geezer.

The old toad peered down at him. "You…I remember you…Naruto I've had a vision of you recently."

"Another one? I thought you only had one per Clan member. What was this vision?" He asked curiously.

.

"You will meet a young girl with white eyes that is far from blind. You will take this girl as your pupil." He said.

"That's already happened Great Sage. She's standing right here. Her name is Hanabi." He said while pointing at her.

The Great Elder Sage continued like he had never spoke. "You will go through a great ordeal to test your abilities."

"That too has already happened! It's how we got here!" He yelled.

"During this ordeal you will be cheated out of snacks…twice." The old toad said.

Naruto sighed hung his head before saying. "That has also already happened…"

"You will bring her before me and then you will begin training her in our ways. I see you training her here at Mount Myoboku for some time..." He said.

.

Naruto jumped for joy. "Woohoo! I've got a Toad Disciple!"

The great toad continued speaking but was drowned out by his own rumbling gut.

Fukasaku and Shima wore a look of utter terror. "QUICK RUN!" They yelled together.

Naruto and Hanabi looked over at them and he said. "What?"

.

Suddenly there was a horrendous reverberating sound and a huge green gale filled the room. The force of it blew them out of the temple with hurricane like winds.

Naruto managed to catch Hanabi in flight before they hit the ground and rolled a few times.

Naruto was holding a dazed Hanabi while a dangerous smelling green cloud wafted out of every opening on the temple.

He instantly got to his feet and angrily shouted back at the temple.

"AWW COME ON! I BROUGHT A LADY! CAN'T YOU PICK A BETTER TIME TO LET ONE GO THEN NOW?"

.

* * *

.

Hope you all enjoyed the lighter funnier chapter.

.


	19. Chapter 19: Master and Student

**Chapter 19: Master and Student**

Questions/reviews.

.

_**Eclipse8502  
2010-04-17 . chapter 18**_

_**Just though I'd point out some spelling errors.**_

_**Why can't you just summon them (hear) and have them test me?"**_

_**should be (here)**_

_**"It like living in a fairly tale book. This is the (scared) Village of the Toads." He said.**_

_**should be (sacred)**_

_**"Man that hit the spot. I haven't a feast (a) brown backs in years." He said.**_

_**should be (of) I think...**_

Thank you for the corrections.

_**.**_

_**RyanRendan  
2010-04-17 . chapter 18**_

_**Sorry about not reviewing before, I had the same issue as Tristan76. **_

_**Aside from the grammar issues, I wanted to ask why Hanabi didn't just simply summon Naruto with her special kunai when she thought she was in danger. **_

_**As for the grammatical issues...**_

_**["Honestly…I don't know." He said quietly. Naruto fell over.**_

_**"What'd ya mean you don't know? You've lived here your whole life!" He nearly shouted at him.**_

_**The toad (whore) a confused look and said.]-Kinda speaks for itself, right?**_

_**I'll be here for the next chappie too. Later.**_

.

*FACE PALM* DOH! I haven't made a grammar mistake that bad in awhile.

Remember genital fist from April fools day last year? I can't believe me nor my wife did not catch that one!

As for your question…I thought I missed something my Muse showed me during that part of the story. I'll go back and fix that.

The answer is that she didn't have any chakra left and Naruto was still knocked out in the hut.

She did pull his kunai though. I guess I missed that the first time my Muse showed it to me.

.

_**InARealPickle  
2010-04-16 . chapter 18**_

_**Loved it!  
Very lighthearted and humorous. :)**_

_**Two things.**_

_**1. I have noticed lately that there are a LOT of writers on FF who have no idea when to use Past or Passed. **_

_**You fall among this growing number of grammar abusers. This site will help you. (remove spaces)**_

_**w w w . dailywritingtips passed-vs-past/**_

_**2. This is actually pretty funny...**_

_**The toad wh0re a confused look and said.**_

_**"It's not like we have to be tested to know..."**_

_**LMAO**_

_**Wh0re?**_

_**How did you manage to miss THAT? O.O**_

_**You actually spelled the word correctly (wore) the next time you used it.**_

_**So... what exactly were you day dreaming about when you were writing this? o.O**_

Ahh yet another pickle review. Thanks for the grammar correction. I honestly never knew the difference between past and pass.

.

Last chapter

* * *

.

Naruto jumped for joy. "Woohoo! I've got a Toad disciple!"

The great toad continued speaking but was drowned out by his own rumbling gut.

Fukasaku and Shima wore a look of utter terror. "QUICK RUN!" They yelled together.

Naruto and Hanabi looked over at them and he said. "What?"

Suddenly there was a horrendous reverberating sound and a huge green gale filled the room. The force of it blew them out of the temple with hurricane like winds.

.

Naruto managed to catch Hanabi in flight before they hit the ground and rolled a few times.

Naruto was holding a dazed Hanabi while a dangerous smelling green cloud wafted out of every opening on the temple.

He instantly got to his feet and angrily shouted back at the temple.

"AWW COME ON! I BROUGHT A LADY! CAN'T YOU PICK A BETTER TIME TO LET ONE GO THEN NOW!"

.

* * *

.

Author's notes:

My Muse has always had music playing the background of this story during certain parts.

I've been debating telling you all when the songs start and stop during the story that my Muse showed me for some time now.

She shows this story to me like I'm watching the anime complete with music.

This time however I have no choice. There is a part of this chapter seriously suffers without this music she had playing during it.

The song is_**: This is War by**_ _**30 second to mars. **_

I've put a note during the story to tell you when to start the song.

If you Google the phrase I put in bold it's the fifth link down as I post this. It's the one posted

_This Is War__ - __30 Seconds to Mars__ - Final ...  
5 min - Nov 21, 2009  
_www. youtube. Com

If it doesn't allow the copy paste I did… It's the Final Fantasy video you're looking for (best sound quality IMO).

Have it downloading in the back ground and wait for the note saying "Start song" and click play.

Enjoy the story with the music that inspired my Muse for those of you that don't skip right down to the next chapter.

.

Chapter Nineteen: Master and Student

* * *

.

Naruto turned back to Hanabi who's head was swooning from the toxic smell. He shook her.

"Come on Hanabi-Chan. Wake up! Hanabi-Chan!" He said loudly as her limp head flopped on her shoulders.

The two elders managed to get out on the other side of the temple and looked at each other worriedly.

"He was too happy about finding a Toad Sage student that he didn't hear the last part of The Great Elder Toad Sages vision…" Fukasaku said.

"I think its best that he doesn't hear that part of the vision, not yet anyway. I'll send a toad to Tsunade and tell her the good news about Hanabi." Shima said.

.

* * *

.

Four days later.

It was a clear cool morning at the Hokage Tower.

Tsunade was sitting at her desk with a steaming cup of tea while going over her usual mountain of paper work.

A small toad carrying a scroll in its mouth jumped up on one of the towering stacks of paper work and croaked loudly to announce his presence.

She set the sheet of paper she was reading down and rolled her eyes at the small toad.

.

"As if I don't have enough to do." She said as she took the scroll from the small Toad and it hopped away leaving a sizable wet mark on her paper work.

"Filthy Toad." She mumbled and opened the scroll. She took a few moments to slowly go over what it said.

"Summon Kazekage Gaara at once." She told an Anbu by the door and went back to her work.

The Anbu bowed slightly and disappeared into smoke.

.

Sometime later she heard. "Lady Hokage, Kazekage Gaara is here as you requested."

She leaned back in her chair and said. "Let him in."

Gaara came in and stood before her. "What news is there about Naruto and Hanabi?" He asked her.

"It seems your final test really did push him. He got her to Mount Myoboku and she was tested to see what animal her chakra leans towards." She said.

"And…" He asked carefully.

"They still aren't sure, but they are going to train her anyway.

They don't have high hopes she will master or survive the training and certainly not before the final test of the exams." She said.

.

"That makes twenty-four ninja's that made it to the final round. That is still too many to have the one on one combat before the other Kages." He said.

Tsunade sighed loudly and said. "Yes it is, but with Naruto away training Hanabi we can't have any preliminary rounds to thin their numbers."

"Then they all must participate in the final round. We will have to hold the last round over two or three days. I hope the other Kages will agree to this." Gaara said quietly.

"I don't think they will like it, but I don't see them giving us much trouble on the matter. I think three days is preferable." She said.

"Then seven matches total a day? That sounds reasonable." He said.

Tsunade stood up and said. "Then let's inform the others that the second task is over and it's time for the match selection."

.

* * *

.

The squads that passed were all summoned to a large open room with a second story railing around it.

Again they were formed up into rows and they waited.

In the back of the room was a blank screen.

Gaara enter the room from a side door and stood before the screen as silence slowly filled the room.

.

"Congratulations on passing the second part of the exams." He said loudly.

Udon whispered to Konohamaru. "Where's Naruto?"

"There is no way he failed." He whispered back.

.

"One of the squads that passed cannot make it back for the selection process due the difficulty of their last task.

This is Squad Seven of the Land of Fire. They do however forfeit the knowledge of who they will be fighting in the final task because of this.

After you are matched to your opponent you will have two weeks to train for your fights.

We have also decided to section out the final task out over three days with the most capable ninja's fighting on the last day."

He said as the screen lit up and started choosing the matches at random.

This went on for some time as he announced the matches.

"The first fight for day three is Takia the Water monk verse Hanabi Hyuuga."

The screen again started going through names.

"Ouch I don't envy Hanabi. I heard most of the nobles want to see Takia and Naruto in the very last match.

Only a few names where left, Konohamaru, Matsuri and Naruto were among them.

.

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife as the screen stopped on the first name, Konohamaru.

"Yeah! Come on give me Naruto!" Konohamaru yelled disruptively as the screen kept going though names.

"That guy actually wants to fight the Great sage? Is he nuts?" One ninja said.

"That's his student. Of course he wants to fight his master." A leaf ninja replied.

Konohamaru eyed the screen intently until it stopped on the name Kimdo.

.

"Aww damn! I have to fight a girl to get to Naruto!" Konohamaru said in disappointment.

Again the board lit up going through names.

Matsuri looked at the screen in dread. The names for fight three would determine the combatant's last fight for the day as well.

The board eventually settled on the names Valiak and Sormanami.

The color drained from Matsuri's face as the board flashed the final pair for the last fight.

Naruto Uzumaki verses Matsuri.

.

Konohamaru walked over to Matsuri with a smile on his face after Gaara dismissed everyone and said. "Good luck fighting Naruto and you better save some of him for me!"

"Umm yes I… I will." She stammered nervously.

.

* * *

.

Gaara and Matsuri were in their small room near the river.

Gaara was doing some research on what to train Matsuri on for her upcoming match while she waited quietly.

"Umm master?" She asked shyly.

"Yes, what do you need?" He said never taking his eyes of what he was reading.

.

"Did you…by chance fix the match with me and Naruto?" She asked carefully.

He set his book down and turned to face her.

"No, you only had a one in eight chance to fight him. I did however put your name forth for the final day.

I am pleased with it, but I didn't fix the matches that way. I am relieved you did not get matched with Takia." He said.

"Why? How does he compare to Naruto?" She stated.

"He doesn't, but he has a jutsu you could not defend against and he will most certainly use it during the final fights…

He is not called a hero for nothing." He said as he went back to his work.

Matsuri only became more nervous and uneasy while shifting uncomfortably in place.

.

* * *

.

Naruto was sitting at a small table with Hanabi and the elder Toads.

Hanabi was trying to force herself to eat the revolting bug soup she was served while Naruto argued with Fukasaku.

.

"Come on, why can't we use the Toad oil on her like you did for me?" He said.

"There is simply too much chakra in the oil for her to handle. It would overwhelm her and turn her into a stone frog.

She needs much more chakra if she's even going to attempt it!" Fukasaku stated in a 'that's final' tone.

Naruto wrinkled up his eyebrows at him and then looked up and rubbed his chin.

"And if she had the chakra…" He said suggestively.

Hanabi dropped her chop sticks and stared blankly at him.

.

"I thought Tsunade told you not to use that jutsu on her again." He warned him.

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her." He said suggestively.

"I'm sorry Naruto. I will not allow you to use that jutsu. On the bright side she is a lot farther then you were at stilling her mind.

Be thankful for that. She may not even need the oil." He replied.

.

"But you said that could take years!" He yelled in protest.

He sighed and said. "Naruto…I've been training Sages long before you were born…I know what I'm doing.

You cannot rush this, not with her. Just trust me on this matter." He said empathetically

Naruto crossed his arms in defeat.

.

"You know what you're doing alright. You've been scoffing off your chore of doing the dishes for eighty years!" Shima snapped at him.

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP YOU CRABBY OLD TOAD!" He yelled back at her.

"ME CRABBY? WHAT ABOUT YOU! YOU SAGGY LAY ABOUT!" She said and hurled her soup at him.

He barely dodged it and threw a large beetle on the half shell back at her…The eighth food fight since they got there ensued.

.

Naruto sighed and Hanabi quickly took the opportunity to dump her soup right on Naruto's head to be rid of the stuff.

Naruto gave her a sour look as bug guts dripped off his head and Hanabi gave him fake a look of innocents.

"Come on you. It's time for training." He said as he led her out of the food fight and the hut dripping all the way.

She snickered quietly and followed.

.

*( Start Song)*

* * *

.

He led her to an area with hundreds of toad statues near a cliff that had a waterfall of tan looking liquid falling into a large pool.

In the center of the pool was a toad statue holding a giant leaf and the tan liquid was showing it on its back.

"That stuff smells rancid. Can't we train at the other cliffs like yesterday?" She said while holding her nose.

Naruto wore a very serious look and said "No. I want you to look out at all these toad statues."

She looked at all of them and walked around a few to examine them closer.

Naruto followed her and said. "Each one of these statues was once like us. They failed to become Sages and turned into statues.

This is the danger of trying to harness the natural chakra around you if you fail to control it.

If you lose control…you will turn into a stone toad… you will die."

.

Hanabi was stunned and carefully removed her hand from the statue she was touching while staring at him in shock.

"So…So if I lose control even once I'll turn into one of these?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yes. That's why just anyone can't be a Sage. Most of them die trying to harness that power."

He told her as he stared into the deep blue sky and wind made his hair sway ever so slightly.

The sheer determination in his eyes calmed her and held her in awe.

.

"You have to want this more than life to obtain it. You have to want this so badly that your desire for it goes beyond life or death.

If death comes for you will have to refuse it no matter how much it hurts. No matter how tired you are. No matter how much you want to give up.

Tell me Hanabi, why do you want to become a Sage? What drives you?" He said as he finally turned his eyes on her.

The intensity of his gaze was something she had never seen in anyone's eyes.

It both inspired her and made her feel like he could see every facet of her being.

.

"I…I just want to make you…happy, to easy your pains and worries, to ease the scars that so few can see on you.

I'd become anything for you…if…if it would make you happy." She stammered slyly.

Naruto looked back out into the sea of blue that was the sky and thought for a longing moment.

.

"So…for love? Can that really be enough for you to survive?" He asked himself more than her.

He turned and walked back towards the pool of oil.

"I'm going to show you something… Something that you won't even need to use your Byakugan to see." He said slowly and purposely.

He stopped and looked up at the stone toad being showed with oil that towered above him.

He removed his trench coat and dropped it on the ground. He took off his shirt to reveal a thin blue chainmail shirt.

His belt was the next thing that followed. Soon he was standing in nothing but his froggie boxer shorts.

.

"One day I hope you will be able to do this as well and I hope you will understand how dangerous it is.

One day I hope you will be able to sit on that toad with me. It's an indescribable feeling…"

He said like he was remembering something as he never took his gaze off of the stone toads head.

.

Hanabi was slightly confused, but intently wondered what he was about to do.

He leaped on top of the stone toad. He slowly stepped into the oil that was falling down on the stone toads back.

He held his arms out and turned in a circle under the waterfall of oil. It coated his entire body and made every facet of his skin glimmer.

Hanabi started feeling strange, like a tingle in her chest. She didn't know if it was fear for Naruto or intense curiosity.

He walked back to the top of the stone toads head and sat down in a mediation pose with his left hand up like he was praying with only one hand.

A golden aura formed around his outline.

The tingle in her chest expanded and the world started to slow down for her. The oil waterfall looked like a slow rain of giant droplets.

She could see every pore and crack in the stone she was standing on.

.

_"What's…What's happening to me?"_ She thought as her hand went instinctively to her the original source of the tingle on her chest.

_"I can feel so much that's around me… This is such a strange feeling. It feels better then a sugar rush…_

_It feels like when Naruto fills me up with chakra, but a hundred times better." _

Hanabi laughed a joyous laugh of awe and wonder while looking at everything with her new sight.

Everything was so clear to her.

.

She stopped when her eyes returned to Naruto.

"So beautiful…" She said as she turned her gaze on him.

Naruto was encased in a golden sphere of Sage chakra that all most covered the head of the giant toad statues.

He was in perfect harmony with all of nature.

The chakra coming in and out of his body formed beautiful patterns that she never would have been able to follow even with her Byakugan.

She smiled as her mouth stood slight a gape as a tear rolled down each of her cheeks and then she laughed.

She took in several breaths watching him.

"Is this how you always feel Naruto?" She yelled up at him and laughed even louder.

"I feel like I could take on the world!" She said as he raised her arms above her head.

Naruto never moved.

.

From above them on the cliff Fukasaku stood over watching them with Shima.

"How is he doing that?" Shima asked in a wonder.

"Hanabi is…She's almost in Sage mode?" He replied in disbelief.

"I can feel his Sage chakra flowing into that girl and…his will is maintaining it…How did he ever learn to do that?"

.

Naruto was deep in his own self peace and remained absolutely still in his huge amount of Sage Chakra.

She smiled a smile that radiated happiness and walked over to the edge of the pool of oil.

Fukasaku's eyes went with horror. "NO!" He moved so fast that he disappeared.

"He's not going to make it..." Shima said as she shook her head as the ground.

.

Hanabi yelled up at him. "I'll come sit by you now!" She said as Fukasaku appeared next to her and caught her by the arm.

"You CAN'T go in that oil child…you'll die!" He said in a commanding voice.

She smiled a giddy smile as she looked over at him and said. "Watch me…"

Hanabi disappeared leaving only a small cyclone of dust whirling on the ground where her feet were.

_"Damn! Where did she go? Naruto's chakra is blinding my sensory ability!"_ He thought angrily as he frantically looked for her.

Hanabi reappeared behind the oil waterfall on the bottom of the statues back. She laughed again and it echoed off the walls making it sound like she was everywhere.

"Hanabi! Where are you?" The elder yelled.

.

Hanabi walked up the back of the statue and stopped with her face not even an inch from the flowing oil.

She slowly snaked her head back and closed her eyes as she stretched her arms out to her sides.

"HANABI!" The elder yelled as he caught sight of her.

She smiled even bigger and stepped into the failing oil.

Large drops of oil hit her in the face and started soaking though her clothes as it flattened her hair with its weight.

"HANA…bi…" The elder said as he let his out stretched hand fall to his side.

He gripped his tightly cane and turned his head to the side while look down and wincing.

_"I failed…"_ He thought.

.

Hanabi mimicked Naruto. She stepped fully into the falling oil and spun around until her entire body was drenched while she laughed.

_"Foolish girl…She is killing herself right in front of me and there nothing I can do…I can't disperse that much Sage chakra in one with such little chakra._

_Another stone toad to show me I failed once again."_ He lamented in pain.

.

Hanabi's world exploded like she had opened her eyes for the first time. She could sense and feel everything around her for miles.

Every insect's fluttering wings, every blade of grass growing…every particle of mist in the air.

She felt the most peaceful calm that was beyond her understanding or comprehension.

She could feel Naruto…not just see him.

She let out a slight giggle and stepped out of the raining oil. Her skin glimmered with the shine of the oil that only enhanced her beauty and happiness.

She walked up the statues back dripping oil the whole way while heading slowly up to Naruto.

The gleaming golden Sage that was stilling her mind and making her heart leap for joy.

She walked into his golden chakra sphere. It was warm and still yet held the sheer determination of his being.

.

It was then in his densest chakra she heard thoughts that were not her own.

_"Master I've found my next student. I hope showing her this inspires her enough to get her through this insanely hard training."_

Hanabi got down on her knees at his right side. She slowly wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

She ever so lightly dragged her fingers across his shoulders and they slid easily on his firm slippery skin.

She moved her hand up and gently covered the left side of his face in her gentle touch.

She moved her right hand and placed it in his left palm. As if two people were making one prayer sign.

_._

_"Father…I hope I can keep the Toad Sage line going…I can't bear the thought of it ending with me…_

_I'll give her anything I can to help her…My time…My wisdom and…even my chakra…I hope I can be half the master Jiraiya was to me…" _

Hanabi had to hold back her tears of happiness as she leaned her face over to his. She radiated more than her happiness.

She radiated her entire being to him.

_"Jiraiya…I'm really starting to like her…It's weird to tell you that about a student, but I can never return those feelings truly until I settle things with Ruby._

_I can't ever tell her until then…We can't be together, but we can never be apart…I'm going to turn her into the next Toad Sage no matter what…_

_You just watch me… You'll see, I'll make you proud."_

.

Shima appeared next to Fukasaku and elbowed him in the ribs to get his attention.

He jumped with a start out of his self loathing. He looked over at his wife and she just pointed at them in his golden chakra.

He eyed them curiously. "Those marks…" He said in disbelief.

Naruto was sitting still with Hanabi face on his. Slowly dark lines that started in a point appeared on the bottom of her cheeks.

They traced up her white face getting wider as it went and finally encompassed her eyes.

"It can't be…She hasn't even signed the contract yet." He said breathlessly.

The dark line traced its way from her eyes up while receding in its thickness until it met in a point at the top center of her forehead and crossed ever so slightly.

.

"And you were worried she wasn't a toad type." Shima said to him with a smile.

"But…how? How did she enter Sage mode? We just started training her." He said in wonder.

"Can't you sense it? Their chakra is connected somehow." She said with as smile.

.

Hanabi moved her fingers in-between his and firmly held his hand.

"I'm sure you will." She said while smiling.

Naruto finally opened he eyes from her touch.

"Hanabi? What are you doing up here? Where did you get all that chakra? What happened to you?"

He asked as his hand traced the new marks on her face in wonder.

"You happened." She told him and put her head on his shoulder.

.

* * *

.

Konohamaru had a traveling pack on at train ground seven while Moegi and Udon where there to see him off.

"So you're really going to try it?" Udon asked him.

"Yes I am. Naruto took Hanabi for Sage training. Its time I went to my own Clan for training as well." He said with resolve.

"But didn't Naruto say Sage training was very dangerous?" Moegi said in concern.

"Yeah Toad Sage training is…Who knows maybe Monkey Sage training is easier." He said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"But what if it's harder?" Udon warned with worry in his heart.

"It doesn't matter if it's harder. Naruto is already so far ahead of me and knowing him he will only get stronger.

I have to take this step if I ever want to become Hokage!" He said with conviction.

"Take…Take care of yourself Konohamaru." Moegi said with a slight smile.

"Don't worry. I'll be back." He told her with a cheeky smile.

"It's just…you're our leader. What are we going to do without you?" Udon said sadly.

Konohamaru walked up and placed his hand on his should. "Find your master and train Udon."

.

Raichi was waiting for him. "Are you all set?"

"Yes Raichi." He said as he turned away from Udon.

The small monkey touched his shin and said. "Un-summon jutsu!"

They disappeared.

"You really think he's going to be ok?" Udon asked Moegi.

"Come on Udon…This is Konohamaru you talking about. I have faith in him." She said as she turned around to walk away.

"I guess so…" He said clearly not totally convinced.

.

* * *

.

It was thick and humid day over the sacred monkey forest. A forest that stretched out as far as the eye could see in all direction in a sea of green.

Konohamaru and Raichi appeared over the forest…Over two-hundred feet above it and started plummeting toward the trees.

.

"AHHHH!" He screamed as he fell like a rock while flailing his arms and legs wildly.

Raichi grabbed a branch and lightly flipped himself on to it.

Konohamaru crashed into the tree tops loudly sending leafs and birds flying in all directions.

He was in tangled in vines suspended forty feet off the ground and unable to get out.

.

"Hey! Couldn't you have picked a better place to summon us too? Are you trying to kill us?" He yelled.

"Hmph, you complain too much. If you had trouble with that height then you are far from being able to handle our fighting style." Raichi replied.

"Just get me down already!" He yelled from the tangled vines as he struggled.

.

Many hours later they were jumping from tree to tree in the dense forest.

"How big is this forest? Are we almost there yet?" He complained.

Raichi jumped down to the forest floor suddenly and Konohamaru followed.

"We are almost to the Monkey Clan's sacred temple. You better keep that mouth of yours in check.

The other members of the Monkey Clan will make your time here hell if you don't." The small monkey told him.

"Yeah, Yeah. I can't wait to get started training! I'll finally start catching up to Naruto!" He said enthusiastically as he raised one of his fists into the air.

The small monkey sighed and said. "You haven't been officially accepted into the Monkey Clan yet.

You still have to go through the rite of humility before you're accepted."

.

"What's that? A test?" He asked curiously.

Raichi smiled evilly and said. "You'll see, you'll see…"

Konohamaru gulped and followed the monkey.

They entered a part of the forest where the trees were so large that their trunks were as big as houses.

They towered hundreds of feet into the air. Under them in a large open clearing was a giant pyramid looking temple.

Small monkeys were playing outside with a larger monkey keeping them from getting too rowdy.

Three giant monkeys were in a line picking things out of each other's fur and eating them to the left of the temple.

There were houses built into the giant trees everywhere. There were hundreds of monkeys in the trees of every shape and size.

"Wow this place is huge." He said in amazement as he gazed around in awe.

.

"What did you expect? The entire monkey Clan has lived here for thousands of years." He said as he led him up to the massive temple doors.

"What's that horrid smell? It's awful." He said while holding his nose.

"Hehehe. You'll see. They are expecting us." He said with an evil look.

He led him inside to a vast open room with columns that towered high into the air.

There was a path that led up to a throne that King Enma was sitting on and waiting for them.

.

Up both sides of the path leading to him were monkeys standing at attention with bags in their hands.

"I see you made it Konohamaru." King Enma's voice boomed loudly in the silent chamber. "I hope you are ready for the rite of humility!"

"What do I have to do for this rite?" He yelled back.

"Just have to walk up to my throne. No running allowed. Simple hu?" He said as he raised an eye brow at him.

.

"Yeah too simple…Something's up with this rite." He mumbled to himself as he carefully moved forward.

He took two steps forward and King Enma said. "The rite had begun. LET HIM HAVE IT!"

All the monkeys reached into their bags and started throwing dung at him.

He moved to dodge one steaming pile thrown at him only to catch another right in the face with a loud splat that nearly knocked him down.

.

"Aww damn! I'm just gonna catch shit wherever I go!"

He said as he fought to keep moving forward against the pelting storm of flying feces with his arms trying to shield his face to little avail.

Some of the monkeys didn't even look like they were trying to hit him and splattered the temple walls while they hooted loudly.

By the time he made it to the throne he was covered head to toe in the revolting stuff.

The temple walls where covered in waste and the air was hard to breath because it stunk so badly.

He was panting hard and scrapped the foul stuff out of his eyes and flung it on the ground.

.

"EWWW THAT WAS SO GROSS! WHY DO YOU MONKEYS ALWAYS THROW THAT OF ALL THINGS?" He yelled.

King Enma was laughing at him and then blew a small horn.

"You made it through the first part of the Rite of Humility."

He said as he pulled a large white cord next to him and a small mountain of dung fell out of the air and covered a very annoyed Konohamaru.

"Now for the second part….You have to clean every inch of this chamber!" He said loudly and the rest of the monkeys cheered.

.

* * *

.

Naruto was at the small table with Fukasaku. The hut was thick with the smells of burning moss and wood as Hanabi slept soundly under a blanket on the floor.

"I thought she'd never go to sleep. I've never seen a human besides you with so much energy." Fukasaku said quietly.

"How do you think it happened? It took me weeks to learn how to go into Sage mode." He asked.

"Shima thinks your chakra networks are connected in a way that went far beyond what you thought.

It wasn't her entering Sage mode. It was your chakra inside her that forced her into Sage mode.

This explains why the Sage marks on her face totally faded away so quickly after she came out of it." He said.

.

Naruto sighed and nodded his head.

"That's too bad. I thought she was a miracle student there for a moment."

"There is no way she or anyone could learn to be a Sage in four days Naruto. It takes time….

In some ways she is a miracle student…

She survived that much oil her first time and now she knows what it's like to feel nature around her.

It should speed up her training in that area greatly." He stated.

.

He looked over at her unmarked sleeping face and said.

"I guess so, but with her chakra being so low she will never master being a Sage. Not yet."

Fukasaku folded his tiny hands together and said. "I give you my blessing for her to sign the Toad contract."

"Do you really think she's ready for this training?" He asked him and lend back on his arms.

.

"No I don't Naruto, but I believe in you and you believe in her. You're her master not me.

If you think you can teach her with the oil safely I give you my permission to try. Don't end up like me though.

I'd hate for you to even have one statue of failure." He emphasized.

"Then I'll have her sign the contract tomorrow and start chakra building training as well as the still mind training.

When she has enough chakra I'll teach her to summon." He said as he stood up.

.

"Going out to train?" The elder asked.

He gave him a slight smile and said. "Don't worry I'll only use four hundred clones and I will not cause any loud explosions."

He gave him a nod and Naruto left the hut.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi woke up and stretched as she threw the moss blanket off of her and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"I see you're awake dear. Your breakfast is ready." Shima said from the small table.

Her stomach lurched at the thought of breakfast as she looked around.

"Where is Naruto?" She asked as she looked around.

"He and Fukasaku left early to go the training grounds." She said with a smile as she placed a huge bowl of earthworm soup in front of her at the table.

She eyed the bowl for a moment.

"You have to eat. Sage mode burns up a ton of calories. I'm sure your starving.

You didn't even eat last night." Shima said while point at the food on the table.

She rolled her eyes and went over to the table.

.

At first she could barely swallow the horrid stuff and then she realized how hungry she was. Soon she was shoveling the stuff into her mouth as fast as she could.

She finished the giant bowl and ate two ten inch long beetles on the half shell before stopping.

Shima laughed at her. "You eat just like Naruto!"

"Now I see why he eats that way. He goes through so much energy. I bet he's starving to death after ever training session." She said slightly embarrassed.

"That and he has bad table manners." Shima said with a laugh.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi entered the open moss covered flat area in between the mountain tops.

Naruto was standing in the center of the area with the Toad Summoning contract leaning against his hip waiting for her.

"Does…does this mean what I think it means?" She asked hopefully as she eyes the giant scroll.

"Yes Hanabi. It's time for you to sign the summoning contract. The elders agreed to it last night." He said proudly.

"I've dreamt of this…I just never thought it would be happening so soon." She said breathlessly.

Naruto waved her over and opened the scroll.

.

On it her name was already written in the same style that she saw when Konohamaru signed the monkey contract.

She pulled out a kunai and cut her hand and pumped her fist a few times as she walked up to him.

She took a deep breath a reached out to touch the contract when Naruto caught her by the wrist.

He looked deep into her eyes. "Everything is going to change when you sign this.

With this you will not only become a member Toad Clan, you will become my Disciple. I will train you far beyond what you have seen so far from me.

Your every moment not spent eating or sleeping will be spent training while we are here.

I just want to realize this before you sign it." He said with a serious intensity in his eyes and released her arm.

.

She looked at him in thought for only a moment before steeling her resolve and placing her hand on the contract.

It glowed slightly and then faded back to normal.

"Good we begin training in earnest now." He said.

"Summon as many clones as you can and let's get started with stilling your mind training.

Once you have warmed up we will start using the oil."

She nodded her head and summoned four clones and mediated for two hours straight.

.

"Hanabi? It's time. Let's go." He said firmly.

"Yes Master." She said. They made their way over to the Valley of Stone Toads.

"I have a question Naruto." She said when they were almost to the training ground.

"And that is?" He said as he kept moving.

"How do you fight in Sage mode when you feel….so well on top of the world so to say?" She asked casually.

He gave her a slight smile. "You only felt on top of the world because your first time is so amazing and awe inspiring. That feeling will pass."

"Oh…" She said in a reserved manner.

.

They reached the oil waterfall and Fukasaku was there waiting.

"You will begin using the oil child. Do not worry about turning into a stone toad.

Between me and Naruto, we will expel any Sage chakra if you start losing control." He said.

She bowed slightly and said with resolve. "I am ready. Please teach me."

"She seems much more serious than before Naruto. Good she will need that attitude to succeed." He said.

He reached down and put his pointer finger into the oil. "Start mediating and concentrate only on this point."

He said as he touched her in the center of her forehead.

.

She felt her mind expanding out in all directions. She could felt the things near her in a strange manner.

I was nowhere near to the degree that it was the day before, but now she was fighting just to keep that feeling still.

Soon she felt very dizzy and… *CRACK*

She fell over holding her stinging head. "OUCH! What was that for?" She asked in offense from the ground while rubbing her head.

.

"I knocked the Sage chakra out of you. You were losing control so I hit you with my cane to expel it from you.

I could let you turn into a stone toad statue if you'd like." He said.

"Why is it so hard to control today? It was so easy yesterday." She said in frustration still rubbing her fresh lump.

"That is simple child. Yesterday Naruto was controlling the Sage chakra. Today you are having to master it yourself." Fukasaku said.

"Hanabi! Don't complain." Naruto snapped at her.

.

They trained her for another two hours with the oil with little progress.

*Crack* "You seem to be going backwards in progress child." The elder said as he knocked the chakra out of her.

She panted on the ground. "I …I just…don't have any more chakra… left to fight it." She said breathlessly.

"That is your problem. You can't fight it. You have to become one with it." He said wisely.

Naruto gazed out across the mountains for a long moment while Fukasaku looked at him worriedly.

He turned to Hanabi that was panting on the ground.

.

"Then I will give you my chakra." He said as he placed his hand in the center of her chest and forced his chakra inside of her.

Soon here breath came in easier and easier in her intakes of air. Her body relaxed as it received something it had been craving for almost a month.

Naruto's powerful chakra was inside her once again. Its heavenly warm embrace filled her being with power and light.

"Naruto… I thought you weren't supposed to use that. You could turn me into an addict." She said but did not resist.

.

He kept pouring his chakra into her.

"I think the damage is already done and this is the only way I can keep training you to be a Sage until you build up your own chakra reserves.

I'm sorry we don't have the luxury of time on our side." He said in a wistful tone.

He moved from feeding her chakra to healing the lumps on her head.

"How long did this take you to learn?" She asked as he healed her.

.

"You really shouldn't expect to learn this as fast as he did. It took Jiraiya all his life and he never mastered it like Naruto did." Fukasaku stated.

Naruto gave her a kind look and said.

"How fast you learn this is in the determination in your heart to learn it. Never give up. You can only fail if you give up Hanabi.

Now summon four clones. We are going to increase your training load for the last hour.

Then we will start summoning theory, clone control, chakra building, balance meditation and Taijutsu after lunch.

After dinner Shima will teach you the Toad Clan laws and I'll teach you chakra control and elemental theory before bed."

"You…You really meant I'd be train every waking moment?" She said in disbelief.

Naruto looked at her intently and stated. "No one said the path to becoming a Sage was easy."

.

* * *

.

At the end of the day he had to force feed her food before putting her to bed.

"Naruto, I cannot condone your training methods." Fukasaku told him. "She could die of exhaustion at this rate.

She isn't a Jinchuuriki like you. No mere human could hope to compete with your stamina and this training is harder than yours was!"

"I've already told you time isn't on our side. We are connected in a way you can't understand.

I know how much she can take…" He said before the elder cut him off.

.

"Naruto I've been down this path before in my younger years. You can't over work your students!

It will lead to their deaths. I know. It took many years and students for me to realize this.

She can't keep this up even with you healing her and feeding her your chakra."

"I told already told you. You don't understand. I will not put her life in danger, but I can't coddle her anymore. She has to become strong.

Otherwise she will always need my chakra to succeed. I will not be around forever. She has to develop her abilities herself." He stated.

.

"She doesn't need to become a Sage in a week. Time may not be on your side, but you still have more time than this." He told him.

Naruto sighed. "I guess you're right, but she is going to have to realize how far she has to go. She will understand then why the training is so hard."

"True but after training she should still be awake for dinner. I don't want to see you force feeding her before bed again." Fukasaku said.

"I think I can handle that, but I still might have to feed her because she will be too tired to lift her chop sticks herself." He said with a smile.

.

* * *

.

Ten days later.

It was a nearing dusk on Mount Myoboku. The skies were just turning red as it started to get dark.

The air was thick with the sounds of insects and the flowing water of a nearby stream.

Hanabi and Naruto were mediating on square flat rock balanced on spike that towered into the air.

Hanabi's uniform was cut up and dirty, but she was perfectly balanced on the stone.

.

Fukasaku had been watching them most of the afternoon.

Shima walked up beside him and said. "How is she doing?"

He continued to stare up at them. "She's been balanced for over six hours. I think she's close. I still can't believe she mastered the oil only two days ago.

I can hardly believe that's the same little girl that tried to save me from the brownbacks two weeks ago.

Naruto was right. She can handle the training. Her determination to learn is only matched by his will to teach her."

He turned to look at Shima's arms and said. "How has your little project been going?"

She smiled at him with folded white clothes in her arms. "I finished it not long ago. I hope she likes it."

.

_"Don't expand my perception too fast…Touch everything with my mind, but do not disturb anything…coexist with all of nature…" _

She thought to herself in her mind as she went over Naruto's teachings. A gust of wind wiped her hair out to her side, but did not move her.

_"I can feel Gamabunta in the pond by his house…He's sleeping in the water…Two birds are nesting on the other side of mountain in the other direction…"_ She thought.

"She is close." Shima agreed.

_._

_"Now slow stretch my mind out in every direction…"_ She thought as she fought to keep her perfect calm and inner peace.

She timidly expanded her mind out in all directions slowly. The farther she reached out more powerfully she felt.

_"It's…it's not as hard as it once was to control I'm starting to feel it. Almost there. Just hold on a little longer..."_

She told herself as she started to expand her mind faster and faster.

Naruto smile and opened his eyes. He turned to look at her.

.

Again the dark lines started forming on her cheeks starting in a point at the middle of her jaw and tracing up her face widening until it encompassed her eyes.

The dark lines continued until they reached the top of her forehead and crossed at the very point.

Hanabi smiled and opened her eyes.

"You did it. How do you feel?" Naruto said with his voice full of pride.

She looked at him and gave him a shy smile and then yelled. "I feel invincible!"

.

Fukasaku laughed so hard his voice echoed off the mountain tops. "You are far from that, but congratulations!"

She smiled even bigger and said. "What now?"

Naruto handed her a mirror. "Take a look at yourself." He said.

She took the mirror without losing her balance on the flat rock and stared at her new face.

She traced the new marks on her faces in disbelief with her trembling hand before she said.

.

"Sage marks…I've got Sage marks…" She said in disbelief then smiled.

"All that training was worth it a hundred fold for this. Thank you Master Naruto…Thank you for training me…for believing in me." She stated overcome with emotion.

"You're not a Sage yet, but you are well on your way to it.

You still have to master Summoning and master our fighting form from Fukasaku before you can call yourself a Sage.

We don't have special summoning oil so it's going to take a lot longer than mastering Sage mode." He said overjoyed with her.

"HEY! Don't rain on my parade!" She yelled at him.

He laughed at her and innocently said. "Sorry."

.

"No sense in wasting Sage mode!" The elder yelled up at the two of them.

She looked down at the toadman in confusion and then back to Naruto.

"What does he mean?" She asked.

Naruto smiled at her and said. "We fight."

.

* * *

.

Faraway Gamabunta, Gamakichi and Gamatatsu where lounging around the pond outside their house.

Gamatatsu was sleeping on his back and snapped a large dragon fly out of the air.

He crunched on it loudly in his stupor and rolled over. Gamakichi was next to him on his stomach sleeping.

Gamabunta was relaxing in the pond when he heard several sounds like that of thunder in the far off distance hitting in rapid succession.

He picked his head up curiously and turned his ear to the sound in the distance.

Gamakichi awoke from the sound and laid there for a sleepy moment until his face changed to a puzzled look.

The sounds thundered again. His look changed to disbelief as he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"Ergh." Gamatatsu said as he woke up and rolled over. "What's with that sound of thunder…It's not supposed to rain tonight is it? ."

He rubbed his eyes as he got to his feet.

.

"Is that what I think it is pops?" Gamakichi asked his father as the thunder sounded again and again in the distance.

"Yes it is. There is no mistaking it son." He said as he looked in the directions of the far off mountains.

"What? It's just thunder…isn't it?" Gamatatsu said sleepily.

"That's no thunder son. That is the unmistakable sound of two people in Sage mode clashing in hand to hand combat.

I can still remember the first time I heard it. It was when Naruto father mastered Sage chakra. I could never forget that sound." The giant toad said.

"So that means…Hanabi…did it? HehehHAHAHA!" Gamakichi laughed. "SHE DID IT!"

He said and grabbed his brother's hands and did a strange happy dance while turning in circles with his sleepy brother.

"Naruto…you're something else…" Gamabunta said quietly to himself as the thunder clashed even louder and shook the earth.

.

* * *

.

Naruto was exhausted while trying to eat at the small table with the elders.

"You look tired Naruto. Are you still going out to train tonight?" Shima asked him as she set his fourth plate of food in front of him.

He yawned quietly and stuck his chop sticks in his food before saying.

"Not tonight. I have to recharge my chakra. I've fed her my chakra for so long that I'm running dangerously low considering the Final exam is tomorrow."

He yawned again and slowly started eating again.

"I see… Even you have your limits." Fukasaku said.

He yawned yet again and said.

.

"It didn't help that I underestimated her Gentle Fist while she was in Sage mode. I haven't had a fight that hard in a long time."

"Yes she was quite the deadly combo with her Clan's art and Sage mode." Fukasaku stated in agreement.

"Yeah I know. I was fighting her…" He said while nodding off and finally collapsing onto the table with a dull thud while snoring.

.

"That's our Naruto, giving it his all at the risk of running his chakra down to the point of chakra exhaustion." Shima said while shaking her head.

"He has done well to take her so far in such a short time…I'll put him to bed."

He said as he hefted him over his shoulder and put him next to Hanabi that was already sleeping under a moss blanket.

Even in his sleep he reached out to her and wrapped his in her arms unknowingly.

"I've never seen two people share their chakra with each other the way those two do…" Shima said.

"Nor have I. He will not say it a loud, but he says it with his every action." He said as he watched Hanabi feed him her chakra in her sleep.

They intertwined their fingers as he hugged her from behind in his sleep under the moss blanket as she pressed his hand to her face.

.

* * *

.

It was a warm clear day in the Hidden Leaf Village.

Thousands of ninja, nobles and officials crowded the streets on their way to the fighting arena to watch the final exam.

Gaara was in one of the prep rooms with Matsuri going over her strategy for her fight.

"Matsuri relax. You will do fine. This isn't a fight to the death. He is not going to kill you." He said to the very nervous girl.

She wrung her hands and said meekly. "I know. Naruto always seems so warm and approachable, but now that I have to fight him…

He is starting to seem more like a legend that I have no chance against. I'm worried I'll just embarrass myself in front of everyone."

.

"No one said you have no chance against him. The odds are not in your favor, but I trained you as best I could against his weakness.

There are many ninjas that would be ecstatic at the chance to fight Naruto." He said.

"HA it all sounds good in theory, but when you're actually matched with him it's a whole other story." She said spitefully.

"You can't disappoint me. You already made it farther than I expected. I'm very proud of you." He told her honestly as he held her at arm's length by her shoulders.

She looked over at him.

"Thanks master. I feel a bit better now." She said unsteadily.

"Good. I have to leave you now and take my place with the other Kages for the fights. They should be starting soon." He said as he left.

.

* * *

.

Gaara made it through the noise crowds and took his place next to Tsunade.

"Any word on Naruto and Hanabi's arrival?" He asked her.

"No, nothing yet. If he misses this I'm gonna beat him silly. Everyone came to see him fight.

They will not be happy if he's a no show and I'll have so many officials and nobles to deal with." She said through gritted teeth.

"Is he normally late?" He asked.

"He's always been last minute unless it has to do with training. Even Konohamaru just made it back if that's any indication." She said knowingly.

"He still has a few minutes before opening introductions. He is fighting in the fourth match. He still has time." He replied.

"No he doesn't because Hanabi is fighting in the first match." She reminded him.

"Oh that is right. I had forgotten with all the work I've been doing lately." Gaara said.

.

The time ticked slowly by and the crowds were getting more and more restless and noisy.

"Why hasn't it started yet? It already ten minutes past noon?" One spectator said.

"Yeah I can't wait to see Sage Naruto take on Takia in the final round. How come these things never start on time?" Another said.

.

"It seems we can't wait any longer." Gaara said to her.

She sighed deeply and said. "Let's start the introductions then." An Anbu near her disappeared into smoke.

Shortly afterwards the doors as the bottom of the area opened and the combatants enter the fighting circle.

Cheers erupted from the crowd and quickly died down quickly when they saw Naruto wasn't among the fighting in the area.

.

"Hey where's the Sage?"

"Yeah Where's Naruto? I traveled for a week just to see him fight." The crowd voiced its disapproval.

They got so loud and hostile that Tsunade had to said up and yell in a commanding voice.

"SILENCE!" The crowd died down to quiet murmurs.

"Sage Naruto hasn't made it back yet. We will start the introductions without him and his student Hanabi."

.

The crowd groaned in displeasure as they slowly went through the interdictions.

Most of them were silent or seemed bored.

Konohamaru did get a few cheers from Moegi and Udon when his name was called.

He smiled and waved back to them, relishing the attention.

The dragged out the introductions as long as possible and final started.

Kotetsu, the proctor for the final exam took to the center of the area.

"The first match is Takia and Hanabi Hyuuga. Ninja's take your positions!

The fight will begin is five minutes! If a ninja is absent then they are disqualified!" He yelled.

.

The large, muscular and bald monk too his place in the area.

The large wooden beads around his neck shined in the afternoon rays of light.

He waited with his arms in the large sleeves of his brown robe as the minutes ticked by.

"The Hyuuga girl chickened out." A man said and laughed.

"Yeah just disqualify her and let's move on already." Another said.

Two minutes left…

"Come on Naruto you wart Sage…I know you have one of your kunais buried in that arena fighting area." Tsunade said quietly to herself.

…

Sakura walked up to Ino, Sai, Rock Lee, Choji and Gai sensei up in the stands still wearing her white medic's coat.

"It was really busy at the hospital. Sorry I'm late. Did I miss anything?" She asked as she took her seat.

"Hanabi is going to be disqualified if she's not here in another minute." Lee said dramatically.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "He's late as always. Lord Hyuuga is going to be very mad at him if Hanabi doesn't get to fight."

"I know. Even Naruto might have his hands full if that happens." Gai said in agreement.

"It's too bad Shikamaru had to work. I'm sure he would have wanted to see this." She said in disappointment.

"If he ever makes it back." Sai countered.

.

The proctor was looking at his watch and held his hand up during the final seconds…

Naruto and Hanabi appeared right behind him silently. Naruto had his arm around her and a blue kunai in his hand.

Hanabi eyes were calm and full of determination like Naruto's.

She had thin black circles around her eyes and she was wearing a new uniform that Shima made for her.

It was exactly like Naruto's Sage uniform, white with black flame around the bottom of the trench coat, except the writing on the back was different.

In the center of the back was the Hyuuga Clan symbol. Just under it was the Toad Clan symbol.

Across the shoulders it said, 'Toad Clan member.'

On the left side of her back was a list of those she had trained under, Hiashi Hyuuga, Sage Naruto Uzumaki, Might Gai, Rock Lee and Elder Toad Sage Fukasaku.

.

Loud cheers erupted as the crowd caught sight of them stopping Kotetsu from disqualifying Hanabi.

Hiashi eyed his daughter in stunned shock.

_"Those marks…He couldn't have…Not already…"_ He thought soullessly.

"Sorry we are late." Naruto said to the proctor.

"You're cutting it close Naruto." He said with a disapproving look.

Sakura yelled out to him. "I take it you were training her until the last second Naruto!"

He looked over to Sakura in the crowd and scratched the back of his head innocently.

.

"Actually we…Kind of over slept." He admitted.

Sakura laughed and the hordes of on lookers followed.

.

* * *

.

Hope you enjoyed it and sorry for getting that song stuck in your head.


	20. Chapter 20: Enbedding a Dream

**.  
**

**Chapter 20: Embedding a Dream**

.

Author's notes.

.

Reviews/questions.

.

_**Lednacek  
2010-04-24 . chapter 19**_

_**Not that many typos but quite a lot grammatical errors. Most with the incorrect tenses. The story is great.**_

.

I knew something was off in the last chapter and I kept going over and over it trying to figure it out.

I even used two different spell check programs trying to figure out what was wrong with it.

But I eventually gave up and just posted it hoping the readers would help me figure it out.

_**.**_

_**smokeapound  
2010-04-23 . chapter 19**_

_**Very good, but one question with Naruto feeding Hanabi his chakra. Doesn't that mean that she will be able to have his kids ? **_

_**I have been thinking about that from when you first had him do that but now with the part.**_

_**("Shima thinks your chakra networks are connected in a way that went far beyond what you thought.) **_

_**You don't have to tell me if I'm right but that would make a good part for the story. :) ... unless your muse is evil and dose not like a happy ending :(**_

_**Just keep up the good work and doing what you're doing.**_

_**p.s. I know that you like to listen to music when you write ... so I thought that you mite like to listen to this song when you write the fight seen between Naruto and the Nine Tailed Demon Fox **_

_**[Haunted,Disturbed and The Curse,Disturbed] pls just listen to it and think how the fight would look :) have fun.**_

.

I guess I forgot to write in that it's his clone that feeds her chakra. I never clarified that before.

The reason is that his clone doesn't have the trace amounts of Kyuubi's chakra. Feeding her Naruto's normal chakra without filtering it through a clone would be a very very bad idea.

In addition to his normal chakra he has Kyuubi's chakra which would be bad to feed her and he also has his Sage chakra. We know what Sage chakra does to those that can't control it.

As for her having his kids…It is unlikely at this point in the story. Tsunade has already stated that he can't have kids and so has Kyuubi. Neither have a reason to lie to him.

My Muse evil? You don't know the half of it! My Muse is very evil…to me anyway.

She will show me the start of something and then she will show me a beautiful scene much farther in the story and leave me all, 'OMG how did that happen? What events led to that?'

Then she has me trapped and I'm forced to sit here writing out the events that led to that scene to get the full story as she shows them to me.

.

Last Chapter

* * *

.

Loud cheers erupted as the crowd caught sight of them stopping Kotetsu from disqualifying Hanabi.

Hiashi eyed his daughter in stunned shock.

_"Those marks…He couldn't have…Not already…"_ He thought soullessly.

"Sorry we are late." Naruto said to the proctor.

.

"You're cutting it close Naruto." He said with a disapproving look.

Sakura yelled out to him. "I take it you were training her until the last second Naruto!"

He looked over to Sakura in the crowd and scratched the back of his head innocently.

.

"Actually we…Kind of over slept." He admitted.

Sakura laughed and the hordes of on lookers followed.

.

Chapter Twenty: Embedding a Dream

* * *

.

The roars of laughter died down and Naruto leaned over to Kotetsu and said.

"Sorry for landing here. Who are we fighting?" He said while giving him a curious look.

"Hanabi is in the first match with Takia. You are in the fourth match with Matsuri Sage." He said in a reserved manner.

"Thanks." He said as he turned back to Takia.

.

"Takia…Takia." He said while shaking his finger in thought like he was trying to remember something.

"Oh yeah! Tsunade-Chan warned me about him." He said as he hammer fisted his palm.

"Now what did she say?…" He said in thought.

Hanabi gave in a sour look and said. "He's a monk and a Master Water elemental user."

"Oh yeah!...Wait…What's a monk doing at the Chunin exams?" He asked her.

She gave him a sarcastic look at clearly said 'why are you asking me?'

.

Takia respectfully said. "I am seeking to become the guardian of the temple that I study at.

A condition of achieving that rank is that I must obtain the Rank of Jonin in our lands.

I do not consider myself a ninja, but I am still bound by the laws of the five Nations."

"Oh…" He replied.

Kotetsu cleared his throat loudly and said. "Naruto If you wouldn't mind leaving the fighting area, we need to get started.

The crowd has been restless for some time now…"

"Oh…Right. Sorry." He said slightly embarrassed as he leaped up to the railing around the fighting arena next to Kakashi.

.

"I hope you trained her well for this fight." Kakashi said while reading his book.

"Actually…I don't know the first thing about Takia or his fighting style.

I focused on teaching her how to still her mind and gather the natural energy's around her." He said.

"And is she combat proficient with it?" He asked while raising an eyebrow at him.

Naruto wore a dreading look. "Umm, actually no. Not really." He admitted while shaking his head back and forth.

Kakashi just shook his head. "So you mean to tell me that you didn't teach her anything that's going to help her during this fight?

He's been training for two weeks for this fight and Hanabi hasn't. She is out matched in experience, chakra and elements, possibly Taijutsu too."

"Umm yeah I guess that's true." He admitted with a strained smile.

.

"Fighters take your positions." Kotetsu said as he raised his arm.

Hanabi got into a defensive fighting pose while Takia did the same.

Takia towered over Hanabi as the stared each other down. She hardly came up passed his belt.

"Don't die out their Hanabi!" He yelled to her.

_"Gee thanks for the vote of confidence Naruto!"_ She thought angrily.

.

"The first match: Takia verses Hanabi Hyuuga. FIGHT!" He said as he threw his arm down.

"Byakugan!" She said as the veins in her temples bulged.

Takia summoned a thin wall of water around himself in an eight foot circular pillar no thicker than a glass window.

They both stood perfectly still for some time.

"Hey Kakashi sensei. Why aren't they fighting?" He asked curiously.

"Naruto they are both short range Taijutsu fighters. Like Neji, he waits for this opponent to attack him and counter attacks.

The one that attacks first will be at a disadvantage." He replied.

.

Takia smiled. "Well this is getting us nowhere. I guess I will lead off then."

He removed the large wooden beads from around his neck and drew up the water around them.

The water broke the necklace apart and surrounded each bead in an orb of water.

The orbs floated out of his water wall. He made a hand sign and said. "Water style: Water Bomb Jutsu!"

Two of the orbs flew at Hanabi at high speed, when they were almost at her they exploded sending wood shards in every direction.

"Rotation!" She said and deflected the jutsu.

.

"Impressive, but how will you fair when I send the other twenty- eight at you?" Takia said curiously.

"Water Style: Multi Water Bomb Jutsu!" He yelled and all the orbs rocketed at her.

They filled the area where she was in dust caused from their rapid explosions.

When the dust cleared Hanabi was nowhere to be seen.

Takia looked around and Hanabi charged him from behind with her Gentle Fist.

Takia turned as he heard the attack coming and Hanabi passed right through his water wall and out the other side.

"It seems you have missed Hanabi." He said calmly.

_"Damn! I know I should have connected with that strike."_ She thought but never lost her outward calm look.

.

"What kind of jutsu is that water wall?" Naruto said to himself.

"It's not a jutsu. It's just elemental chakra manipulation.

Remember how when you catch a fish with your bare hands that you can't aim for where you see the fish?" Kakashi said.

The lights turned on in his head. "Oh yeah. So it is just an optical illusion."

"Yes and it doesn't take much chakra to hold that jutsu. Takia is very smart.

His every jutsu that he has used so far has been to get her to waste chakra deflecting minor jutsu or to step himself up to hinder his opponent.

Hanabi is drenched now. Her movements will be slower now and it seems even her Byakugan isn't immune to his simple water wall.

Even though he has many times more chakra then her he is still trying to drain hers down." Kakashi said.

.

Naruto mumbled. "Yeah and he's not getting anywhere near her because of her Gentle Fist."

"Yes, he has studied her well. This is why preparing to fight a single opponent is such a huge advantage.

He's is just toying with her right now." He replied casually.

.

"Still, you are smarter then you look." Takia said as he launched three water orbs at her with a wave of his hand.

_"There's almost no chakra in those orbs…It must be a distraction…Or poison!"_ She thought as she dodged to the left to avoid them.

Takia grinned slightly and made a hand sign. "Water style: Water Bullet Jutsu!"

A large ten foot tall water bullet screamed across the arena.

Hanabi was in mid dodge as she caught sight of it from her side.

_"Ergh! No choice!" _She thought. "Rotation!" She yelled as the force of the blast still knocked her back even while she used her jutsu.

Instantly when the water bullet jutsu hit her he made another hand sign. "Water Style: Great Water Wave Jutsu!"

A twenty foot tall wave of water emerged from him and thundered its way towards Hanabi.

.

_"I can feel a huge amount of chakra still coming at me…I can't drop my rotation."_ She thought in a panic.

The wave crashed into side of the arena where she was and lapped over the side of the wall soaking the first two rows of spectators.

The wave receded back and Takia lightly stepped on top of the water.

The arena was four feet deep in water from his wave attack.

Hanabi stopped her rotation as the wave receded.

She was on top of the water and she was breathing slightly faster while scanning the water around Takia.

.

"He is bombarding her from a distance and now Takia gains another advantage. Now she's surrounded in his element.

She is playing right into his hands." Kakashi said in disappointment.

.

"Impressive… Most impressive. The Hyuuga's defensive Justus are certainly living up to their reputation.

But you cannot win with defense alone and even the Hyuuga defensive Taijutsu has a weakness.

You have fought well, but the advantage has always been mine.

I dislike using this jutsu, but I can ill afford to waste anymore chakra before the next rounds.

This fight is over." He said respectfully.

Hanabi smiled back at him. "You're right this fight is over."

_"She's drawing chakra into her legs…She's going for a high speed attack. That's not going to work._

_That's his water in the arena and he can likely feel any movement that is made on it. Kakashi is right. _

_This guy is a master of conserving his chakra and tactics." _Naruto thought.

.

Hanabi shot off like a rocket at him. The water sprayed out behind her from her blinding speed.

_"What has Naruto been teaching her?…She can't use a frontal attack…Not against this guy." _Hiashi thought in dismay.

"Water Style: Water Globe Trap Jutsu!" He yelled as he made a hand sign.

.

Hanabi was ten feet from him when the water exploded up around her. Droplets rained down on the arena.

When the spray cleared she was encased in a ten foot ball of water.

"Such speed, I nearly missed. You were full of surprises, but now it is over. The best jutsu isn't always the biggest.

This one is simple to maintain and no ninja can live long without air. I can simply wait for you to pass out, but please just give up." He said humbly.

Hanabi looked at him defiantly and moved into a fighting pose and tried to do her Rotation again.

.

"I'm afraid that's not going to work. The water is too dense for you to use that move in. Please end this now. I have no wish to hurt you." He said.

Hanabi struggle to no avail in the water soon she was clutching her throat as air escaped her lungs until she final remained still in the water.

"Proctor?" He said as he looked over at him and waited for his determination on the match.

The water globe suddenly bubbled violently as her shadow clone dissipated.

"I'm done playing with your Water Clone. Now it's over!" She yelled.

Hanabi was at the far side of the arena and struck the water near the far wall lightly.

Naruto smiled at her.

All of Takia's water jutsus crash down as the water as it quickly drained away.

Takia who had been hiding under the water in a chameleon jutsu had been struck in the heart by her Gentle Fist.

.

He clutched his chest and breathed in shape rasp of pain and said.

"I was right to fear …the Gentle Fist of your Clan. One strike was all it took. What…What gave me away?

No…No one's ever seen through my Chameleon jutsu before. Was it …the Byakugan?"

Hanabi stood over him still in her fighting pose. "No. I'm able to use small amount of Sage Chakra that allows me to feel where someone is.

It's far beyond that of normal Chakra sensor abilities and much harder to fool. I knew where you were the whole time.

That's why I was on the defensive until you gave me an opening." She said.

.

"Here I thought I was in control and you…" He coughed loudly as few times. ,"were one step ahead of me the whole time. I yield to the better fighter."

He said respectively while still clutching his chest.

Hanabi reached out and struck his chest again releasing her Gentle Fist attack.

He took a moment to catch his breath and then stood up and bowed to her.

Even in his bow he was still taller than her. Hanabi relaxed her fighting pose.

"I'd like to say I'm wounded, but it's only my pride. It was an honor to fight you. You do your Clan proud." He said with respect.

Hanabi was slightly stunned at his manners and shyly said. "Th..Thank you."

.

Kotetsu stepped forward and said loudly. "The winner of the first match is Hanabi Hyuuga!"

The crowd was silent as someone said. "Takia...Lost…What an upset?"

"I can't believe that little girl beat the hero Takia!" Another said.

The murmurs grew louder and louder until it was a roar of applause drowning out everything else.

In the heat of her battle she had forgotten everyone else was watching her. Hanabi shirked away from the attention as thousands of people clapped for her.

Her father was grinning proudly at her ever so slightly.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi was still drenched while standing next to Naruto and Kakashi as they called a break to let the field dry out.

"How do you feel?" Naruto asked her.

"Soaked and I've got jelly legs. I've never had so many people looking at me like that…I'm not sure I like the attention." She said shyly.

"Well if you want to be a Sage you had best get used to the attention." Kakashi said.

.

Naruto looked over at her flattened out hair. "Here I'll dry you off."

He held his hand up to use his wind jutsu and Kakashi caught him by the wrist.

"Naruto don't you remember the rules to the final exam? You can't use your jutsu to aid any of the other combatants, student or not." He warned.

He gave him a weird look and said. "I'm just drying her off though. That's a stupid rule."

"It's still one you will get disqualified for breaking." He said as he pointed at two Anbu watching them like a hawk.

He looked over at the Anbu and rolled his eyes. "Then let's go get you a towel." He said as he led her away.

.

Not long after they got back Konohamaru and Kimdo were called to the fighting arena.

Kimdo was a shorter female ninja with short bright red hair wearing a blue uniform with long sleeves.

She carried a large bamboo needle cannon on her back and two smaller ones on her belt.

She had three kunai holsters on her left leg and another on her right.

Konohamaru took field as well with a calm look about him.

.

"A poison user, Konohamaru never did like long range poison user." Naruto commented.

"Is he in any danger? Hanabi asked.

"That all depends on the poisons she uses. If things get too bad he has an ace in the hole." He said clearly not worried.

Kakashi eyed intently and said. "You didn't…Did you?"

"Yes I did, but I told him to use it only in an emergence." He replied.

Hanabi gave then a curious look.

.

"Match two: Konohamaru Sarutobi verse Kimdo Heria. Fight!" Kotetsu said as he backed away.

Kimdo leaped away backwards and readied one of her small bamboo cannons.

Konohamaru pulled out a red vial. "What's a matter? You scared of me?" He taunted her and popped the paper seal on the bottle.

Kimdo replied. "I see no reason to get near a bumbling fool like you. I let my needles do my work for me, but I guess you're to slow witted to understand that.

Drink your silly anti-poison. It will do you no good. I'm a master poison maker. I carry over a hundred different types on me."

Tsunade put her head in her hands. "I hope he's really not going to drink what I think he's going to drink." She said to herself.

.

Konohamaru tipped up the tiny vial and drank the red liquid in one gulp.

He smacked his lips. "Ahhh, let see you try to poison me now!" He said as he threw the small vial over his shoulder.

.

Sakura was cringing and said. "Gross! I can't believe he drank it!"

The rest of his friends wore the same revolted looks.

"I wonder what the Monkey Clan did to him…He didn't even flinch." Kakashi said clearly impressed.

.

Kimdo grinned evilly at him. "If you think that potion was anti poison then you're a moron.

You'd have to know my families poison's to make blood anti poison and I know you do not know them.

Do you really expect me to believe you managed to get your hands on the blood of the legendary White Stagg? Ha I'm no fool!"

She said and then laughed at him.

Konohamaru gave her a confused look and said. "White Stagg? I've never heard of that. What I drank was the blood of my master, Naruto Uzumaki!"

Naruto put his head in his hands and said to himself. "You idiot. Just announce it to the world why don't ya."

A few others in the crowd were revolted by this news as well, but many wonder what drinking a Sages blood would do in curiosity.

.

"Ahh, enough talking! Let's get this over with. I don't need to waste any more chakra then I have to.

I still have to fight Hanabi next before I can fight Naruto." He yelled and then charged her in a straight line.

Kakashi gave him a blank look. "That's certainly the Naruto way of doing things, but it's really not that smart of a tactic."

Kimdo rolled her eyes at him and said. "Needle Storm." Hundreds of needle shot out of the small cannon and a few hit Konohamaru but he keep charging.

She readied her other small cannon as she leaped back and said. "Needle Paralyses Shot!" Several of the tiny needles hit him in his left leg and still he charged her.

She leaped back again and looked frantic with her back against the wall of the arena.

.

"Kami what's it take to stop this oaf." She said to herself as she quickly readied her large needle cannon.

"Thousand Needled Shot!" She yelled and fired the large weapon.

There was a large bang and smoke came out the back of the cannon a thousand tiny needles went fly at him.

Konohamaru put up the seal of the tiger. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

He said as one clone appeared and they both darted to opposite sides to avoid the head on needle attack.

He charged straight into the cloud of smoke and several loud strikes were heard.

.

Slowly the smoke cleared away. Konohamaru was standing with several poisoned needles in him and Kimdo was beaten to a pulp.

"You long range poison users are all the same. You hide behind your poison because you're too lazy to learn how to fight!

And you called yourself a ninja!" He spat at the knocked out ninja as he pulled out the needles and tossed them on the ground.

He looked over at Kotetsu in a expecting manner while pointing his hand at the disfigured ninja.

Kotetsu stared at him with a blank, queer look before shaking his head.

"The winner of the second match is Konohamaru Sarutobi." He said quickly like it left a bad taste in his mouth.

.

He smiled and looked around expecting the loud cheers like Hanabi had gotten.

A gust of wind blew by and the chirping of a cricket sound out in the silence of the arena.

Konohamaru wore a confused look as he gazed around the arena. Everyone wore the same look.

Their eyebrows were scrunched together and their mouths hung slightly a gape.

Konohamaru smile a cheeky smile while he rubbed under his nose with his pointer finger.

"I'm so impressive that I left them speechless." He said clearly proud of himself.

.

A ninja said. "How did this guy ever become a ninja?"

Another said. "This is supposed to the 'God of Jutsu's' grandson?"

A Leaf ninja with his head in his hand said. "The Third Hokage is rolling over in his grave…"

Moegi wore a very strained look and clapped slowly three times before the letting her arms fall back to her sides from the looks she was getting.

Konohamaru looked out at the crowd with a confused look.

The veins in Tsunade's head were bulging dangerously as she stood up and pointed to the exit. "KONOHAMARU JUST GET OFF THE FIELD!"

He wore a frightened look. "Man I get no respect!" He said as he fled the field.

.

"I can't believe I made him my apprentice…" Naruto said with his head down as many on lookers just stared at him in displeasure.

Kakashi gave him a strained look and said. "Maybe you should wait back stage until it's your turn to fight."

He gave him a short sarcastic laugh and said. "Good advice if I've ever heard any."

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Hanabi waited back in a fighters prep room while the third match progressed.

Naruto was relaxed and suddenly his eyes narrowed into a scowl while looking at the door.

The door creaked open and Naruto instantly appeared next to the door and cracked Konohamaru over the head so hard that his forehead nearly hit the floor.

.

The two leaf Anbu guarding the door turned a blind eye to this obvious transgression of the rules.

He barely managed to keep his balance and right himself before saying.

"KAMI! What with everyone one! Why are they all mad at me?" He said while rubbing his head.

Naruto crossed his arms and yelled at him. "I don't know where to start!

You made a mockery of the Chunin exams with your fighting tactics!

You used a potion I gave you that's an A Ranked leaf village secret that's made from my blood!

Then you announce what it is and proceed to show everyone in the five Nations just how effective it is by charging right threw a master poison maker's needles!

A potion that I told you to only use in the most dire of circumstances.

Oh let's not forget that you failed to grasp the whole concept of the exams! You're supposed to show off your tactic and fighting skill which you showed none of.

You can't just run rough shot over your opponents and expect for them to make you a Chunin!

What? Did you rent that space between your ears to a family of moths?

You just turned me from the hero of the village to the village idiot in two minutes flat! Just what were you thinking?"

.

Konohamaru offence showed on his face and he walked right up to Naruto.

"What was in thinking? What was I thinking? Oh I don't know!

Maybe I was thinking that the Monkey Clan has basically taught me diddlie-squat!

I used the tools I had like the ninja hand book says 'A ninja tool is only as good as the ninja wielding it. Even a novices with a sling can beat a master with a sword."

But when I uses them it's like. Oh noooo! Konohamaru has pissed in the sacred watering hole again!

I come home to find out Hanabi is a full blown Sage now that just beat the hero Takia with ease and I've got to fight her in the next round.

What did you think I was thinking?

.

I was thinking I had to conserve every ounce of chakra I had just to beat her and hope to make it to the finals to fight you!"

He yelled as tear started welling up in his eyes and he hung his head. Naruto's steel eyes soften.

"Damn it." He said as he slugged Naruto in the arm. "I wanted to be you're Disciple… I wanted to follow in your footsteps.

I wanted to join the Toad Clan. Not the stupid Monkey Clan.

Hanabi's already a Sage and all I've learned how to do is scrub shit off the Monkey Clans temple walls and pick ticks out of their back…Then I'm force to eat them." He said.

Hanabi winced at his comment.

.

"How do you think I feel? I've always been standing in your shadow.

Now I see Hanabi is getting to follow the path I always wanted to follow. A path barred to me…" He said sadly.

Naruto sighed and said. "You know I wanted you to be my Disciple to. I took quite a few lumps arguing with the elders for you.

Some things just can't be changed…Hanabi isn't a Sage yet." He told him emphatically.

"Hmph! Those marks around her eyes say otherwise." He said miserably while pointing at the thin dark circles around her eyes.

"I'm not Konohamaru. I've still got a long way to go before I'm called a Sage." He said trying to comfort him.

.

A loud knock on the door sounded. "Sage Naruto it's time for your match."

Naruto turned back to him and said. "Stay here and try to clear your head for your next match.

Show the rest of those people out there you weren't just being a lumbering oaf."

Naruto grabbed him by both shoulders and gave him a understanding slight smile before nodding to Hanabi.

Naruto turned and left.

.

He came out of the doors at the bottom of the arena into the bright afternoon sunlight.

The crowd got to their feet in cheering him as he walked over to where Matsuri and Kotetsu where.

"Are you ready Naruto?" Kotetsu asked him quietly.

"Not just yet." He said as he took off his trench coat and threw it on the ground.

"You know what Gaara asked from me." He said seriously as he removed the weights from his wrist while eying her.

She fearfully said. "Yes…"

.

Naruto took off his shirt and removed his blue chain mail that had the words 'Property of Jiraiya, if found, please return to the inn with the most liquor and prettiest ladies.'

He put his black undershirt back on must to the displeasure of the ladies in the audience.

He pulled up his pant legs and removed the wrap around weights on his calves.

They were weights that were quiet well known in the leaf village and would have been comical in any other situation.

One each of the pouches that held lead bars was the words 'Fight Lee Fight' printed on them.

He dropped them into the pile with a dull thud.

.

Lee and Gai wore the exact same jaw dropping stare. "OHHH! Naruto is serious!" Gai said in a stunned manner.

"Is he about to do what I think he is about to do?" Lee asked Gai intently.

"LEE, GAI, BE QUIET!" Tsunade yelled at them.

"Yes Hokage-Sama." They both said and hung their heads.

.

The proctor motioned for two Anbu to come and remove the Sages effect from the field.

Naruto rubbed his wrist as the two Anbu struggled to budge one of the leg weights from the ground.

"Kami this stuff weights a ton!" One of them said.

"It's not a ton. It's only two-hundred kilos per leg weight." Naruto said.

Matsuri went from being slightly nervous to blank shock.

Naruto observed her reaction.

"If you think those are heavy you should see the ones Rock Lee and Gai Sensei use.

Lee gave me those when they were to light for him to get any use out of them." He said casually.

.

Both Anbu's feet where only digging a hole in the ground as they struggle to move the heavy stuff.

Tsunade shoot Gai sensei a scowl and he shirked back into his chair and put on his Anbu dog mask.

He then sprinted across the arena in his obvious green jump suit.

He gathered Naruto's weights in a flash and carried them and the two Anbu off the field in the blink of an eye.

He reappeared in his seat without the mask on and whistled a tune innocently like nothing had happened, fooling no one.

.  
Naruto looked at Matsuri intently.

"My first time at the Chunin exams there was a match that out shined all the other matches." He said as he stretched out his arms behind him.

"It was a match so close that inspired me and nearly all the leaf ninja's in my age group.

Many said the best fight of the exams was my own with Neji, but they were wrong.

My fight didn't hold a candle next to their fight.

.

The fight wasn't seen by everyone because it was a preliminary fight in-between the second and third task.

One of the ninja's was a humble man studying the ways of the fist from his master.

The other seemed to be an invincible ninja that have never even been touched in combat.

The humble man was knocked down again and again, yet he always stood back up and kept fighting.

If anyone that day burned brightly with the Will of Fire it was him.

He managed to do something no one had ever done before. He broke the seemingly invisible ninja's defenses and hurt him.

He nearly won, but the other ninja broke one of his arms and legs.

He was knocked out and still he stood up in his sleep to keep fighting." He said while stretching him hands.

.

"But who where these ninja's?" She asked in confusion

Naruto gave her a perplexing look and said.

"I figured you would have already known. They are both in the arena right now."

Matsuri looked around at the crowd for a moment before turning her eyes back on him questioningly.

"The humble man of the fist is Rock Lee and the other you know quite well…" He said while point at Lee in the crowd.

"Who was the other?" She asked carefully.

"It was your master…Kazekage Gaara." He said.

.

She blinked a few time in shock.

"But what does that have to do with our match?" She asked curiously.

Naruto placed his right arm behind the small of his back and presented his left arm out in front of him.

.

"That's…Rock Lees fighting stance." Sakura said in confusion.

"That's because today I will be fighting you with that humble man of the fist's style of Taijutsu." He stated.

Matsuri resumed her fighting stands as Naruto gave the proctor a nod.

"Match four: Matsuri verses Naruto Uzumaki. Fight!" He said as he threw his hand down.

Naruto leaped backwards as Matsuri grabbed her bladed whips.

.

She launched her whips at him with frighten speed.

When the blades where almost to him he charged right in between them with all the speed of Lee in his younger years.

Matsuri was so surprise at his speed she could only wince her eyes shut as Naruto's fist came flying at her head.

Naruto stopped his punch an inch from her face.

Matsuri slowly opened her eyes. Naruto grinned at her with his fist right at her face and disappeared in a blur of movement.

She could hear his rapid footsteps, but couldn't see him as she scanned the area for him.

.

_"I'll have to go on the defensive and wait for an opening…If I even get one."_ She lamented.

"Whip Armor Jutsu!" She said as she made a hand sign and the whips wrapped themselves around her body.

The points of the whips writhed like snakes on her shoulders.

She pulled out two sais from her belt and went into a defensive fighting pose.

Naruto appeared in front of her and yelled. "Leaf Gale!" He swept her feet out from under her with a kick and disappeared again.

Her whips tried to catch him, but they were far too slow to catch him as she fell on her rear.

She quickly got back up and resumed her fighting pose while scanning for him.

.

Sai said. "He is toying with her. Even I can see that."

Gai gave him a disagreeing look and said. "I'm afraid you're wrong. He is testing her. Seeing how much speed she can handle."

Sakura gave him a questioning look and asked. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because it's the same way Lee tests Naruto for their sparring matches. Lee knows he's much faster than him, so he slows down to near his level.

Otherwise Naruto wouldn't learn anything from fighting him." Gai said and turned back to the fight.

.

_"He's…He's too fast. I can't use any jutsu when I can't even see him."_ She thought.

Naruto appeared right in the middle of the arena near her and stopped.

_"Now's my chance!"_ She thought.

She threw both of her sais with all her might and pulled out a kunai and charged him.

Naruto never moved as the sais went whizzing over his shoulders.

Just as she neared him the whips on her shoulders suddenly jerked back and the sais she had thrown came racing back at Naruto.

"She put wires around the sais blades…interesting." Choji said.

"An attack of that kind has no chance of working on him." Gai stated and Lee nodded in agreement.

She was almost in stabbing range when Naruto ducked down and struck her in the center of her chest with a hard elbow that sent her flying back as the sais flew over his head.

She rolled a few time on the ground before coming to rest, curled into a ball gasping for breath.

.

"When are you going to get serious?!" He yelled at her in an angry voice.

She managed to get on all fours trying to recover from the massive blow.

"Do you honestly think you can fight me like this? You're closing your eyes every time I attack you!

Your attacks are half hearted and you can hardly look at me without trembling!" He yelled.

She slowly struggled back to her feet and fear was still in her eyes.

Naruto stated in a calmer voice and then took in a deep breath. "Fine if you will not fight me with everything you have then I will just give you a reason to."

He turned and looked to Gaara and said. "I'm sorry Gaara…I'm not going to hold back anymore, just like you asked me to…"

Several people looked back and forth at each other clearly worried.

.

Naruto pulled out one of his cobalt blue kunais and held it to his chest.

He never seemed to move, but Gaara appeared in front of him. Naruto stood behind him with his kunai at Gaara neck.

Gaara's eerily clam eyes locked onto Matsuri's.

.

"I will kill Gaara of the Red Sands if you don't rescue him from me! On my Nindo I swear it!" He yelled as killing intent poured out of him.

Everyone eyed him with blank shock as four Anbu rushed the arena fighting area to save Gaara.

Gaara held up his hand to stop them. They were on the edge of the railing around the arena posed to jump down.

.

"Halt. I give my life freely to Naruto. Don't interfere with the match." He said without emotion.

Matsuri's look went from fearful and shy to sheer horror and worry as she looked up to Gaara's seat and saw he wasn't there.

"Gaara…What are you saying?…Fight back! Don't do this!" She said nearly in tears.

Gaara tilted his head slightly at her and said in an emotionless tone. "No, I will not fight back. Naruto saved me from myself…from becoming a monster.

He even helped bring me back to life with his chakra. I owe him two life debts. He can take my life at any time he wishes it. I will never resist it."

"But-But master…" She said in tears.

Naruto cold eyes locked on to hers and said. "Are you going to hold back now? Did I not give you reason enough to fight?"

.

Mummers of disbelief filled the crowd.

"He wouldn't?" Rock Lee said in shock.

Sakura had tilted her head down so her hair covered her face. "He would…He's never broken his Nindo…not once." She said clearly worried.

The others stared at her soullessly.

.

Naruto pressed harder with his kunai and a single drop of blood rolled down Gaara's neck.

"Master…" She pleaded with her voice cracking.

Gaara looked at her without emotion and said. "No more words Matsuri. You know what you have to do now…"

.

Matsuri eyes steeled with resolve as she grabbed the handles of her blade whips and they uncoiled themselves from her body.

The wind picked up around her as she drew up a great amount of chakra for her next attack.

Naruto held up a hand sign from around Gaara and said. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Two clones appeared at either side of him and moved in front of him and Gaara.

"Now the fight begins for real." Kakashi said as he removed the bandage covering his Sharingan.

.

The whips in her hands stalked high into the air ominously like writhing snakes as her killing intent rose.

"I WILL NOT LET YOU HURT GAARA! I don't care if I die. I will save Gaara or die trying!"

She yelled at him and charged him with such speed that she almost looked like she disappeared with her whips leading the way.

Naruto's clones got into their fighting pose.

.

"Wind Spear Jutsu." She yelled as she rolled hand over hand and her whips rocketed toward the Naruto's face that was holding Gaara.

The clones managed to catch the whips and divert them away just before a great gale of wind shot out of the point of them.

The gale was so forceful that it sounded like thunder and it tore right through a tree and into the stone of the wall behind it.

A dust cloud erupted behind them.

The clones eyed her coldly as they tossed aside the ends of the whips and charged her with blinding speed.

She back peddled fighting tooth and nail defending against the flanking strikes with her whips.

Again and again the blindly fast strikes came at her and she fended them off.

.

Her whips where moving so fast at one point that they looked like a giant Rasengan.

A strike to her chest got through from the Naruto in front of her and knocked her into a kick from the one behind her.

She yelped and hit the ground on all fours in pain.

.

The clones jumped back. "You're this weak? You don't you get it, do you? What are your goals and aspirations?" Naruto yelled angrily.

She struggled several times to stand before finally righting herself with great effort.

"I've never seen Naruto like this. It almost like he's talking down to her. This just isn't his normal style." Choji said in confusion.

She panted loudly trying to catch her breath. "What do you ..mean? I…I only want to become a fine ninja and take care of Gaara!"

She said while breathing sharply and holding her side.

.

"Are you a fool? Don't you know what your village expects of you?

Who do you think they would look at to become the next Kazekage if I killed Gaara right now?"

He yelled as his clones went on the attack again. She almost didn't get her guard up in time to fight back.

She barely fended off the attack as the clones jumped back leaving her panting.

.

"You-You can't mean…me? Surely they would choose someone on the council." She said in disbelief while trying to catch her breath.

"You're wrong. They would look to you. You're the only student Gaara ever took. Only you have learned his lessons from him personally.

Don't you understand what that means?

When you took Gaara as your master and he took you as his student the both of you took on a huge responsibility for your village!" He yelled at her.

The clones again attacked her. In a rapid exchange and she hit the ground again. She struggle to get up on her knees. She was clutching her ribs on her left side.

Through a great amount of pain she yelled at him. "What responsibility are you talking about?"

.

Naruto's cold eyes locked onto her and bored deep into her soul. "To become the strongest ninja of your village!

You're the one that your people will look to, to one day surpass Gaara and become their next Kazekage!"

Matsuri look went to blank shock just as she reached her feet as Naruto continued his verbal strikes at her.

"If Gaara died right now, the first person they would look to replace him with is you! It is only logical they would look to you!

Tell me… if your village's head Jonin Commander is poisoned with a new kind of poison, who will you fetch in your village to cure him?

If there are rumors of the leaf village preparing to attack your village, what type of squad do you send, a ambassador negation squad or a stealth information gather squad?"

His sharp words hit her as the wind started picking up in the arena and moving in circle around him.

She regained her composer slightly and could only look at the ground, clearly telling him that she didn't know.

.

Naruto pressed ever so harder with his kunai at Gaara's. Blood trickled free down his neck as Matsui started to panic until again resolve steeled into her eyes.

Many in the crowd winced at the sight of more blood because of Gaara's unflinching calm.

"Haven't you been watching your master? Haven't you been learning from not only what he teaches you, but also what he does?"

He yelled as his clones that were flanking her suddenly threw kunais with exploding tags on them at near point blank range.

The calm determination that a settled over her severed her well.

She never took her eyes off the real Naruto, but gracefully moved back and forth avoiding the kunais what whistled passed her face.

She smelled the smoke of the tags burning as she crouched down in preparation to her next attack.

.

Kakashi face suddenly went blank. _"No Naruto…You can't be thinking of using that kind of attack on her..." _He thought soullessly as he watched with the Sharingan.

The two clones caught each other thrown kunais with burning paper bomb and charged her.

_"A Kamikaze attack"!" _Kakashi thought in dread.

Matsuri managed a hand sign just before they hit her.

.

"Earth Barrier Jutsu!" She said just as the two clones impacted the barrier with their flaming paper bomb kunais leading the way into the cone of sand that had just formed around her.

The front of the cone of sand exploded as she tore thought a split second before the paper bombs went off.

The explosion was nearly ear shattering and only severed to propel her faster at Naruto.

Naruto grinned at the charging Matsuri eyes as she charged him at inhuman speeds. _"Finally! There is no fear in your eyes." _

He thought as his eyes pulps went from round to flat and he became one with everything around him.

.

Naruto emitted freighting amount of chakra just before Matsuri blinding attack was about to hit.

Sakura's eyes went blank in disbelief. "He can't be!…He's using Sage mode on her!"

"Ahhh!" She yelled as she closed in for an attack only to be shot almost instantly into the far wall of the arena in a cloud of dust from the sheer air pressures around him.

Mummers in the crowd rose as many of the spectators wonder if she had ever survived the attack.

Naruto sent a gale of wind at her with a single swipe of his hand to clear away the dust cloud.

She was barely up right in the crater in the wall from the impact of the attack.

.

"How many hours do you train every day?" He yelled loudly through the howling wind.

Her arms were limp in front of her as blood trickled out of her mouth while she panted.

"I train myself to become stronger with every waking moment I have.

I go weeks without sleep just to continue train in hopes that one day I will be strong enough to become Hokage!"

The wind moved faster and faster around him and the sound grew louder and louder.

"I'm going to show you now why they call me the Master of the Wind! If Gaara is so important to you then fight through my wind and come stand beside him now!

Do that and I will release him!" He yelled with his intense eyes locked on to her.

.

The wind howled and then it moved so fast that it screamed, drowning out every other sound. A tree in the arena was suddenly up rooted and sent flying into the sky.

The spectators were shielding their eyes from the sheer wind pressure.

Within the span of two breaths Naruto had summoned a full blown cyclone that reached into the heavens and twisted the very clouds themselves.

"Kami the Sage certainly lives up to his legends!" One ninja said holding on to his seat so that he wasn't swept away.

The Anbu that had been posed to jump into the arena was catching people that flew into the air. They put weight seals on them to hold the spectators in their seats.

Everyone had to shield their faces and hold onto something as they weathered Naruto's jutsu.

.

Gai had given up of yelling to Kakashi and started using the Anbu's secret hand sign language to communicate with him.

"Kakashi, Stop this madness! He has gone too far!" He signed to him.

"Have faith in him Gai. He has been using the wind to protect her.

The crater she is in was from the air pressure he summoned behind her just before impact." He signed back to him.

.

Matsuri hit the ground on all fours and struggle against the wind to move forward.

She had not lost her determination as she struggle inch by inch to get closer to Gaara.

Only thirty seconds had passed since he summoned the cyclone, but it seemed like a lifetime to everyone else as an Anbu squad finally made a jutsu barrier around the fighting area.

They were shielded from the wind, but the cyclone still towered into the clouds and the sound was still defying.

The crowd was captivated watching Matsuri crawl with all her might to keep moving forward like they were living each movement themselves.

She fought inch by inch to keep moving closer. When she got within ten feet of them she was tore away.

She dug her hands into the earth to stop herself, but only served to leave an arching trail of ripped earth with her hands.

.

Again and again she fought to get to the eye of the cyclone until the earth around it looked like a spiral patterned of ripped earth.

Each time she got close to the center they cheered through the sounds of the wind for her.

Each time she was torn away and she struggled forward again they cheered her on even louder.

She had fought her way back to the eye of the gale and had stopped. She couldn't move forward anymore, but she refused to let go.

A stray leaf hit her in the forearm with such force that it embedded itself over an inch inside her arm. She winced at the pain and slide a few feet back as she panted.

.

_"Eleven minutes…He's held that jutsu for eleven minutes…And she has bared it all…She can't have anything left."_ Kakashi thought to himself.

She reached out and dug her right hand into the earth and tried several times to pulled herself forward to not avail.

She took a few sharp breaths and yelled with all her might into the gale of wind.

Suddenly the gale stopped with a last gentle gust and Naruto could be seen with his hand in front of him holding two fingers up in a half tiger hand sign.

His cold steel orbs had returned to their brilliant blue and he wore a kind understanding look on his face with a hint of sadness.

The wind howling had cut off the first part of what she said as she yelled so loudly everyone could hear her through their ringing ears.

"…Will save Gaara! I can't become a Kage yet! I'm not ready! I need to train harder and learn to lead people first! I'm just not ready! But I will not give up!"

She panted on her stomach a few times before opening her blurry eyes and looking over at Naruto.

.

Naruto then uttered the two scariest words she had ever heard in her life. His eyes suddenly became bloodshot and tears formed at the rims as he said. "I'm sorry."

He drew back his kunai in preparation of stabbing Gaara.

"NO!" She yelled and with her last bit of strength she threw her kunai at his head. He moved his blade slightly and sent her flying kunai clattered off his own.

It whirled in the air and embedded itself into the earth a few feet away.

Matsuri and the entire crowd wore a look of horror as Naruto stabbed Gaara through the heart from behind with a dull thud sound that echoed loudly in the silent arena.

Gaara's calm look turned to one of shock an instant before he poofed into smoke.

Several spectators and the Anbu that rushed the arena from before poofed into smoke as well.

"Lesson over." He said with a smile on his face.

Everyone looked around in disbelief.

.

"But then…Where is Gaara?" She asked breathlessly as she got up into a sitting position.

Naruto gave her a kind look as he pointed to the Kazekage's chair. "Right over there." He said.

Matsuri and the stunned crowd looked over at his chair.

He was standing next his chair with his Kazekage hat in one hand and his other arm resting over the back rest of the chair.

His hair was a total mess from Naruto's wind jutsu.

.

Everyone was staring at him questioningly. He carefully replaced his ceremonial Kazekage hat and said.

"Just before the fight I went to use the bathroom. Even a Kage has to go sometimes…

When I returned I saw myself in the arena as a hostage. I saw no need to announce my return…" He said calmly yet awkwardly at the same time.

An eerie silence fell over the crowd for a long moment.

"But you said if I couldn't rescue him that you'd kill him and you never break your Nindo?" She said in shock.

Naruto nodded his head replied. "I said I'd kill Gaara of the Red Sands…I don't know a Gaara of the Red Sands.

I once met a man called Sasori of The Red Sands, but as far as I know that is not a title your master carries."

.

Matsuri laughed a laugh of relief. She laughed for a long moment before saying.

"I knew it. In the heat of battle I couldn't trust it, but I knew that wasn't Gaara." She told him through her tiredness.

Naruto gave her a curious look as he walked over to her. "How? My clones are perfect." He asked her intently.

She nodded her head slightly. "Yes your clone was perfect. Right down to which leg and hand is his dominate, even how he moves and talks…all perfect."

She said with a smile even though her ripped up hands and broken ribs were causing her to tremble in pain.

He eyed her intently and asked. "Then what made you suspect it was a clone?"

The smile faded from her face and she wore a longing look of wonder.

"It's the way you look at him…I've never seen two people look at each other the way you two do.

What do you see when you look at Gaara?" She asked in a lost manner.

.

He gave her a slight smile and kindly said. "Forfeit the match and I'll tell you."

She gave him a short sarcastic laugh before saying. "I can hardly hold myself up right. There is no way I could fight you anymore even if I wanted to."

She looked over at the proctor hiding in the doorway of the fighters prep room and said. "I forfeit. I am not his equal in combat, knowledge or jutsu."

She collapsed on to her back as her will to hold her trembling body upright faded.

Naruto held the blue kunai to his chest and closed his eyes in concentration.

He disappeared for no more time than an eye blink and was standing with Gaara by her side.

He took his arm out from around Gaara shoulder and lean down next to her. He looked sincerely over at Gaara.

"That's it…That is the look I am talking about. I've never understood it. It's like you two are…looking at each other saviors.

Please tell me what you see that I cannot?" She asked honestly and longingly for the answer.

.

Naruto reached down and gentle held her hands. He poured his healing chakra into her grass stained, earth soiled and ripped up hands.

As he healed her he said sincerely. "I see hope when I look at Gaara."

"Hope?" She questioned him.

He continued to heal her hands and closed his eyes and nodded at her. "Yes I see hope when I look at him."

"What do you mean though? Why do you see hope that would cause you to look at him in such a way?" She asked in confusion.

Naruto finished healing her hands and her trembling stopped. He placed her hands in the center of his stomach on his black under shirt and said.

"You know WHAT I am…right? And you know what Gaara used to be? You are one of the few blessed with this knowledge?" He asked her clearly not sure if she knew.

She nodded her head a few times. He told her. "Do you know what happens to us when we are released from that burden that we carry?"

.

She teared up at the mere thought of it and nodded her head again. "Now you see. Gaara is the only one of our kind that was ever released from it… and lived."

"But…" Naruto cut her off and kindly said. "It was elder Chiyo making amends for her passed deeds.

I only provided the chakra for her so she could use the jutsu. She was the hero that day…not me."

He answered her unasked question as two medical ninja's set a stretcher next to her.

"Master Gaara?" She asked. Gaara held up his hand to stop the medics from taking her away.

"What do you see when you look at Naruto." She asked so sincerely yet still longingly and curiously for the answer.

.

Gaara took a long deep breath. "I am not as gifted with words as he is, but I will tell you as best as I can….I too, see hope when I see him."

"Master, please explain this as he did." She begged him with a curious look on her face.

"As you asked." He said with a slight bow of his head to her. "I used to be the perfect Shinobi.

I was a mindless killing machine that the leaders could use to kill anyone they saw fit to send me after.

I never failed or got hurt during my missions. I felt that true power only came from relying of one's self.

I defined my existence by beating or killing other Shinobi. It was only after we fought that I learned true power come from protecting those precious to you." He said.

She asked. "How did he change your mind Gaara? What did he do you turn you away from being a mindless killer into someone that protects others?"

.

After a long moment of silence he said. "He did the same thing to me that he did to you today. Naruto has a way of teaching the ones he fights as he fights them.

He has a way of changing people. The day that we fought, I had yet to find my equal in combat.

I had only been touched a few times in my life and no one had ever come close to defeating me.

I toyed with him at first, but his eyes changed and it was then that the fought me earnestly.

.

He was protecting his team members and I was relying only on myself. He fought me with a strength and determination I had never seen before.

No matter how many times I knocked him down, he kept getting back up to fight me again.

Even after all our chakra was spent and we could hardly move he still crawled toward me to attack me again.

I tried to kill him, but he was only trying to defeat me. I then asked him what makes him so strong and he told me.

'True strength only comes from protecting those precious to you.'

That day he defeated me and I changed. I no longer wished to be a mindless killer. I wanted to protect people the way he did. I wanted to see people the way he did.

I wanted to become truly strong. Strong like the ninja I admired most,… like Naruto Uzumaki."

.

"So that it…" She said softly as she closed her eyes. The crowded erupted in cheers as the proctor announce Naruto as the winner.

One of the medical ninja looked her over and quickly said.

"She entered chakra exhaustion. This is not good. We need to get her to the hospital to receive treatment right away."

They quickly loaded her onto the stretcher and Naruto stopped them.

He looked over at Gaara and said. "Lend me some of your chakra."

Gaara gave him a questioning look as he held up his hand and produced a burning flame of blue chakra.

"Thanks." He said as he took the chakra and leaned down in front of Matsuri.

"What did you need my chakra for?" He questioned him curiously.

"I'm a clumsy medic at best, but no one in the village is better at performing this jutsu then me." He said as he forced the chakra into her heart string chakra line.

.

The color returned to her face as he finished the jutsu.

"That still doesn't answer why you needed my chakra when you have so much of your own still left." Gaara said.

Naruto gave in a strained smile. "Let's just say that if she gets used to having that jutsu preformed on her too much, that the side effects would be…

Less complicated if it's your chakra rather than mine."

Gaara peered at him and said. "Side…effects?"

"Just trust me. I'll tell you about it later." He said innocently.

.

The medical ninja looked her over. "Her condition has stabilized. What jutsu did you use on her great Sage?" He asked curiously in disbelief.

Naruto smiled innocently. "Oh that, I use the ra…" Naruto stopped in mid sentence as his face when slack when he saw the angry scowl that Tsunade was giving him.

The bulging vein in her forehead clearly showed she was about to jump out of her seat and wring his neck at any moment.

Naruto took a step back from her and stuttered. "I-I think we should get off the field now Gaara."

He said quickly and he ran back into the fighters prep room away from the Hokage's angry scowl.

.

Tsunade mumbled angrily to herself. "I can't believe he used that forbidden jutsu again! And right in front of everyone! And with Gaara's chakra!"

She fumed in her seat at the door he has left through.

.


	21. Chapter 21: Disciple verses Apprentice

**.**

**Chapter 21: Disciple verses Apprentice**

* * *

.

Author notes/ Questions.

* * *

.

Seeing as how I took so long to post the last chapter, I worked all day and I'm releasing the next chapter only few days after posting the one before it.

.

_**Silentwhistle  
2010-06-08 . chapter 16**_

_**It was pretty clever of you to think up that slights hot explanation and moving backwards in time even though its completely wrong from a canon standpoint. Its called **_

_**space/time, not 'space & time' for a reason-: that's because it refers to the space-time continuum where space and time are viewed as a single 4 dimensional continuum. Three **_

_**dimensions of space and one dimension of time intertwined.**_

_**Hiraishin was inspired by summoning and its a reverse-summoning technique (i.e summoning yourself). The way it works is by folding space to eliminate distance- this is how **_

_**instantaneous movement is achieved. Instead of traversing from point A to point B, the space between the two points is folded until point B is point A meaning you can reach **_

_**your destination (point B) without actually moving or having to cover any 'real' distance, hence, instantaneously.**_

.

Very interesting. I didn't know that's how it worked and couldn't find anything on it at the time as the cannon hadn't progress far enough in the series to explain that.

I only came up with an idea of how it might work and used that.

_**.**_

_**WhiteEyedHyuga  
2010-06-25 . chapter 19**_

_**the story is great and I understand how it is to be a new fanfic writer, so am I, there are a few things you should recheck or check over, neitherless it's a great story, some **_

_**errors I have seen in the story as a whole is Lee in the story had only 5 gates, if he surpased Guy he would have 7, you had Guy at 4 gates, but Guy has been shown having up **_

_**to 6 Gates, also Lee does have chakra, all life has chakra, it's the amount that differs like Chi in Dragon Ball, Lee is only incapable of using Ninjutsus and Genjutsus. judging **_

_**where your at in the story i won't correct some of the facts about events after Danzo ran from the Summit, Madera has shown twice before the summit that he has an actual **_

_**body, the statement of being a shell of his former self is more of a statement i beleive that was directed toward either his Sharingan or his chakra being disable in someway, I **_

_**do like how you use info from the Manga/anime or Game to help back up the story, sorry if this review covers to much but it's been awhile since i was last on, there are other **_

_**things i noticed that where wrong, but it's ok, if you want i Know a good web site that updates weekly for new Naruto manga as it's released in Japan, if you want I can send **_

_**you the Website, I rate your story an 8 out of 10, so good work and keep it up, i'm looking forward to how Hanabi does in the Chunnin Exam. :) **_

.

Crap don't tell me the gates got messed up in one of my edits. I'll check that and fix it. Lee has gone up to seven gates in my story but it hasn't explained how and why.

Gai is still at six. That was meant to show that Lee was starting to surpass Gai in some ways. Also please understand that some of the things with the summit and Danzo hadn't come out

when I posted the chapter. I can't predict everything that the cannon does beforehand :).

_**.**_

_**animefan109  
2010-04-26 . chapter 19**_

_**That was really good... but what was the part about her sage marks being permanent... sage mode can only last for so long, even Naruto can hold it for more than a few minutes **_

_**without the help of the elder toads. Your grammar was better this time... not very many mistakes but unlike others I won't take the time to list out everyone when it doesn't **_

_**matter as long as I can figure out what it is supposed to mean. Good job!**_

.

Yup I flubbed that one in a way. I meant for her marks to be more like Tsunade's mark on her forehead or Jiraiya's that gets bigger when sage mode is activated.

.

Last Chapter.

* * *

.

"That still doesn't answer why you needed my chakra when you have so much of your own still left." Gaara said.

Naruto gave in a strained smile. "Let's just say that if she gets used to having that jutsu performed on her too much, that the side effects would be…

Less complicated if it's your chakra rather than mine."

Gaara peered at him and said. "Side…effects?"

.

"Just trust me. I'll tell you about it later." He said innocently.

The medical ninja looked her over. "Her condition has stabilized. What jutsu did you use on her great Sage?" He asked curiously in disbelief.

Naruto smiled innocently. "Oh that, I use the ra…" Naruto stopped in mid sentence as his face went slack when he saw the angry scowl that Tsunade was giving him.

The bulging vein in her forehead clearly showed she was about to jump out of her seat and wring his neck at any moment.

Naruto took a step back from her and stuttered. "I-I think we should get off the field now Gaara."

He said quickly and he ran back into the fighters prep room away from the Hokage's angry scowl.

.

Tsunade mumbled angrily to herself. "I can't believe he used that forbidden jutsu again!

And right in front of everyone! And with Gaara's chakra!"

She fumed in her seat at the door he had left through.

.

Chapter Twenty-One: Disciple verses Apprentice. Fight!

* * *

.

The fighter's arena looked like a full scale war had taken place on it. The ground had large holes in it and debris from shattered trees littered the outer wall.

A recess was called to prepare the ground for the semi-final matches. The crowd was still talking about seeing the great Sage fight Gaara's apprentice.

Sakura said. "It was scary seeing Naruto summon that much wind. To think that's the same jutsu he uses to clean up messes at his house."

His friends nodded in agreement.

.

Gai said. "I bet Gaara is very proud of Matsuri right now, even though he isn't showing it. She bared that wind jutsu for so long. "

Lee excitedly replied. "I bet he is Gai sensei! But the next match should prove to be most interesting!" He threw his fist into the air.

"Naruto's students are going to be fighting each other to get to the final match!

Konohamaru has been trained by him for eight years, but Hanabi has the Hyuuga Clans Gentle Fist and she's a Sage now!

I simply do not know which side to root for!" Lee said while grabbing is head and tossing it back and forth in indecision.

"Calm down Lee before you hurt yourself!" Sakura scolded him. He hung his head apologetically and sat down.

.

* * *

.

Lord Hyuuga, Hinata and Neji where seating together waiting for the next fight in anticipation.

Hinata eyed her father for a moment and respectfully said. "Father, are you worried about Hanabi? You look awfully tense."

Hiashi released his tight grip on the arm rest of his seat and turn to look at her.

"Yes, I am a little worried. I have no idea what kind of jutsus Naruto taught her.

Her speed and reflexes have greatly increased, but is her Gentle Fist art still intact?

These are my worries." He said in a reserved manner.

.

"Uncle you shouldn't worry so much. Konohamaru is fighting her next. Naruto will kill him if he hurts his girlfriend." Neji said with a rare smile on his face.

"Father, it should be an easier fight then the one she had with Takia. Konohamaru isn't known for deception.

He is a straight up fighter, which is the kind of ninja we are best suited to fight." She tried to comfort him.

Hiashi let out a deep breath while never losing his composure.

.

"True." Neji said. "Hanabi always beats Konohamaru in their sparring matches."

Hiashi nodded his head in agreement. "They are both his students though. They both subscribe to his Nindo.

If neither of them back down, then this fight will likely leave them both seriously hurt."

"You're worrying over nothing. They train together and they are friends. They aren't going to try to kill each other out there uncle."

Neji said in a light hearted manner which was clearly out of his usual character.

Hiashi looked down and shook his head. "I just have an ominous feeling something bad is going to happen…"

.

* * *

.

Naruto came out of the fighters prep room looking over his shoulder at Tsunade.

She wasn't scowling at him, but he could tell that he was still going to get it her from later.

He wore a reserved, strained look as he took his place next to Kakashi at the railing.

"Are you worried?" He asked him. Naruto was looking over his shoulder at the Hokage and said.

"Yup. I think she's going to kill me after this is over…"

.

Kakashi looked at him, then over at the Hokage before returning his gaze to him.

"Not about that. About your students fighting each other?" He asked.

Naruto looked back over at him and then looked up in thought.

"No, not really. They get along pretty well during training." He said casually without worry.

Kakashi gave him an awkward look and said.

"Naruto, this isn't training. They are really going to fight each other. This isn't some sparring match.

Hanabi is the heir to the Hyuuga Clan and Konohamaru has his pride as the grandson of the Third Hokage.

They both have their reputation to up hold, Konohamaru most of all after his last match. How was their mental state back stage?" He asked.

Naruto looked bored as he slumped on the railing waiting for the match to start. "Konohamaru looked very determined and Hanabi looked….Hmm I'm not sure.

I guess it's that face that most high up Nobles wear…" He said.

.

"Self pride." Kakashi said knowingly.

"Yeah, I guess so, but she's humble and striving toward a purpose too." He scratched his head in frustration. "Kami, girls are always hard for me to read."

Kakashi eyed him carefully for a long moment and asked. "Who do you think is the stronger fighter?"

He lazily said. "If Hanabi was combat proficient in entering Sage Mode, then Konohamaru wouldn't stand a chance I'm sorry to say.

Konohamaru out classes her in chakra, stamina and Ninjutsu. She is better at Taijutsu, Chakra control and she is also smarter than him, but he has more experience in combat.

Ergh! It's making my head hurt to think so much about it." He said as he grabbed his head.

"I guess I'm happy that she can't use Sage mode because this way they are fairly evenly matched." He said as he picked his head up.

.

Kakashi suddenly noticed a small monkey in a diaper sitting on the railing next to Naruto.

He put on a smile and said. "Hello elder Raichi, what brings you here?"

Naruto looked around until he found the monkey. "Elder! You're not even out of diapers!

How can you be one of the Monkey Elders?" He looked at him clearly disbelieving Kakashi's words.

Raichi spoke, but not in the cute and child like voice that he used before, he spoke in an old harsh voice.

.

"That's right! I'm an elder you Wart Sage!" He said angrily.

"But-but-but…Why the diaper then?" He stuttered while pointing a quivering finger at it.

Raichi gave him a flat sarcastic look before putting on a fake smile and said. "You see sonny, when you get really, really old you start having some heath problems."

Naruto gave him a curious look and leaned over toward him. "Health problems?"

"Yeesss." He said with a wave of his hand like he was talking to a two year old about a fairy tale.

"When you get really old you might lose control over your bowls. Hints the reason why I'm wearing one." He said as his look when back being flat and sarcastic.

.

Naruto covered his mouth and tried not to laugh, but it was obvious that he was.

"You wear one when you're first brought into this world and you'll probably wear one just before you leave it too." He said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I'm fine little Kakashi. How have you been? I haven't seen you for almost two decades. It's nice to see you've loosened up.

You were always too serious before." He said casually.

"Yes, I loosened up long ago. Are you here to see your new Clan member fight?" He asked.

"Yes, I want to see if that knucklehead has any sense at all. He is so thick headed and his arrogant pride has been quite hard to break."

Raichi said as he looked over at Naruto with a scornful look.

"I guess he gets that from his master…"

.

Naruto gave him a strained smile and said. "If you think he's bad now, you should have seen him before he started training with me. He has calmed down a lot since then."

The small monkey slumped his shoulders and hung his head. "Even Hiruzen wasn't this hard to break."

Kakashi looked over at him and said. "So you've had your work cut out for you then?"

Raichi tossed him a sarcastic look and said. "You have no idea. He keeps complaining all the time.

'I'm gonna be Hokage some day! You should respect me!' or he'll say 'I'm gonna be the greatest ninja in history! You just watch!'

Oh and there is my favorite, 'Why the hell do I have to do that? I'm here to train not to be your servant!'

I swear the boy doesn't have an ounce of humility in him. It's like being married again…All he does is nag and complain." He said clearly lost on what to do with him.

.

Naruto gave him a slight chuckle and said. "That's because you don't know how to handle him. It's simple really.

If he's not eating, sleeping, training or on a mission, then he's complaining."

The monkey looked over at him and said. "I will not train him until he respects me. It's that simple.

Kami! I've made a fool out of him so many times that I figured he would get it through his head that he is no match for me."

Kakashi let out a sigh and said. "Like master, like student. Naruto was the same way."

Raichi gave him a curios look and asked. "You trained Naruto?"

Kakashi nodded his head. "Yes, I was he Jonin instructor. Naruto was also a slow learner and fell for the same obvious traps again and again.

I really struggled to teach him until Jiraiya showed me how to handle someone with his type of personality."

The elder was clearly interested and said. "And…."

.

"He told me that Naruto is the kind of person that needs to strive for a goal.

If he doesn't have a goal or if he feels that you as a teacher aren't helping him with his goal that he will get annoyed.

So the answer is to give him a goal." He replied.

Raichi gave him a disbelieving look and said. "Isn't being a Monkey Sage a goal enough already?"

"Yes, but he doesn't know what a Monkey Sage can do. He's never seen one in action. He HAS how ever seen Naruto and what a Toad Sage can do.

Right now he probably feels that the Monkey Clan isn't that great and is lamenting the fact that he couldn't join the Toad clan.

All you have to do is impress and you'll get more respect and dedication then you can handle." Kakashi said knowingly.

.

Raichi eyed him carefully and asked. "How I would I impress him in such a way?"

Kakashi and Naruto liked like mirror images on themselves. The both stuck out their hands. Naruto summoned a Rasengan and Kakashi preformed the Chidori.

They both said at the same time. "Show him a jutsu!"

The monkey looked at them in surprise as they let their jutsus fade away.

"If you do that then you can get him to do just about anything and you can just tell him its training to learn the jutsu." Kakashi said with a fake smile and his pointer finger up.

Naruto look went blank at first then it turned to one of offence at his sensei.

"Hey! I knew some of your training was off over the years! Having me clean your house as part of training! I knew something was fishy!" He yelled at him.

Kakashi and Raichi laughed at him.

.

"Well now that you're a sensei too, I can reveal how to punish your students without them knowing it." He said with a smile.

"How is that supposed to be punishment then if they don't know it?" He asked clearly a little put out as he crossed her arms and looked away from him.

"Because you get some work out of them. At least it made me feel better when you got too unruly." He said while smiling.

The monkey laughed again. "I SEE! I think I'm going to enjoy teaching this kind of student when we get back to the temple!" He said in a much brighter mood.

.

* * *

.

After a few more minutes proctor Kotetsu came onto the field. The crowd suddenly cheered thinking the fight was about to start.

Kotetsu held up his hands to call for silence. Once the crowd finally calmed down he said loudly.

"To prevent a mishap, like during the last fight, where the audience was caught in a jutsu. The Anbu has decided to put a barrier before the match starts.

Seeing as how both of the next fighters call the one that caused…" He looked right at Naruto with a disapproving look.", that mishap master…

The Anbu protection squad felt it was necessary for everyone's safety. We apologize for the delay." He bowed and returned into the fighter's room.

Ten Anbu came out and formed a barrier while Naruto put his head in his hands and said to himself.

"Kami I hope this cyclone thing doesn't get around like the leveling a mountain thing did."

Kakashi smiled and said. "Only a few people saw you level the mountain. All of the five nations leader's saw the cyclone…"

Naruto hung his head in dismay.

.

Soon Hanabi in her Toad clan uniform came out with Konohamaru behind her. The crowd cheered loudly for them as they took their places.

Kakashi told Naruto quietly. "Konohamaru seems serious…Deadly serious."

Naruto had never seen that look on Konohamaru, but just with his facial expression Kakashi could tell he agreed.

Kotetsu quietly asked them. "Are you two ready?"

Hanabi nodded, but Konohamaru held up his hand and said. "Please hold on a moment. I need to say something to Hanabi."

Hanabi tilted her head at him in curiosity. There were only two people in the village she could name as her friends, Naruto and Konohamaru.

Of the two, she had always found it easier to talk too Konohamaru. The nervous look of sadness in his eyes sent her mind to worry.

.

"Are-are you ok Konohamaru?" She asked nervously.

He closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her in a fierce hug.

Hanabi was so stunned by his actions that she couldn't move as Konohamaru said quietly into her ear.

"I'm sorry in advance. Please don't think badly of the third…"

.

"_Think badly of the third…What is he talking about?"_ She thought in utter confusion.

The crowd murmured in confusion as Naruto's cold eyes locked onto Konohamaru. Anger, outrage and jealousy shined brightly in his eyes.

Konohamaru broke his hug and held her away from him by the shoulders.

He looked at the beautiful and stunned Hyuuga heiress for a long moment before letting go of her shoulders.

He took three steps backwards and returned to his original place.

Kotetsu blushed at them and asked. "Are you two ready now?"

Hanabi nervously blushes as well and said nothing.

.

Konohamaru looked at her with his serious eyes that held sadness behind them that she could see right though.

"Hanabi…. I have a favor to ask before we start." He said as she stared at him blankly still trying to recover from his actions.

"I want you to enter Sage Mode before we fight…" He asked her honestly and so purely even in his sadness.

Hanabi was stunned to her core. It took her many long moments to speak and when she did she said.

"Kono-Konohamaru… I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't a Sage yet…"

.

"Yet you have entered Sage mode before. I know….

Naruto told me that the first time you enter Sage mode is when you receive those dark marks around your eyes marking you as a Sage." He said solemnly.

"Please." He said earnestly as he bowed to her.

"It-it's not that simple…I've only entered Sage Mode once of my own accord. It took six hours of meditation in the most peaceful of places.

I don't think I can do it here. Naruto makes it look easy. It's really not!" She said in a panic.

.

Konohamaru locked his intense eyes on her. "Will you try…?" He said so purely and honestly.

His words echoed and reverberated in her mind. She closed her eyes a tilted her head down for a long moment.

She took a long deep breath and picked her head up to look at him.

"I will try…"

Kotetsu looked at her in surprise as the crowd murmured.

Hanabi took off her Toad Clan outer coat and sat down crossed legged and began mediating.

"That girl can enter Sage mode?" An older man said in disbelief.

"She was trained by the Great Sage after all." A younger man next to him said.

.

Naruto yelled out to him. "Are you sure you want this? Even I had trouble handling her when she was in Sage mode."

Konohamaru turned look at Naruto and yelled back at him. "This is how it must be."

Naruto mumbled to himself. "It's your funeral."

.

Hanabi tried again and again to become one with everything around her, but it was much harder with so many people in the arena.

_"I have to concentrate…Become one with my surroundings." _She told herself to no avail. There was just too much around her.

_"No! I have to try harder."_ She told herself as she clinched her teeth and remembered the sad look on Konohamaru's face.

.

Forty minutes had passed and many in the crowd were starting to think she couldn't do it.

"That can't girl can't do it. I don't care if she is Naruto's student and the heiress to the Hyuuga clan.

This is all a stage act. I'm going to get something to eat." Someone said.

"Yeah me too. I'm bored." Another said.

Konohamaru's eyes never left her face as a lone cloud passed over head and threw a shadow over her for a moment.

.

_"Think harder…What did it feel like?"_ She asked herself. She remembered Naruto's smiling face.

She saw the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She remembered Naruto soaked in Toad oil sitting on the back of a stone frog under a water fall.

He was surrounded in dazzling golden Sage chakra. She remembered the feeling of the oil on her skin and what his skin felt like when she touched him.

She remembered the feeling she had when she touched his hand and rested her face next to his. She felt her one single greatest desire yet again.

_"I want to sit on that Toad with you. To be by your side forever…That is what becoming a Sage is to me…"_

As the shadow of the cloud left and light again returned to her face, the thin black circles around her eyes grew.

Konohamaru's look never changes as the crowd awed at her transforming.

The dark mark encompassed her eyes and grew into long black points that went down her cheeks and up her forehead until they met at the top of her head as the points crossed.

.

Hanabi opened her milky white eyes and smiled a smile of joy before letting loose of a contagious laugh.

Konohamaru gave her a very curious look at how happy she was and asked. "What does it feel like?"

Hanabi couldn't stop smiling and said loudly. "I feel…Well its indescribable! I feel invincible and really happy! I can feel and see everything for miles!"

"Is-is that really what Sage mode feels like?" Choji asked everyone around him.

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"Only at first." Naruto told him from over his shoulder at the railing that wasn't far away.

Konohamaru nodded his head at her and grabbed the bottom of his shirt. He pulled it off and stunned the crowd.

Kakashi's eyes went wide as he stared at the giant seal on Konohamaru's chest.

The seal was so big it warped around his sides and nearly touched in the back.

The seal looked like a gothic black sun with a cage in the center with three flying birds in it.

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Tsunade hung her head as mummers rose in the crowded arena.

"What is that?" Hanabi asked intently as she stared at the seal in blank shock. "Are you a jin-"

"No." He cut her off. "This is the curse of my clan." He said sadly.

"Curse of your clan? The Sarutobi clan has a curse?" She asked him in shock.

"My real name isn't Konohamaru Sarutobi… It's Ze.." He said before Tsunade stood up and yelled at him.

"Konohamaru! Don't reveal that! It's a Village secret!" Her voice was full of anger and worry.

He turned and looked at her calmly. "No, it's a Clan secret…My Clan and I am its keeper as the last living pure blooded member."

The Hokage hung her head and said softly. "Everything will change for you if you reveal that…"

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"So the 'Honorable Grandson of The Third Hokage' will be shunned. That doesn't matter anymore.

Today the curse of my Clan will end with me, one way or the other." He said calmly with resolve.

"One way or the other? What are you talking about?" Hanabi asked in confusion.

He turned back to her and said. "As I was saying. My real name isn't Konohamaru Sarutobi…It Konohamaru Zendaki."

Hanabi looked at him in confusion. "My Clan was also known by a more common name…The Zaben Death Clan."

Kakashi's fist clinched as killing intent poured out of him while looking at Konohamaru. It took him a long moment to calm himself down.

The crowd murmured in confusion.

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"Zaben Clan? I've never heard of them." Hanabi said as she tilted her head at him.

"No, you wouldn't have. All the records were burned by the First and Second Hokage's.

Only a few of the oldest people here would remember them…The Anbu knows of my Clan." He said with an eerie calm.

The barrier around the arena suddenly dropped as the Anbu stepped onto the railing and pulled out their weapons while looking at him.

The arena was tensely silent for a long moment…Until the sound of a thousand chirping birds broke the silence.

Kakashi charged him with his Chidori in hand and a cold expressionless look on his face.

Naruto's eyes went wide as he saw the killing intent in his sensei's eyes.

Kakashi was inches away from slamming his Chidori through Konohamaru's chest when Naruto used his Yellow flash jutsu and appeared in between them.

He caught Kakashi by the forearm as the lightning crackled in his hand. Naruto looked at his sensei's cold emotionless eyes in shock and anger.

"KAKASHI! What are you doing?"

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Konohamaru looked at him and calmly said. "He's doing exactly what he was trained to do in the Anbu black ops. The Zaben Clan is…"

Kakashi spoke up and finished his sentence for him. "Marked. They are one of the few Clans we are taught to 'kill on sight'."

"What the HELL?" Naruto yelled. "You're trying to kill Konohamaru?"

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"ANBU STAND DOWN!" Tsunade yelled in a commanding voice. "I hereby repeal the decree of the First Hokage calling for the elimination of the Zendaki clan!"

The Anbu on the railing backed off. Kakashi how ever was still staring at him with his cold eyes.

"Naruto, Kakashi get out of the fighting arena! Anbu replace that shield NOW!" She commanded them while pointing.

Konohamaru looked at Kakashi and said. "Don't you want to know the real reason why the first and second Hokage's made a ten year old boy the Third Hokage?"

Kakashi released his jutsu. "I'll be watching you carefully from now on."

Kakashi said in a warning manner as he returned with Naruto to the railing outside of the fighting area.

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"What's going on?" Hanabi asked him in utter confusion as the Anbu put up the shield again.

He took a long deep breath and turned to face her solemnly.

"It all started hundreds of years ago. None of this can be confirmed, but I will tell you the story of my Clan's history.

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Once long ago it was said that Kami came down from the heavens and blessed a man with a white chakra.

This white chakra gave this man a vast understanding and incredible healing powers.

This man became a very holy person and traveled the lands healing and helping people.

When he had a son he found out that his newborn child had this same white chakra.

The son grew up and followed the same path as his father, helping people and healing the sick and injured.

This is the start of my Clan. All the members born into the Zendaki clan have both normal chakra and white chakra.

They lived mainly in a temple on the northern border of the Land of Fire for hundreds of years.

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That was until a hundred and twenty years ago. During a vast war the members of my Clan found a way to use their white chakra to hurt people and used it in the war.

They gained the ability to reopen any wounds a person had ever gotten. They also found they could make a person sick with every kind of sickness they had ever had.

They became a frightening Clan on the battle field of war because they could devastate entire armies with their power.

This is when my Clan became known as the Zaben Death Clan. After the war was over they returned to their temple.

It wasn't until the first child was born into the Clan after they had used their power for war that they learned of their curse.

The first child that was born wasn't born with pure white chakra. His chakra had the faintest color of pink it and his healing gifts weren't as strong.

The white chakra was starting to get tainted from the clan member's deeds.

.

In the time just before the founding of our village my Clan used their powers again for war.

We helped Madara Uchiha with his war with the Senju Clan.

My Clan's powers had greatly diminished and we could no longer use our white chakra as they had before because it was so tainted with blood that it became red.

It became a blight on its members and anyone near them. If the chakra wasn't sealed away the member's would get very sick and spread a deadly disease.

This curse was Kami's punishment for abusing his gift.

Madara was using my Clan members to devastate towns by removing their seal holding back their now red chakra.

They would go berserk with power and level most of the town in a matter of minutes, but they would also almost always die and spread their pestilence.

Luckily there weren't very many members of my Clan left so we are more of a foot note in the entire war.

When Hashirama found out how Madara was using the last few remain members of my Clan. He and his brother went to our temple and killed the last few members except for one…

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They didn't kill my grandfather because he didn't have the seal on him and he had no red chakra.

He was only four years old and he was free of the taint. Tobirama Senju took him in near the end of the war and trained him.

Hashirama became The First Hokage and brought peace to the lands. Afterward he handed the title over to his brother to lead.

Hiruzen learn at a frightening rate, mastering all kinds of jutsu with ease. It was on his tenth birth day that they decided that the village no longer needed war generals as its leader.

They told Hiruzen everything they knew about his Clan and their taint. He begged them for redemption for the shame of his Clan on top of, what is today, the Hokage monument.

They saw that he would be a great leader and told him.

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'For the crimes of your Clan we sentence you to a life time of serving this village. Tomorrow we will call YOU Hokage.'

He became the Third Hokage and had two sons, my father and my late uncle Asuma. They were also born with the tainted chakra and had this seal placed on them."

He said as he rested his hand on the seal on his chest.

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"At the age of fifteen Hiruzen removed Asuma's seal and they fought until the red chakra had been used up.

He taught them that if they used up their chakra fast enough then they would become free of the curse and wouldn't spread the disease.

My father watched them from afar as they fought.

He thought Asuma almost killed his father and decided he would rather live with the seal then risk killing the Hokage.

The information on how my mother and father died is sealed, so I don't have that part of the story.

I was taken in as a baby and raised by my grandfather and the village, all the while carrying the taint of my Clan that had been sealed away.

Now you know why Kakashi tried to kill me." He said.

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Hanabi stared at him in shock before saying. "That's a horrible story!"

"My Clan isn't all bad. Grandfather was a great Hokage and the teachings of my Clan are still in uses today." He told her.

"What teachings?" She questioned him.

"I told you that my Clan was once filled with blessed holy people that were exceptional healers.

The Third Hokage passed on the knowledge of our healing arts too one of his students." He said.

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"But who?" She asked in confusion.

Konohamaru pointed up at the Hokage. "To the Fifth Hokage, to Lady Tsunade. Why do you think that she is the most renowned healer in the five nations?

It's because she learned the Zendaki's Clans teachings and she has even passed them on to Sakura and Ino.

Even Naruto found out one of our Clans healing techniques on his own."

Tsunade stared at him blankly. "That's right. The Raw Chakra Transfer is one of my Clan's techniques." Konohamaru said.

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Everyone eyed the Hokage as Konohamaru dropped his arm.

"It's true. The Third did teach me their healing arts, but that doesn't mean everything about their Clan was tainted." She told the audience.

Konohamaru looked over at Kakashi. "Do you still want to kill me former head of the Anbu black ops?

I think my Clan has paid enough for their crimes. We gave the village a great Hokage and our healing arts."

Kakashi eyed him without emotion. "You're still too dangerous to be kept in the village. That disease kills people in two days and if that seal breaks you'll go berserk."

Konohamaru gritted his teeth as anger showed on his face. "HOW AM I ANY DIFFERENT THEN NARUTO?" He yelled at him.

Everyone that knew about Naruto's being a Jinchuuriki was stunned, Kakashi was among them.

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"Me and my master are very much alike…" He said softly as he bowed his head while touching the seal.

"Both of have seals on us that set us apart from everyone and I learned one thing from watching him…" He picked his head up and looked right at Kakashi.

"I learned how to break sacred seals." He said very seriously.

Kakashi's eyes went blank with horror. "Naruto, stop him! We will all be in danger if he breaks that seal!" He said soullessly.

Naruto eyed him for a moment and then turned to Konohamaru and told Kakashi.

"No, part of being a Master is trusting in your students. You taught me that. I trust them. If things get out of hand I'll stop it." He told him resolutely.

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Hiashi spoke up suddenly. "I do not want my daughter fighting him if he could give her some deadly disease Tsunade."

Naruto's eyes turned his cold eyes on him and said. "You have no say in the matter. Right now she isn't your daughter… She's MY Disciple."

Hiashi was shocked by his words.

Naruto turned back to Konohamaru and yelled.

"I hope there is a hell of a lot of chakra in that seal because my money is still on Hanabi beating you into the ground!"

Konohamaru and Hanabi both smiled honestly at him.

"That's ok. I'm like my master, even if get beaten into the ground, I'll just get back up and keep fighting." He told him.

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Naruto nodded his head at him and Konohamaru went through a long series of hand signs.

"UNSEAL!" He said and placed his hand on his chest. The dark black symbol glowed faintly and disappeared into smoke.

Red chakra stated pouring out of his body as the lust of battle filled his eyes. Within moments the brilliant red charka encased his whole body.

He got into his fighting pose and Hanabi did the same when she saw he wasn't going berserk and he was still himself.

Kotetsu was in the door way well clear of them when he yelled.

"First Match of the Semi-Finals: Hanabi Hyuuga verse Konohamaru Sab… err Zendaki! Fight!"

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They charged each other with a straight line punch.

Their fists hit each other and created a very distinct loud shock wave sound that reverberated in the arena.

"Like thunder." Kakashi said in wonder as Naruto smiled.

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They smiled at each other and disappeared with blinding speed. The sound of thunder came again and again as they clashed at high speed.

Hanabi's movements were graceful and beautiful as she caught Konohamaru's punch that was flying at her and used his forward momentum to land a hard elbow into his stomach.

He went flying over her shoulder wildly and hit the wall in a cloud of dust. Instantly another cloud appeared as he shot out of the cloud to attack her again.

He threw four kunais at her and came charging at her right behind them.

"Rotation!" She yelled deflecting the kunais and sent him flying into another wall only for him to instantly be on her again in another attack.

After a long time of clashing in combat with her he seemed to disappear.

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Konohamaru reappeared and had stopped suddenly with the red chakra burning around his body. Hanabi eyed him in a defensive pose and he put up of the seal of the tiger.

"No more messing around! Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He yelled and summoned twenty- five clones that surrounded her.

They all charged her and some even got a few good shots in until she yelled. "Rotation!" She popped most of the clones and panted hard.

Konohamaru waited a moment for her to catch her breath.

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"He is giving her a breather. The Chakra isn't making him mindless like the others of his Clan." Kakashi said in surprise.

Naruto smiled at him and said. "With the Shadow Clone Jutsu he can burn up a hell of a lot of chakra very quickly."

"Let's try that again! Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He summoned fifty clones this time and again she beat them with her rotation move.

Again and again he did this.

"What's he doing? Isn't he getting it, that summoning clones isn't going to break her rotation move?" Choji asked curiously while munching on potato chips.

"Very smart…He's trying to burn off that red chakra." Kakashi said to himself.

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Hanabi popped another batch of fifty clones and stopped to catch her breath.

"Good, it looks like that's the last of the tainted chakra. Now I can fight you for real!" He said from across the arena as the dust settled from their intense combat.

"Me …As well." She replied while breathing heavily as her Sage marks receded.

"How can they keep going? They have been fighting for nearly eight minutes burning up chakra like crazy." Kiba said in disbelief.

"That's Naruto's training I tell you." Sakura said in exasperation.

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"Now to summon some clones I can actually use. Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He said and five clones appeared.

"Byakugan!" She yelled as the veins in her temples bulged.

Konohamaru sent in only one at her. She charged the clone and gracefully moved out of the way of its punch.

She landed a Gentle fist strike on its chest and it popped.

She kept charging the next three Konohamaru's and took them down with a series of strikes without any of them landing a blow on her.

She looked around at the empty field.

_._

_"Damn I don't have any Sage chakra left to sense him. Where did he and that last clone go?" _She thought.

Her face went blank as she suddenly remembered how Naruto beat Neji all those years ago.

Konohamaru exploded out of the ground under her holding a blue ball of whirling energy. "Rasengan!" He yelled.

She tried to move away, but it was too late, he hit her fully in the back with his jutsu.

She screamed in pain as it instantly cut a spiral pattern on her back and she fell to the ground panting.

Konohamaru bent over panting and said. "Kami I'm tired!"

.

Hanabi's back was bleeding as she struggled to get onto all fours and right herself. It took her many moments to push herself up right.

Once she was on her feet again Lee said. "She just got hit with the Rasengan…How can she still stand?"

"That's the Will of Fire in her my boy." Gai sensei said and gave him the two thumbs up with his sparkling smile.

Hanabi eyed him in hatred. "I'm gonna get you for that one…" She said through clinched teeth.

Konohamaru pick himself up from his doubled over panting to see her charging right at him and high speed.

"Aww crap! You're still up!" He said in exasperation as she got to him.

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"Shadow of the Dancing Leaf!" She yelled and kicked Konohamaru right in the jaw and sent him flying into the air.

Rock Lee had one hand on Gai sensei's head shaking it back and forth violently as he was jumping up and down and pointing at her excitedly.

She moved so fast that she disappeared. She reappeared, flying up with him at exactly the same speed as she started casting jutsus in rapid succession.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Three clones appeared in a fighting pose.

"Four Hanabi's Eight Trigrams Sixty Four Palms!" There was a great flash of movement as the four Hanabi beat the hell out of him for the entire time he was airborne.

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Konohamaru hit the ground with a heavy thud and didn't move while Hanabi landed on her feet and yelped in pain.

She was favoring her right foot and she was covered with sweat and dirt. She had clearly hurt herself doing the shadow of the dancing leaf move.

"Gai sensei! Gai sensei!" Lee yelled while still violently shaking his head back and forth. "Did you see? Did you see? She used the move I taught her!"

Gai snatched his head away from the over excited ninja and yelled loudly into his ear.

"NO I DIDN'T BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS SHAKING MY HEAD ALL AROUND!"

Lee went rigid as he quivered back and forth for a second before falling over.

.

The crowd was stunned at what she had just done, even Naruto, and it was silent for a moment as Hanabi panted in the ring.

Finally Kiba broke the silence by saying.

"Holy shit that was an INSANE move she just did!... I'm glad she Naruto's girlfriend because I don't think anyone else in the village could handle her!"

His shock was clearly written on his face as most of the crowd burst into laughter and laughed for a long time.

Hiashi shielded his face from embarrassment after seeing his daughter use Lee's move.

.

Konohamaru started to stir and the laughter instantly stopped. "Ergh."

He curled into a ball from pain. "Kami…I hurt …All over!" He said as he trembled and his breath came in sharp rasps.

Hanabi was right next to him and gave him a sour look as he struggled onto all fours and fought to get back up.

Once he managed to finally get back to his feet Hanabi gave him a bitter scowl as he panted.

"KAMI KONOHAMARU JUST STAY DOWN!" She said as she reared back and punched him with all the strength she had left right in the face.

The loud crack from the contact of the punch echoed in the arena as many people winched from the sound as Konohamaru flew back a few feet.

He hit the ground bounced a few times, he was out cold. She winched from the pain in her arm.

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Kotetsu came out of hiding and walked over to Konohamaru. He stared at him for a moment then looked over at Hanabi in surprise.

"The Winner is Hanabi Hyuuga!" The crowd exploded in applause.

She was quickly was handed a vial to drink from an Anbu.

"Drink this. It is the cure for the sickness that red chakra can cause." She wasn't even thinking when she downed the bottle.

A look of utter disgust appeared on her face and she started gagging.

"I think I would have preferred the sickness. That is the worst tasting thing I've ever had!"

They brought out a stretcher and took Konohamaru away as Naruto went down to Hanabi.

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"How do you feel?" He said her carefully.

"Like hell and I had to drink this awful potion!" She complained at him.

He sighed. "No, I meant where are you hurt?" He said with kindness in his voice.

"My right forearm and hand hurts. I've got a couple of broken ribs on my left side and I think I've shattered some bones in my left foot."

She begrudgingly admitted while looking away from him.

"I think it's pointless to tell you that you shouldn't have tried Lee's move. Your body isn't conditioned for it." He told her kindly.

"Well I know that now!" She scolded him harshly.

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Kotetsu held up his hand to call for silence.

"Valiak has pulled out of the semi-final match making Naruto the winner!

We will be taking a short break so the medics can look over Hanabi before the final fight." He yelled loudly.

"Gee…I wonder why the poor guy pulled out of the fight?" Choji said sarcastically.

"There is no need to take a break before the final fight. We are ready now." He said loudly.

Hanabi gave him a questioning look and he whispered softly in her ear. "Trust me…"

She looked at him nervously for a moment before nodding at the proctor in agreement.

.

Hanabi limped over to the center of the ring with Naruto in front of Kotetsu.

"Hey this isn't right! She hasn't even had time to rest and she's hurt!" One spectator said.

"Yeah you're right. She's in no conduction to fight! Postpone the match!" Another agreed.

Hanabi looked awful. She was hardly holding herself up right. The back of her uniform was gone and she was still bleeding from the Rasengan she took.

One of her eyes was swelling up and turning black. She was covered in sweat and was exhausted.

She put her hands up in a poor excuse for a fighting pose as Kotetsu whispered to Naruto. "You sure she's up for this?"

He leaned over and said to him. "Just start the match."

.

He gave him a disbelieving look as he held his hand up high in preparation to start the match.

Sakura angrily said. "I can't believe Naruto is still making her fight. I'm gonna clobber him after this match is over!"

"Final fight: Naruto Uzumaki verse Hanabi Hyuuga! Fight!" He said as he threw his hand down.

Naruto looked directly at Tsunade and then to Hiashi. Both of them had disapproving looks on their faces.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He said as one clone appeared.

He then raised his hand over his head and said. "I… forfeit…"

.

Hanabi collapsed as Naruto rushed over to her and caught her before she hit the ground.

He gently laid her on the ground and started healing her with a massive amount of chakra.

"Master….Why did you… forfeit?" She asked while winching in pain.

"I will quote my sensei. Shinobi that abandon a mission are trash. Shinobi that abandon their teammates for a mission are worse than trash.

In short I forfeited so I could heal you as soon as possible.

You couldn't get treatment until it was over or you would have forfeited your match with me." He said with concern in his voice.

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"He…forfeits?" Kotetsu said it like he couldn't believe his ears.

"Ladies and gentlemen Naruto Uzumaki has forfeited making Hanabi Hyuuga the winner of the final match!" He yelled loudly.

Disbelief came across the crowd and the noise from everyone talking grew louder.

Sakura stood up and cupped her heads around her mouth. She yelled loudly over the crowd.

"WAY TO GO HANABI! You took down Great Sage Naruto!"

Cheering started and grew louder and louder until it was defying. Even the Kages stood up and applauded her.

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After notes: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'll be going back over this chapter and the last two soon to make corrections.


	22. Chapter 22: The Approval

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**Chapter 22: The Approval**

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Authors Notes: Oh god they messed up my formatting on my chapters again by taking away my - lines. Now I've got even more work to do.

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Questions/reviews:

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Last Chapter

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"He…forfeits?" Kotetsu said it like he couldn't believe his ears.

"Ladies and gentlemen Naruto Uzumaki has forfeited making Hanabi Hyuuga the winner of the final match!" He yelled loudly.

Disbelief came across the crowd and the noise from everyone talking grew louder.

Sakura stood up and cupped her heads around her mouth. She yelled loudly over the crowd.

"WAY TO GO HANABI! You took down Great Sage Naruto!"

Cheering started and grew louder and louder until it was defying. Even the Kages stood up and applauded her.

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Chapter Twenty Two: The Approval

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The next day:

Naruto was at the hospital sitting next to Hanabi's bed while she slept. She was so bandaged up that she looked like a mummy.

Naruto was reading over an elemental jutsu scroll with a steaming cup of tea that was on the bedside table.

Sakura came in with her white medics coat on and a clipboard in hand.

"How is our champion of the Chunin exams, the one and only Hyuuga Clans 'Demon Fisted Hanabi'?" Sakura asked with a playful smile.

Naruto never took his eyes off his scroll and said. "She slept through the night without waking up. Did you have a lot of trouble mending the bones?"

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"I guess you didn't know since you collapsed after healing her, but Tsunade healed her bones.

It didn't take her long to heal the ribs, arms and hands, but it took her almost an hour for the foot.

You knuckle head. You put way to much chakra into your healing chakra when you healed her.

Didn't Tsunade tell you that putting more chakra into it doesn't make the healing stronger, it only wastes chakra." She said and then smiled.

"Someone was worried about their girlfriend…" She said musically, clearly teasing him.

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He tossed her a sideways sarcastic look and said. "Your comment about her 'Take me down' after the fight didn't help.

I've had several of the nurse's razz me about being beat up by my girlfriend/student."

Sakura laughed even though she tried to stop herself. "I only said that because they weren't cheering for her after you forfeited.

How was I supposed to know you were about to fall over from chakra exhaustion after healing her?" She said with a slight scornful look.

"I don't suppose there is any news on Konohamaru?" He asked casually.

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Her eyes shifted back and forth before quietly saying. "I've already told you more than we are both are supposed to know.

He's still being held at a secret location by the Anbu, likely at some kind of medical facility."

He nodded his head. "And it's deep underground." He said without emotion.

Sakura gave him a puzzled look before asking. "How are you so sure of that?"

He gave her a flat look of annoyance before saying. "Because I'm a Sage."

He eyed her carefully for a long moment and she squirmed under his gaze. "Are you ever going to try to take on the Slug Sage training?"

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She looked away from him and admitted. "I never had my chakra animal tested and I'm happy where I am."

"Are you so scared of Sage training? Think of what Tsunade did when Pain invaded. How many lives did she save?" He told her with emphatically.

She looked away from him and said. "Naruto…Not everyone wants to become the most powerful of their kind."

"What is wrong with becoming stronger?" He asked her in offense.

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"When it is a hundred to one shot that you will not be turned into slug oil, then its border line suicide." She said as she looked away from him.

Naruto sighed and said. "You can't look at Sage training that way…"

Sakura cut him off and said. "Enough Naruto. I'm not going through this with you again."

He rolled his eyes at her and went back to reading. She looked over Hanabi and began writing on her clipboard.

.

Hanabi started to stir and Naruto took her hand.

Sakura said. "Hello sleepy head." She opened her eyes and moaned.

"Na-Naruto is that you?" She said while looking in his direction. "Yes I'm here. How do you feel?"

"I feel hot and groggy." She said as she tried to blink away her blurry vision and look herself over.

"Did I really breaking that many bones? I'm bandaged head to toe." She asked in confusion as she looked at herself.

"You broke quite a few, but nothing too serious. You should be able to go home later today, but no training for awhile." Sakura said while she narrowed her eyes at Naruto.

"Hey! Even I'm not that cruel." He said in offense.

.

She looked over at Sakura and asked. "Can I at least take the bandages off my head?"

Sakura walked over to her and carefully sat her up. She gently removed the bandages. Hanabi had a black eye and her face looked paler than normal.

"Feel better now?" She asked.

"Yes, a little." She replied and then turned to Naruto and asked. "How long will it be until I can go back to my Sage training?"

Sakura shook it head in exasperation and said. "I don't know why I ever expected something else to come out of her mouth when she's your student."

"Not for awhile Hanabi. You still have to heal up first." Naruto said as he looked at her proudly.

.

"How is Konohamaru? I bet he never tries to use the Rasengan on me again." She said and gave a short laugh before wincing in pain.

"He's under Anbu guard somewhere, but he's fine from all indications. Tsunade will probably be by to give us an update eventually.

By the way he didn't use a full strength Rasengan on you. He only used a stage two Rasengan.

If he had used a full strength one then you might not have lived." He told her.

Her face went blank. "You mean he was holding back? I fought my heart out to beat him and he was holding back?" She said in shock.

Naruto gave her a chuckle and said. "Well of course he was. If you kill your opponent during the match you automatically fail."

.

Hanabi eyed the bouquet of flowers on the bedside stand and said. "Aww you got me flowers? That was sweet of you."

Naruto said. "They aren't from me." He pulled off the card and handed it to her.

She read it curiously. "_From Gai sensei and Rock Lee. Hope to see you train with us again sometime. P.S. Congratulations on winning at the Chunin exams!"_

She gave the card a sour look and said. "I'm not sure if I ever want to train with them again. My foot is still killing me."

Her stomach suddenly growled loudly. She covered it and looked down in embarrassment.

.

Naruto smiled at her and said. "I guess you're hungry? What does our little champion want to eat?"

She thought about it and said. "Beetles on the half shell."

Sakura gave her a revolted look while Naruto poked her gently in the forehead.

"We aren't on the mountain anymore. You can have normal food, but if you really want beetles I can go get some. "

Her eyes sparkled and she said. "Real food? I never hoped I would get to eat real food again!" She wore a very longing look at him.

"Yeah, how about some ramen?" He said with a big smile.

Her face instantly went to a sour look and she flatly said. "How about no…" Naruto's face went blank as Sakura laughed at him.

.

* * *

.

An hour later Naruto was reading jutsu scrolls by Hanabi's hospital bed. Her bed was covered in different types of take out boxes.

She was eating some candies when Tsunade came in to check on her late that evening.

"Naruto!" Tsunade scolded him. He almost dropped his scroll for the suddenness of her yelling.

"Did you get that for her? You know that kind of food isn't allowed here!"

He looked over at her. "But we brought this kind of food here all the time for Choji." He said in confusion.

She looked at him angrily and said. "Choji is an exception because he will not sit still otherwise." She walked up to Hanabi and cleared away the food boxes.

"How are you feeling? Where does it hurt?" She asked her and then did a physical examination on her.

.

"When can I go home?" Hanabi asked her after she finished examining her.

"Hmm you can go home now if you'd like, but you aren't going to be able to get around on your feet without crutches for a few weeks.

I'm sure the Hyuuga Clan is anxious to see you after your fights in the Chunin exam.

Your father has been very busy today, but he said that he'd try to come visit soon." She replied.

.

Naruto's expression changed into a very serious and solemn expression as he walked up behind her and put his hand on Tsunade's shoulder.

"Any news on Konohamaru?" Hanabi looked at the Hokage with a sad look.

She took a deep breath and said. "The Anbu have him in isolation at their secret hospital.

They are making him take medication and they are observing him to make sure he doesn't get sick.

They're are making sure all the red chakra is gone before releasing him."

"What about the damage from the fight? Is he hurt or anything?" Hanabi asked clearly worried.

.

Her father walked in the door with a stern look. He walked right up to her and slapped down a folder in her lap.

"He looks like this!" He said angrily.

"Hiashi…" Tsunade scolded him. "This was the urgent matter you had to attend to, going to visit Konohamaru?"

He pointed at the folder with a open hand. "Go on, open it!" He said.

.

She opened the folder with her good hand and picked up one of the pictures. The first was of Konohamaru standing with nothing but a pair of boxer shorts on.

There were large bruises over all his chakra points. The next picture was of his forearm up close and the next was of his leg showing the bruises clearly.

He scolded her. "I told you this would happen if you built up your chakra levels too fast. You're losing your ability to use the Gentle Fist!"

.

Naruto put up a strained smile and said. "Lord Hyuuga a few bruises isn't that big of a deal…"

Hiashi coldly told him. "This is a Hyuuga Clan matter. You have no right to speak."

Naruto eyed him coldly as Hiashi turned around and started scolding his daughter.

Naruto said to himself quietly and very annoyed. "A Clan matter hu?"

Tsunade was angry at Hiashi's actions, but said nothing when she saw what Naruto was doing.

Naruto had bit his thumb and was slowly going through hand signs.

"You hardly behaved as a Hyuuga during that fight out there, let alone the heir to the Clan!

You actually damaged the body while using your Gentle Fist like an amateur!

How many times have I to…"

.

Naruto loudly yelled. "SUMMONING JUTSU!"

He slammed his hand on to the floor as a cloud of smoke filled the room.

The smoke quickly faded away and Fukasaku was crouched down with a pair of pruning shears in his hand as he was looking over his left shoulder.

"NO YOU CRABBY OLD WOMAN! I DON'T WANT CENTIPEDES WITH MY EARTHWORMS TODAY!" He yelled so loudly that everyone's ears were ringing.

.

He turned around and grabbed one of Hiashi's fingers like it was the branch of a shrub and held up is pruning shears.

"Huu?" He said as he eyed the strange branch and then looked up to the outraged Hyuuga lord.

He wore a look of offense as he snatched his hand away from the wrinkly old toad. Hiashi looked him up and down.

Fukasaku smiled innocently and said while rubbing the back of his head with the pruning shears. "Sorry about that. I didn't realize that I had been summoned."

He held out his hand. "I'm Fuk…"

.

"I don't care who you are. Please leave. I am discussing a Clan matter with my daughter." He cut him off coldly.

The elder toad Sage looked around at everyone and stared at Hanabi in shock.

He jumped up and cracked Naruto over the head hard with his cane. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"How could you beat her up so badly during the exams? I thought I taught you better than that?" He said as he cracked him over the head again.

Naruto was holding his hands up defensively and yelled.

"HEY! It wasn't me! I swear! I forfeited to her so she could get medical attention faster!"

The elder toad Sage was in mid air about to crack him again and stopped.

.

He landed lightly on the floor and said. "Oh, sorry about that then. Why did you summon me? I feel no killing intent, so this can't be for combat is it?"

"That's debatable. Lord Hyuuga is berating Hanabi and told me to stay out of it because it's a Clan matter. So I summoned you." He said rubbing the lumps on his head.

He rubbed his chin and eyed him. "I see…" He said. "I see, well if it's a Clan matter then I guess I should be present. Please continue."

He said respectfully as he set his cane down in front of him and placed both his hands on top of it.

Hiashi shook his head in surprise before looking back at Hanabi and said.

.

"The Gentle Fist art is used to attack a opponent chakra network without harming the body!

If you harm the body then you leave marks that the enemies might be able to decipher and figure out what kind of ninja attack them! You looked like a bumbling oaf out there…"

A sudden gust of wind knocked Lord Hyuuga to the floor.

"It seems a bit drafty in here." The elder Toad Sage said casually.

Hiashi quickly got to his feet in anger. "How dare you use a Jutsu on me! Do you even know who I am? You need a lesson in manners!"

The toad eyed him carefully and said.

"You need a lesson in humility. You seem quite proud of your Taijutsu. Let's have a little sparring match to see who's Taijutsu is stronger."

.

"I have no time for a wrinkled old toad today." He said coldly.

The toad elder smiled at him and said. "Oh that's funny…You thought I was giving you… a choice in the matter."

He croaked a watery laugh and suddenly disappeared as Lord Hyuuga flew through the open window.

The elder landed from his flying jump kick and darted through the window and out into the street.

.

Tsunade was clearly amused as she was giggling, but trying to hide it.

Naruto gently picked up a very worried Hanabi into his arms as everyone went outside to see the fight that was about to take place.

The white haired Fukasaku was only wearing a gray robe and was standing twenty feet away from a prone and very annoyed Hyuuga lord.

Hiashi quickly got to his feet and got into his Taijutsu form as the people in the street backed away from them.

"I thought I should call the Anbu to deal with you…"

"By all means call all the Anbu you want. Most of them wouldn't dare touch me." The elder frog said with his hands up as he shrugged.

.

Hiashi eyed him coldly and said. "As I was saying. But I feel if you want to see our Clans Gentle Fist so badly then I'll give you a demonstration. Byakugan!"

He said as his temples bulged. He was momentarily blinded from the amount of chakra in the tiny toad's body.

Fukasaku smiled as he charged him and hit him in the shin, then thigh and did a leaping upper cut that hit him in chin.

Before Hiashi barely started to rise from the strikes as he did a mid-air round house kick that sent him flying back fifteen feet. Everything happened in less than an eye blink.

Naruto carefully set Hanabi down on the short wall around the hospital next to the Hokage and took a seat next to her.

Tsunade asked Naruto. "You think he stands a chance?"

Naruto crunched up his lips and slowly shook his head back and forth while watching Hiashi.

Tsunade laughed while throwing her head back. "This is going to be great then!" She said loudly.

.

Lord Hyuuga picked himself up out of the street for the second time.

"It seems I was unprepared for your attack. That will not happen again." He said as he got back into a fighting pose.

The toad elder chuckled softly and said. "For someone that can see the chakra in someone's body you're not very smart."

He charged him again and Hiashi yelled. "Rotation!"

Fukasaku was so fast that he moved in between his spinning chakra points and landed a hard strike to his mid section.

He laid him out flat as Hiashi panted trying to catch his breath that had been stolen from him.

The Toad elder reappeared standing on his chest while crouching down toward his face.

.

Hiashi clearly saw the blinding chakra flowing in and out of the small toad in perfect harmony.

He struggled to pick his head up and said through bloody clenched teeth. "Who and what are you?"

The old Toad laughed and said. "Ohh now you ask!"

He stuck out his hand offering a hand shake and happily said.

"I'm Fukasaku the elder Toad Sage and the acting leader of the Toad Clan. It's nice to meet you!" He said with a big smile.

Hiashi strained to say. "So you're a Toad Sage…It is no wonder… I wasn't a…. match for you…" He strained his body to raise his hand to meet his as was expected of a noble.

The elder gripped him and hard. Hiashi winced from his strength and the elder said. "I'm 'THE' Toad Clan's Toad Sage."

He eyed him coldly as he turned his head and nodded to Naruto.

.

_"Shit this is gonna take a lot of chakra!"_

He thought, as far away at the Hokage training grounds seven of his clones that were charged with Sage chakra poofed. He hummed with Sage chakra.

He stood up and bit him thumb again. He slowly went through the hand sighs and yelled. "Summoning jutsu!"

Toads of every shape and size appeared on ever ledge top and open area around them.

.

Fukasaku stuck his cane right in front of Hiashi's nose and said. "This is the Toad Clan." He said as Naruto panted heavily as he fought to keep standing.

"Each one of them is ready to lay down their life to protect another member…Even our newest member… Hanabi…" He warned the Hyuuga lord.

"And we don't like the idea of you berating one of our members…

I've already died once for your village and I'm prepared to do it again if anyone from the Toad Clan calls me in their time of need."

He said with defying resolve. Hiashi was stunned at the sheer amount of toads and their size as he gazed around.

.

"You should remember this…Only four humans in the last hundred years have been accepted into the Toad Clan.

Minato who became the Fourth Hokage, Jiraiya who became one of the legendary Sannin and was offered the job of Hokage,

Naruto who is the hero of the five Nations and not two weeks ago your daughter joined us.

I'd say our record speaks for itself on what caliber of ninja's we produce." He said as he removed his cane from the Hyuuga lords face.

.

"I see, my apologies for insulting a member of your Clan, but everyone in the Hyuuga Clan is also ready to lay down their lives for her as well.

She will one day take over as the acting head of the clan and she cannot do that if she loses her Gentle Fist art that we are known for.." He strained to say.

"You have nothing to worry about. Her Gentle Fist is stronger than ever.

When she used it on Naruto when she was in Sage mode she never left a mark on his body."

The small Toad turned and jumped off of him as Hiashi sat up.

.

"Thank you, I can't tell you how relieved that makes me. I guess I did need a lesson in humility.

Here my daughter went from a average Hyuuga ninja into a renowned one and all I did is berate her.

She even won the final match of the Chunin exams and I didn't even congratulate her.

What kind of father have I become?" He said clearly ashamed of himself.

.

Fukasaku looked back at him and said. "The kind that worries too much about his Clan's future and his daughter. Have some trust in her master."

Hiashi slowly pulled himself up right while holding his thigh.

"Your hands are harder then steel. Even Might Gai's hands aren't that hard. You must have devoted a lot of time into your training."

The Toad gave him a thoughtful expression and said. "When you are over eight-hundred years old you have nothing but time."

"I see I was clearly out matched then." Hiashi said with an almost laugh.

.

He turned to Hanabi and said sincerely.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted. Congratulations I'm very proud of you.

The Clan will be expecting you. They will want to hear all about your training." He bowed to them.

Hanabi was mildly shocked as she watched her father turn around and limp away.

Fukasaku headed over to Naruto who was clearly tired from the last summoning jutsu he preformed.

.

"Where's Shima?" He asked Naruto.

Naruto panted. "Good grief! I summoned everyone but her and the Grand Geezer and all you have to say is 'Where is Shima'? You're a slave driver!"

The toad Sage laughed at him and said. "Well I had to punish you for summoning me for such a petty reason.

I thought that running down your chakra levels was a good punishment.

I look forward to seeing you both in a few months." He said as the entire area was covered in smoke.

.

When it cleared the Toad Clan was gone as well as lord Hyuuga.

Hanabi looked over at Naruto in dread and said. "The-They didn't take father with them…Did they?"

Naruto looked over at her blankly and then busted up laughing. "No, but that would have been SOOO funny if they did!"

.

"Then where is he?" She asked with concern in her voice.

"You tell me. Don't you have any Sage chakra in you to sense him?" He asked her suddenly quite serious.

She closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment before reopening her eyes.

"I don't have any Sage chakra right now. I'm hurting and the medication is hindering me from gathering any." She said.

"Hmm he's on his way back to the Hyuuga compound under a henge." He replied.

.

"You think he's going to be mad at me?" She said worriedly.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders and casually said.

"Who cares? He had it coming for yelling at you like that in a hospital when you're hurt. It's not like he was perfect in his first real fight."

She eyed in curiously and asked. "How would you know that?"

He gave her a very understanding look as he leaned over to her. "Because no one ever is." He told her kindly.

.

Tsunade stood up in a cheerful mood and said. "I've got some other people to look in on before heading back to the office. You two should go home for the day."

"Ok Tsunade-chan. Are you ready to go home?" He asked Hanabi with a smile.

She hung her head. "Can't we stay here a bit longer? I'd rather let father cool off before going home." She said in a reserved manner.

Naruto gave her a very honest and sweet look as he quietly said. "I said home, not the Hyuuga compound."

.

_Flashback_

* * *

.

"Come on Hanabi, I'll take you home." Neji said from up the walkway.

Hanabi turned around and looked at her cousin through her puffy swollen eyes and said.

"I'm sorry Neji. I can't go with you." She said while wiping her tears on her sleeve.

Neji gave her a confused look.

"I already AM home…" She stated with resolve.

.

* * *

End of flashback

.

She smiled at him shyly and said. "Umm yes master."

.

They arrived home and took their shoes off at the door.

Shizan came into the living room wearing a smile and said.

"Welcome back. I heard you were the last person standing at the Chunin exams. Congratulations!"

Hanabi gave her a weak smile while holding herself up with her crutches and said. "Thanks Shizan."

"The Clan is planning a celebration party for you tonight. I can't wait!" She said excitedly.

Hanabi had a look of dismay on her face and asked. "Can't we push that back? I'm really not feeling up for it today."

Shizan gave her a sad look and said. "If we push it back a few of the sand village guests are going to miss it. Even the Kazekage was going to come."

She sighed and looked at the ground before saying. "I guess I can't miss it then. I am the heiress after all."

.

* * *

.

Naruto was slowly helping Hanabi up the gates of the Hyuuga compound when the gate guard smiled and greeted her.

"Hello Sage Naruto and Hanabi. The party has already started; you two are some of the last ones to get here."

He held the gate open for her. It took them awhile to make it to the five story tall Hyuuga castle like building with her using crutches but they made it.

The door was propped open and several Hyuuga's at the door clapped for her when she came inside.

.

"Hey the champion is here!" One of them said.

"Congratulations both of you." Another said as she slowly made her way inside.

Cheers and applause erupted from the packed living room that had been cleared to hold the party.

The entire Hyuuga clan was there as well as Sakura, Gai, Lee, Matsuri and Kazekage Gaara.

There was a table with food and drinks set out for the guests and there was live music being played in the corner by several musicians.

.

Hanabi made the rounds and greeted all her clansmen first before talking to their friends.

"Hanabi! You're fight with Konohamaru was so invigoration!" Lee said enthusiastically with his fist in front of him beside Gai who was smiling.

"That it was Hanabi. They are calling you the Demon Fist of the Hyuuga Clan now. Good job!" He said with his two thumbs up and gleaming smile.

Sakura smiled at them and said. "I hope you're feeling better. Let me know if you need any treatment tonight. I got off early to come here just encase."

Hanabi smiled back at her and said. "Thank you for your concern. I'm fine at the moment. "

After awhile of talking to everyone it suddenly became very quiet.

The Hokage was at the entrance with the most unlikely of guest…Konohamaru was next to her with a awkward smile.

Hanabi's face went blank in disbelief.

.

"Ko-Konohamaru!" She said with her hand covering her mouth clearly relieved that he was ok. He smiled even bigger and walked up to her.

She threw down her crutches and gave him a big hug when he approached her.

"Are-are you ok now?" She asked as she let him go. He laughed.

"Yup I'm fine. They gave me a clear bill of health. I'm free of the chakra thanks to you." He told her while smiling.

Everyone in the room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at this news and everyone went back to enjoying the party.

.

Hanabi scowled at him. "You held back during our fight!" She accused him.

He gave her a confused look and said. "How? I fought you with everything I had and even still you put a whooping on me that I'll never forget!"

"You didn't use a full strength Rasengan on me." She said while still scowling.

He gave her a strained look with his hands defensively out in front of him and said.

"Of course not! I didn't want to kill my favorite sparring partner! And after what you did to me I don't think I'll ever try using it on you again!"

Everyone laughed at him.

.

Naruto came up and put his hand of his shoulder. "I guess I see now why you would never take your shirt off in front of me." He said with a smile.

"Yeah. Sorry for keeping that from you. It was supposed to be my ace in the hole for the last match.

I wanted to have you expel the curse chakra from me, but it seems like Hanabi was more than enough to do it." He said apologetically.

Hanabi smiled at him. "Aww don't worry, I'll beat the hell out of you whenever you want me too." She teased him.

He laughed and said. "Don't get too over confidant Miss crutches. When I finish my Sage training lets have another match to see who's stronger?"

She laughed again. "Sure, I'll look forward to it."

.

Sakura curiously asked him. "So how did your Clan get the name Sarutobi?"

"Oh that. It was actually the Second Hokage's nick name for my grandfather.

He always used to jump around a lot when he was younger and the Second Hokage thought he looked like a monkey.

They made it his last name to keep everyone else from finding out about his Clan." He said with a smile.

Naruto suddenly wore a serious look and asked him quietly. "What about Asuma Jr.?"

He looked at him kindly. "He wasn't pure blooded and thankfully wasn't born with the red chakra."

Naruto relaxed and a smile returned to his face.

.

"So everything is back to normal." Hanabi said.

Konohamaru wore a so,so look on his face and said.

"Mostly, but a few older people sneered at me when we were walking here. On the bright side…" He turned to look at Naruto.

"Your chakra level has nearly doubled…" Naruto said and Konohamaru put on a slightly annoyed face.

"Hey I wanted to be the one that said it!" He yelled playfully as his friend giggled.

"The seal that was on me fed off my own chakra to keep the red chakra held back.

Now my chakra isn't fighting against itself. Maybe I'll be like my grandfather and master Jutsu with ease." He said as he rubbed under his nose.

Naruto casually waved both his hands at him and. "Nah, you'll be the same screw up you always were." He said clearly teasing him.

Konohamaru laughed loudly.

.

The party was winding down and Naruto led Hanabi outside the Hyuuga castle after saying good night to lord Hyuuga.

Matsuri and Gaara were waiting for them.

"Congratulations you two. Well done on completing the Chunin exams." Gaara said as Matsuri took a timid step toward Naruto and bowed.

"Thank you for teaching me Great Sage.

I think I finally understand what Gaara meant when he said the reason he didn't think he could beat you had nothing to do with your jutsu.

I think I understand now what he meant after fighting you." She said as she stood back up.

He smiled at her and said. "It's my guts! That's why you couldn't win."

.

She smiled back at him seriously while shaking her head back and forth slowly then looked over at Hanabi and then back to him.

"No, it's not your guts,… It's your heart." She said sweetly.

"Hey Matsuri." Hanabi said in a playful but warning manner. "Keep your eyes to Gaara. Naruto's all mine."

She smiled and held her hands up and took a step back pretending to be reserved.

"Of course! I don't want to get whacked in the head by one of your crutches." She said and even Gaara managed a light laugh.

.

"We need to be getting back home. It is almost midnight." Naruto told them.

"We need to get going as well. We leave tonight to return to our village." Gaara said respectfully.

Naruto gave him a curious look and said. "So you are all better?"

He nodded his head and said. "Yes, thanks to the leaf village I will live longer and fulfill my duties as Kazekage as best as I can for some time to come.

I guess that's three life debts I owe the Leaf now."

Naruto put on a sincere and serious look as he rested his hand on Gaara's shoulder and said.

"No Gaara. You just being alive to give me hope is worth more than a thousand life debts to me."

Gaara wore the same look and said. "I feel the same way about meeting you. Good night my friend. I hope to see you again soon."

.

It took Naruto and Hanabi almost thirty minutes to get home when it normally only took ten minutes. He opened the door for her and took off her shoes for her.

He led the sleepy Hyuuga to the stairs and encountered a problem.

_"Crap I can't have her sleeping upstairs in her condition…Oh well, I guess I'll just disable the traps in my room._

_It's not like they would hurt her away with as far into her Sage training as she is, but I'll do it just encase."_ He thought.

He led her into his bedroom and tucked her into his small bed. She was asleep almost instantly.

He turned to walk away and then turned back and stared at her for a long moment.

He quietly walked back over to her and kneeled down. He kissed her gently on her forehead and said. "Good night Demon Fist Hanabi,…My most precious Toad Disciple."

He said softly and then quietly left the room and closed the door behind him.

.

Naruto was exhausted from burning up so much chakra over the last few days and decided to actually sleep that night.

He went out into the living room and stood in front of Hanabi's favorite white sofa.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu." He whispered as fourteen clones appeared and piled onto the furniture to go to sleep.

He stretched and yawned and then to curled up on the white sofa.

His clones fell asleep quickly, but he didn't. It was hard for him to sleep when he did it so rarely.

.

Naruto stretched out his legs on the sofa and stared at the ceiling.

The light from the outside lamps was coming through the aquarium on the bay window and scattered an array of lights on the ceiling in the patterns of shifting water.

He watched the lights for a long time while thinking over all the things that had happened over the last few weeks.

He remembered training Hanabi on the sacred Toad's mountain. He remembered her fighting Takia.

He remembered the amazing string of Jutsus she used on Konohamaru when she sealed his chakra in mid air.

He remembered the elder Toad Sage giving her father a lesson in humility.

.

Naruto was lost in his nostalgia as a memory came to him that he hadn't thought of in a long time.

He remembered the time when he was fighting Gaara and he helped henge Gamabunta into the Nine Tailed Fox.

He remembered how elegant and fierce he was in that form.

_"…Ruby."_ He thought.

.

Memory after memory came to him of how many times Ruby had healed him.

Memories of her helping him fulfill his Nindo when he could not…

When he was out of chakra, Ruby would always give him some of her's so he could keep his Nindo.

Naruto looked through his past memories again and again and he felt humbled by all the times she helped him.

He again remembered the words he had always wanted to tell her,

but the villages perception on the Nine Tailed Fox had tainted his thought so long ago with their hatred of her because of Madara.

Because he was her cage and those that tried to harm her by beating on that cage only harmed him.

She in turn became the protector of that cage and protected him by healing him and keeping him safe.

_._

_"Ruby…"_ He said into his mind.

He instantly felt Kyuubi's dark eyes on him.

_**"What do you want?"**_ She asked him with the slightest hint of surprise in her voice.

_"Ruby…I'm sorry...and thank you… for everything.__**"**_ He told her as he nodded off to sleep.

Kyuubi sat in his mind for a long time thinking. _**"…What a strange thing for a mortal so say to me." **_

.

* * *

.

Two weeks later.

Naruto came into his own bedroom to wake Hanabi. He shook her gently and said. "Wake up please…"

She snored loudly clearly still asleep.

He shook her harder and yelled. "HEY WAKE UP!"

She snored louder and rolled over and covered her head with her pillow.

Naruto shook is fist at her in frustration wishing he had Kakashi's thunder crack ability to create thunder at will.

He sighed loudly and collapsed to him knees as he rested his forehead on the bed in exasperation.

.

"Come on, please wake up. It's almost ten and the Hokage has summoned us." He begged her.

She rolled over and sleepily opened her eyes as she groaned before sitting up in bed.

"The Hokage?" She said clearly not awake yet.

"Yeah as in the leader of the village. It wouldn't be very noble to be late."

Naruto said and she instantly woke up.

.

"We've been summoned?" She said in surprise.

Naruto nodded his head at her and said. "Yes we have. This is about the time for the Chunin Exam results to come out. Get dressed so we can go."

She grabbed the set of clothes her handler had left at the foot of the bed for her. She went across the hall to shower and get dressed.

Naruto waited by the door as Hanabi nervously came up to him.

"You ready?" He asked her.

"Yes Master." She replied nervously.

.

He took her by the hand and led her across town.

"You don't need to be so stiff. Even if you didn't make Chunin this time they are holding another exam in six months." He told her kindly.

She wrung her hands and looked over at him.

"Yes, that's true but after the Clan threw me that party I'd feel like I let them down if I didn't pass."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "I didn't pass my first time either and you had much harder fights than me this time."

He said as they were walking up the steps of the Hokage tower.

.

As they came to the top they saw Konohamaru leaning on the railing outside the Hokage's office looking bored.

"Kami, you two are slow! I'm dying to know the results and you two decide to sleep in!" He said loudly.

Naruto gave Hanabi a flat, knowing look that she shrank back from slightly. "Only one of us slept in…" He said knowingly.

Konohamaru looked at Hanabi. "How's your foot?"

"Its fine now, I hope Tsunade will let me start training again soon. I still keep it wrapped up for support though." She told him.

.

The Anbu at the door cleared his throat loudly and said. "The Hokage will see you now." He opened the door for them.

They filed in and Konohamaru and Hanabi stood in front of Naruto.

Tsunade put down her paper work and leaned back in her chair while she crossed her arms.

"You all are late." She told them flatly.

"That's my fault then. I take responsibility for my students.

I couldn't get Hanabi up this morning. Her medicine makes her sleepy in the morning." Naruto said innocently.

She gave them a long sigh and turned to Hanabi.

.

"I will now announce the results of the Chunin exams." She said.

"Hanabi, in your fight with Takia you showed great restraint and perception. You always kept planning your next move even when he had you up against the wall.

You never lost your level headed composure. This is a vital skill for a Chunin." She turned to Konohamaru and scowled at him.

"In your first fight you blindly ran through poison needles, revealed a village secret and showed no skill or tactics at all!" She said as he hung his head in shame.

She looked kindly at both Konohamaru and Hanabi and said.

.

"But when you two fought each other,…Konohamaru when you asked her to enter Sage mode because you wanted to fight her at her strongest." She said as she turned to Hanabi.

"When you entered Sage mode and shocked all the five nations because they saw a fifteen year old girl enter the pinnacle fighting state of the ninja world.

When you two clashed in combat that was far above what Genins should be able to do.

When you gave Hanabi breathers during your match so she could keep going, even when that red chakra was driving you on to fight.

The way you two worked together to expel that red chakra…You two showed everyone what teamwork, determination and guts was all about."

She smiled at them and proudly said. "You both made the rank of Chunin, but just by one vote for you Konohamaru. Hanabi you passed with flying colors." She added quickly.

All three of them smiled as Naruto put his hands on both their heads and said. "Congratulations, both of you."

Konohamaru and Hanabi were both so happy and Naruto face showed that he was very proud of them both.

.

The smile faded from Tsunade's face as she solemnly said. "Naruto…"

He looked over at her and put up a weak smile like he knew what she was about to say.

"I have some bad knew for you…You didn't make the rank of Chunin."

She said sadly. Naruto hung his head and shook it back and forth. His look clearly said 'I knew it'.

"It's ok. What's most important to me is my students and they passed." He said with a smile.

.

Hanabi smiled and cheerfully said. "Don't worry about it master. I won't boss you around too much."

She pretended to punch him, but pushed him playfully instead.

"And I've got even more news you're not going to like.

Kakashi is officially retiring from Squad Seven...and a new Jonin instructor will be taking over."

Tsunade said with a long sigh and Naruto picked his head up in shock.

"But..what ab…" Tsunade held up her hand to quiet him and said.

.

"During your fight with Matsuri you ran roughshod over her.

You berated her and you used a jutsu so big you caught the entire crowed in it. This was very irresponsible.

Yet just like Gaara said you changed her during that fight as only you could.

You embedded your dream of becoming a Kage into her… Just like you did to me and Gaara.

That day I saw a man, with the highest rank in the land, admit that the person he most wanted to be like was a Genin from the leaf village.

.

Your next opponent forfeited after seeing your jutsus power and you lost another opportunity to show off your skills.

Then you forfeited to your student just so she could receive medical attention as soon as possible.

You gave up your last chance to make Chunin to help your student.

These are not the actions of a Chunin. Your results were not voted on by the proctor's council. The Five Kage's themselves made the vote.

You were judged not only on your results, but of those of your students as well."

She said as she turned to Hanabi and said. "I'm sorry Hanabi, but it doesn't look like you will get to boss around your master…"

She turned back to a very confused Naruto and said.

.

"The council of the five Kages agreed unanimously that you were already well passed the rank of Chunin and that you were already a great Jonin Instructor." She said with a big smile.

Naruto was stunned for a moment before smiling back to her and asked. "You mean…the new Jonin leader of Squad Seven is…me?"

She smiled at him and said. "Yes, I'd hoped you'd take the job."

Naruto could hardly believe what he was hearing as Hanabi said.

"Aww too bad, I was looking forward to bossing you around. Congratulations master!"

Konohamaru put his hand on the stunned Naruto's shoulder and said. "Way to go boss! You're one step closer to becoming Hokage!"

.

Tsunade let them talk for a few moments before Naruto asked.

"Can we leave now? I need to treat my students to lunch to celebrate!" He smiled at his students.

Tsunade gave him a small, honest smile and said. "There's more good news for you Naruto…"

He smiled at her in confusion and asked. "What could be better than making me Jonin Instructor of Squad Seven?"

.

She took in a deep breath and said words that stunned him to his core. "… You got approval from the high council."

The smile instantly faded from his face as he looked at her in blank shock. "What-what did you just say…?" He asked soullessly in disbelief.

"You got approval from the high council…" She said again much slower than before with a smile on her face.

Hanabi wore a look of confusion while Konohamaru was staring at him with a look of disbelief and awe.

.

A joyous smile appeared on his face and he disappeared.

Tsunade's paper work was scattered in every direction as he reappeared crouching on her desk holding her by the shoulders.

"Say it again." He asked her intently.

Tsunade reached up and grabbed him on both sides of his face while pulling him in close and yelled loudly.

"You got approval from the High Council!"

.

Naruto stood up and began giggling as the wind picked up around him sending the papers flying around him in a mini cyclone.

His giggle became a quiet laugh and soon he was laughing hard with all his might.

"Away with you! Don't send my paper work across the whole Village!" She said playfully while still smiling at him.

He held a kunai to his chest and disappeared. A cyclone appeared on top of the Hokage monument.

.

All three of them watched it appear from the bay window in the Hokage's office.

It barely touched the ground, but widened at a huge rate once it reached the clouds. It covered the skies for miles and stripped the clouds from the heavens.

This cyclone made the one he summoned at the Chunin exam look like a tiny dust twister.

Even over the great roar of the wind a single Jonin's voice could be heard for miles.

"WWWOOHOOOOOO!" Naruto yelled from the eye of his cyclone.

.

Tsunade just shook her head while smiling. "At least he did it so he wouldn't damage the village…"

Hanabi looked over at the Hokage in confusion. "Why is he so happy Hokage-sama? What is this approval all about?"

Konohamaru blankly looked over at her in shock and said.

"It means that when Tsunade retires from being Hokage that he will be one of the people the council looks to become the next…Hokage."

.

She stared at the Hokage blankly. "You mean…You mean he's going to become the Sixth Hokage?

But-but what about my Sage training?" She asked Tsunade worriedly.

She smiled over at her and said. "I'm not retiring from being Hokage any time soon. You have nothing to worry about with your training.

Also there is another person on my list of successors.

.

The high Council will choose between him and Kakashi when the time comes." She leaned over to her and said.

"But off the record, Kakashi said he'd rather see Naruto become Hokage after filling in for me one time."

"That's very true." Kakashi said from on top of the overhanging bay window eave as he marveled at Naruto's cyclone.

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Hope you all liked it.


	23. Chapter 23: Raijin

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**Chapter 23: Raijin**

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Authors note.

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Reviews/questions.

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Last Chapter.

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Even over the great roar of the wind a single Jonin's voice could be heard for miles.

"WWWOOHOOOOOO!" Naruto yelled from the eye of his cyclone.

.

Tsunade just shook her head while smiling. "At least he did it so he wouldn't damage the village…"

Hanabi looked over at the Hokage in confusion. "Why is he so happy Hokage-sama? What is this approval all about?"

Konohamaru blankly looked over at her in shock and said.

"It means that when Tsunade retires from being Hokage that he will be one of the people the council look to, to become the next…Hokage."

.

She stared at the Hokage blankly. "You mean…You mean he's going to become the Sixth Hokage?

But-but what about my Sage training?" She asked Tsunade worriedly.

She smiled over at her and said. "I'm not retiring from being Hokage any time soon. You have nothing to worry about as far as your training is concerned.

Also there is another person on my list of successors.

.

The high Council will choose between him and Kakashi when the time comes." She leaned over to her and said.

"But off the record, Kakashi said he'd rather see Naruto become Hokage after filling in for me one time."

"That's very true." Kakashi said from on top of the overhanging bay window eave as he marveled at Naruto's cyclone.

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Chapter Twenty-Three: Raijin

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Naruto was sitting at a small plain table while Sasuke poured them tea.

"I heard about your cyclone yesterday." He said quietly.

Naruto smiled to himself in embarrassment. "Yeah, I guess I kind of over reacted." He said.

Sasuke smiled at him genuinely. "Not at all. You have been chasing this dream all your life. It's only natural you reacted the way you did when found out."

Naruto scratched the back of his head innocently and said. "But I set off alarms all over the village when I summoned that much wind.

Hell there was thirty Anbu around me when I let go of that jutsu. They thought someone was attacking the village."

Sasuke laughed softly. "I wasn't worried when I heard the wind. I knew it was you." He said as he took a sip of tea.

.

"How is your Disciples recovery coming along?" He asked.

"Tsunade said she could start some light training and she should be completely recovered by next week.

Konohamaru is free of the red chakra and will be going back to train with the Monkey Clan soon." He told him.

Sasuke nodded his head and said. "That chakra seal came as a surprise even to me.

It's no wonder you two became such good friends all those years ago.

To have shared such similar circumstances and not know it until much later on. What will you do now?"

Naruto took a long deep breath and said.

"Well, once Hanabi is better we will take a journey to Mount Myoboku on foot. After we reach the Toad village I will continue her Sage training."

Sasuke nodded his head and said. "…And after you complete her training?"

Naruto signed as he hung his head. "I don't think I'll ever truly complete her training with the time I have left, but I will train her with all the time I have.

At least until its time for me to leave."

.

Sasuke knew exactly what he meant by 'time for him to leave.'

"So have you made preparations for your fight with Kyuubi?" He asked.

Naruto nodded his head silently before say. "Yes I have. I spoke with Gaara about a suitable battle field to fight the Nine Tailed Fox on.

He told me when the time comes I can use the heart of the desert for our fight. He said nothing can live there and there's nothing for fifty miles around.

He said it would be an ideal place for the battle. I've given him one of my kunai markers and he's going to get one of his squads to bury it in heart of the desert."

Sasuke gave him a curious expression before saying. "What if when the seal starts to break to a degree that you are unable to use that jutsu?"

He sighed again. "Then I guess I'll have to walk there." He replied.

.

Sasuke smiled at him. "You never will give up.

There isn't another ninja I could ever see trying to walk for four days out into the desert with a breaking Jinchuuriki seal but you.

How much of this does the Hokage know?" He asked.

He looked over at him and replied. "Only that I'm planning on fighting the Kyuubi. It's a pretty touchy subject for her.

She doesn't want me to fight the Kyuubi, but there is no other choice. She is in denial about the whole matter."

.

"She really does think of you as her son. I can see how you both feel. I think you are handling this as best you can right now." He said taking another sip of tea.

His shoulders slumped and he said. "Yeah, but I still have to figure out the lightning element. Without it the Moon Sages jutsu is useless."

Sasuke set his cup down and asked. "How good of a blacksmith do you think Tenten is?"

Naruto was totally caught off guard by this question. "Well she's the best in the village, but what does that have to do with anything?"

He tilted his head slightly at him and asked. "Do you still have the broken pieces of the Second Hokage's sword?"

Naruto thought about where he was going with it and said carefully. "Yes I do, but they aren't technically mine.

Even if it was possible to reforge the sword, there are no accounts of it producing the amount of lightning I need for the jutsu.

Beside even if Tenten reforged it we would need a master of the lightning element to enchant it using a special jutsu.

A jutsu that's likely locked away in the Senju vault under the Hokage tower."

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"Do you think you can get the jutsu?" He asked him.

"I can probably convince Tsunade to let me try to get it,

but we would still need a master of the lightning element that could sustain something on the level of your lightning bomb attack for a period of time."

Suddenly Naruto's face went slack as he saw what Sasuke was getting at.

"You-You'll help me reforge the sword? Can you even hold that jutsu for ten minutes?" He stuttered.

Sasuke grinned at him. "How much chakra can you pump into me with that forbidden jutsu of your?"

Naruto was dumbfounded. "But-but even if I get it reforged how will it help me learn the lightning element?"

"If you can't make lightning yourself, then you can get it from somewhere else and learn to manipulate it.

At the very least you will have stacked another ninja tool in your favor over Kyuubi." He said wisely.

.

* * *

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Naruto and Hanabi were at training ground thirty-six near at the stream that ran thought the back of the wooded field.

"Ok you've got the basics of summoning down. I want you to slowly go through the hand signs and give it a try.

Remember to call them like you are calling for help in your most dire time of need." He said.

She nicked her hand with a kunai and slowly when through the hand signs with her eyes closed.

"Summoning Jutsu!" She said loudly and she slammed her hand into the ground.

There was a small puff of smoke and when it cleared.

"A tadpole? All that chakra and all I got was this?" She said holding up a small black tadpole by the tail in disgust.

"Even Konohamaru summoned a two foot tall monkey that could at least talk." She said in disbelief.

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Naruto slumped his shoulders. "Against my better judgment I'll tell you this. Raichi isn't one of the lower members of the Monkey Clan."

She let the tadpole go in the stream and then turned a confused face on him. "How high up is Raichi?" She asked him carefully.

He scratched the back of his head wearing a strained face. "He's…on the Monkey Clan's Elder council…"

She wore a blank look of shock until it turned into an angry, curious look.

"You mean to tell me Konohamaru…summoned the equivalent of Fukasaku…His FIRST TIME?"

Naruto stuck his hands out in a defensive pose at the angry Hyuuga and said in a strained voice.

"I'm not exactly sure how the Monkey Clan is structured, but it looks like it…"

"How? How could he do that?" She yelled at him.

.

"I-I don't know. It took me three weeks and the chakra of Kyuubi to summon Boss toad. I guess it's because he's more like the Third Hokage then we thought." He said.

She angrily scowled continued as she when back over to the stream and started her training with renewed vigor.

She summoned for four hours straight and was still getting nothing but tadpoles. Naruto only had to refill her chakra levels twice during the whole training session.

Hanabi was hardly standing she was so worn out. She was panting and covered in sweat when Naruto told her.

"Ok it's time to go home and get some dinner."

"Errr I want to keep going, but my arm is just too tired and I don't have much chakra left." She said as she leaned on his shoulder for support.

He smiled as he sighed at how hard she trained. "What do you want for dinner?" He asked her softly.

"I want a bath and a kiss." She said absentmindedly in her tiredness.

.

Naruto eyes suddenly turned very sad. She looked up at him when she saw they weren't moving and snapped to attention.

_"Opps I can't believe I said that! He doesn't know that I heard his thoughts while he was on the back of the stone frog in Sage mode._

_I'm so stupid! Why did I say that?"_ She lamented in her thoughts.

"I-I meant a bath and clams." She added quickly.

Naruto covered his sad look with a smile and innocently said. "We will have to see what my clone brings back from fishing."

"Ahh right…" She said uncomfortably while wearing a fake smile.

The short walk home was strangely silent.

.

They entered the front door and Hanabi said. "Shizan! We are home!"

"I'm in the kitchen prepping dinner." She said from the kitchen.

They walked into the kitchen where she had water boiling and she was chopping up vegetables.

She turned from her work to look at them. "Hanabi you look dreadful, go get cleaned up for dinner!"

Hanabi looked at herself and smelled her uniform. She wrinkled her nose up in displeasure.

"I see your point. I'll head down the hall and take a bath." She said.

"Hanabi!" She said calling her back.

"Actually while you two were away I got the shower fixed in the main bedroom. You can clean yourself up there."

Hanabi smiled at her and said. "Thank you Shizan."

She headed up stairs to get cleaned up.

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"So how was her summoning training today?" She asked him as she worked on dinner.

"You know you didn't have to take over making dinner. I can make a clone to do it." He said as he crossed his arms and leaned on the door frame of the kitchen entrance.

She smiled at him and said. "Frankly I've been bored to tears here and doing some of the house work will keep me busy. I don't mind, I actually enjoy cooking."

He grinned slightly at her and said. "Well I can't say I mind. You're a way better cook then mine judging from the lunch you made us."

She glanced over at him and said. "I'm glad the two of you enjoyed it. I hope you didn't hork it down at top speed though."

Naruto shook his head at her and said. "No, we took our time. I was using the lunch break to teach her about the Toad Clan laws and tell her some of our stories."

"That's good to hear." She said as the front door opened and Naruto's fishing clone came back with the days catch.

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He dumped the fish in the aquarium next to the stove and said. "Not the best catch for today.

All I caught was some Yellow tails. I hooked a sword fish today, but it broke the line." It said in a disappointed manner.

The clone looked over at Shizan and asked. "Have you ever heard of a sword fish swimming this far up river? I mean, they are a salt water fish aren't they?"

She looked up in thought and said. "Actually yes I have. Lord Hyuuga caught one in the southern river when he took Hanabi fishing for her fifth birthday.

It wasn't very big though, maybe four pounds. We ate it at her birthday dinner with the catfish she caught."

The fishing clone nodded its head then dissipated in a puff of smoke.

.

"It's still odd to see one so far from salt water." Naruto said with a curious look on his face.

She shrugged her shoulders and said.

"Well next time you go out to eat with the Hokage at that restaurant on the docks, why don't you ask a ship captain about it while you are there?"

He nodded his head and said. "I think I will. Thanks for the idea."

"You're welcome." She said as she took the fish out and put them into the sink to clean it.

"I'll set the table." Naruto said as he got out the plates.

.

A short while later Hanabi came back down stairs smelling much better in clean clothes.

She took her seat by Naruto and started telling Shizan about her daily training.

Shizan asked Naruto. "How long do you think it will be before she can summon a real Toad?"

Naruto finished his bite of food and said. "Depends on the Toad she wants to summon.

If you're talking about a normal sized forest toad, probably a few weeks with her chakra control.

Now if you're talking about summoning one of the fighting class Toad Clan members…It will take a lot longer for her.

We still need her doing more chakra building exercises. Summon jutsu goes through a lot of chakra."

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"Hmm, but what if I tried summoning in Sage mode? Would that help speed it up?" She asked while eating.

Naruto gave her a kind look and said. "Actually, no it wouldn't.

In Sage mode you burn up chakra at a high rate, but in Sage mode you have a vastly better control over you're chakra.

So over all it wouldn't really help you in the long run. What you need as a summoner is just raw chakra and lots of it."

She sighed. "How long do you think it will take me to build up that kind of chakra?" She asked.

He shrugged while eating. "I'm not sure, but on the bright side you already have more chakra than any other Hyuuga."

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She blinked a few times at him in disbelief and said. "What?"

He looked over at her and said. "What, you didn't notice it yet? You have more chakra then your father and Neji combined."

She stared at him in disbelief. "Are-are you sure?" She asked intently.

"If you don't believe me then gather some Sage chakra and visit him tomorrow.

You'll be able to see for yourself. Don't get a big head though.

Hiashi easily has the best at chakra control in the village. He'd still probably beat you in a fight if you weren't in Sage mode.

Also remember you are the only Hyuuga trying to build up their chakra levels like a Ninjutsu user." He told her casually.

She looked at him in thought. "Hmm, I think I will go to morning practice with father sometime then."

"Remember, no getting serious. Tsunade said you're still on light training for now." He reminded her.

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Shizan spoke up suddenly and said. "Oh I almost forgot.

That old book you borrowed from Naruto just after you got put on the same squad, I found it in your bookshelf and brought it back."

Hanabi hung her head and said. "Sorry Naruto. With everything that has been happening lately I totally forgot that I borrowed it. I never even read it."

He smiled over at her and said. "It's ok Hanabi. Why don't you start reading it tonight? I told you it was written by my master."

She got a strained look on her face. "I-I was kind of worried about that. I heard a lot of his books were…rather adult orientated." She said carefully.

Naruto gave her a short laugh and said. "Yeah almost all of them are, but that one isn't." He smiled at her and said. "Trust me you'll like that one."

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* * *

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It was later in the evening after Hanabi had already gone up stairs to read and Shizan turned in early.

Naruto quietly left his bedroom and went out into the dark living room.

He stared at the case under his portrait of the Second Hokage.

The light from outside the window gleamed off its narrow glass front.

This is one of the few items in the house that wasn't just protected with a Sage chakra trap.

He actually studied some of his father's trap jutsu to protect this item.

And this item was very well protected. He pulled out a special seal written on a small square of paper.

There were seals on each corner of the paper.

He folded the paper in half and stuck it in his mouth.

He made four hand signs and each corner of case glowed faintly and then went dim.

.

He pulled out another slip of paper with a single seal on it and put a drop of his own blood on it. He very gently pressed the seal up against to glass until he heard a click.

He was sweating profusely as he just barely cracked the case open.

"Kami, why did I have to borrow twenty paper bombs from Kakashi to make this trap? He only uses the Anbu level ones.

I wasn't thinking when I made this that I'd ever have to remove this trap." He lamented.

He slid one of his kunai just under the door and cut two strings that would set off the paper bombs if the case was opened.

He opened the case and slowly cut into the velvet cloth beside each of the two pieces of the sword. This disabled the strings attached to backs of the two pieces.

He carefully removed both pieces of the broken short sword and put a replica in its place.

.

He went through a series of hand signs and put the blood seal back in place.

He wrapped the sword in a black cloth very carefully and tucked it in the inner pocket of his coat.

_"Note to self…get head examined for EVER putting a paper bomb trap like that in my house and tomorrow get rid of the thing!"_ He thought to himself.

He quietly left through the front door and headed out the front gate of the compound in to the clear cool nights air.

.

Naruto showed up just before nine pm at Tenten's forge. Her prop up A frame sign was still out and the chimney was still puffing out smoke.

_"Good she's working a bit late tonight. I bet she's got some extra orders to complete. _

_That means she's probably not going to be in a good mood."_ He thought as he hung his head.

He quietly opened the door to her shop and entered the weapons gallery.

Every kind of weapon you could think of was mounted on the wall, everything from small needles for poisoning to a thirty pound battle axe.

At the back of the store was a glass display case with more ornate items in it with a register sitting on top of it. Next to the register was a small bell.

Just behind the case was an open door that led into her forge.

.

He rang the bell lightly twice. Suddenly there was the sound of a lot of metal things falling on the ground and a loud bang.

"Ewww ouch, ouch that smarts!" He heard her sucking in breaths in sharp rasps for several moments before she said.

"I'm coming! Please hold on." She yelled from the other room.

She limped through the door and said cheerfully. "Hello how can I help you?"

Naruto gave her a curious look. She was covered in soot and her hair was a mess.

She was wearing leather coveralls for working in a forge that were very dirty. Her look flattened out when she saw him.

"What do you want? I already made the key for Hanabi and I didn't even charge you for it." She said coldly.

.

He looked at her honestly and kindly before saying. "The first thing I want is for you to sit down and let me take a look at your foot…"

She looked away and blushed from embarrassment. "No, no that's ok. I'll get Sakura to look at it later."

He sighed and quoted. "'Medical rule number twenty-seven: A medic can restrain a patient if it's for their own good'."

Her eyes widen in shock and she stuttered. "You-you wouldn't?"

He looked at her with a soft expression that was a little sad. "I shouldn't have to with as many times as we have both risked our lives for each other."

She looked down and suddenly felt very foolish. She took in a deep breath and waved him around the counter.

She sat on the stool behind the counter and took of her left shoe.

.

"What happened?" He asked her in the same soft voice.

"I was taking out a cooling rack of kunais when you rang the bell.

I thought I locked the door and dropped them after hearing it. I stubbed my foot on the forge hearth." She admitted.

He carefully unwrapped her foot wrappings and looked at the damage. Her big toe was split open and bleeding.

Her other four toes had blood blisters forming on the end of them.

.

"It looks like you stubbed it pretty hard. Give me a second to unseal some of my medical supplies."

He said as he pulled out a small green scroll laid it on the floor.

"UNSEAL!" He said while making a hand sign. A small pile of herbs and medical tools appeared on top of the scroll.

He picked up a small syringe and screwed a needle on to it. She cringed at the needle as he set it down.

He grabbed a hold of the heel of her foot gently and tenderly…too gently.

Shivers ran up her back. "Naruto! Don't touch me like that! Touch me more firmly!"

.

He sighed loudly as he felt Neji just on the other side of the door to the shop. He felt him turn away to leave.

"Neji, please come in. I don't want any misunderstandings." He said loudly. "…And don't throw the flowers away."

Neji started behind the door as he was about to set the flowers he was holding behind a shrub before entering.

The door opened and Neji entered hold the flowers he has behind his back.

Tenten looked at him wildly and held up her hands and said. "It's not what you think!"

She panicked and looked over at Naruto. "It's not what YOU think either!"

He sighed and said. "Hold still."

.

Neji looked around curiously and said. "Naruto? Where are you?"

"I'm behind the counter giving Tenten medical treatment. She hurt her foot." He said from his kneeling position behind the counter.

Neji walked up behind him and saw the pile of medical supplies as well as Naruto.

Naruto held up his hand and started pouring his green healing chakra into her big toe.

He closed the wound and he calmly said "Neji can you give me a hand.

Please put the flowers down on the counter. There is little use hiding them from me now."

.

Neji shyly took the flowers out from behind his back and set them on the counter.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked seriously even though he was blushing slightly.

"Just place your hands on her shoulder and make sure she moves as little as possible." He said calmly.

"Naruto what are you going to do?" She asked in a near panic.

.

He softly and calmly said. "I have to drain your blisters before I heal them." Neji moved behind her and place his hands firmly on her shoulders.

She whimpered quietly. Naruto said. "I know you hate needles. As long as you stay still you will not feel a thing. I promise you that."

She trembled, but Neji held her as still as he could as Naruto drained the blood out of her blisters.

"Please hurry up and do it already!" She yelled at him with her eyes shut while turning her head away from him just as she felt his healing chakra on her foot.

"I already have. I told you that you wouldn't feel a thing." He said as he finished healing her foot.

.

She opened her eyes in surprise. "How did you do that?"

He looked up at her and said. "Just because I am not that great of a medical ninja doesn't mean that I can't keep a patient from feeling pain."

Neji whispered in her ear. "He was trained by the Hokage and Sakura in the healing arts."

He stood up and looked right into Neji's eyes. "My friend, I know you two must have had a date tonight.

That is why she was rushing to finish her work…, but I need to ask Tenten to help me with something very important." He said very honestly and purely.

Neji didn't realize he was speaking out lout and softly said to himself. "Then tell me words that will steady my heart."

Naruto heard him and whispered five words to him and he was shock to his core.

"You-you really mean that?" He asked him in disbelief.

Naruto nodded his head.

.

Neji took his hands off her shoulder. "It seems Naruto needs you more than I do tonight." He kissed her on the cheek and went to leave.

"Naruto…we had been planning this date for two weeks…" She said sadly.

He sighed and nodded his head and said. "But you have been training your whole life for this..."

He kneeled down in front of her. He took out a piece of black cloth from him inner coat pocket and started carefully unfolding it.

Again and again he unfolded the cloth, until it finally showed the treasure within its folds…The broken Raijin sword of the Second Hokage.

She teared up when she realized what it was.

.

"This-this is the Raijin sword…The Second Hokage's first strike weapon.

It's the second most famous blade ever created in our village… What purpose could you possibly have in bringing it to me?" She asked in confusion.

Neji turned around at the door and came back over to her and stared that the broken sword in shock.

.

He looked at her intently and said. "I want you to reforge it…"

She stared at him in shock. "Naruto…This sword was made by a master smith and sealed by the Second Hokage himself.

This is WAY over my level of expertise." She said as she turned her head away from him.

"You can seal jutsus into other blades and I know you have repaired broken blades before." He told her seriously.

"I can reforge the blade…, but restoring the jutsu that was sealed in it would be nearly impossible!

I'd need the jutsu that was originally sealed into it and an unreal amount of lightning from a master of lightning jutsu.

Even Kakashi couldn't produce enough for this!" She told him desperately.

.

"If I can get the original jutsu and I bring you a master of lightning, will you remake the sword for me?" He asked her with longing eyes.

"Naruto please don't look at me like that. You don't know what you're asking." She said as she grabbed her elbows.

Naruto continued to beg her with his eyes. She looked away and down at the floor. After a long moment she said.

"I will try, but what compensation will you give me if I succeed?"

.

Naruto look down solemnly as he stood up and reached under his over coat. There was a click as he removed another weapon from his person.

He set the short bladed sword on the counter of her shop. The scabbard was of a rose wood that rippled from dark to light over and over.

The hilt was covered in a thick flat blue woven silk twine. Her eyes went wide staring at the short sword he had place on the counter.

"Is-is that really what I think it is…" She asked him while reaching her trembling hand for it. She had heard so much about this blade.

Naruto said. "This is my father's Flying Thunder God sword. I was going to give it to Hanabi when she became a Sage."

Neji eyed went blank and he said. "No way. That sword was supposed to have been lost just after the Fourth Hokage died."

"It wasn't lost. It was entrusted to his favorite student, Kakashi.

On my eighteenth birthday he returned it to its rightful owner…me." He said.

.

"Please, can I see it?" She asked him in awe.

He nodded his head solemnly at her. She picked up the small curved sword and unsheathed it.

The mirror shined blade had bright blue runes going down both sides of the blade.

Even though the sword was over twenty-five years old and had been used in countless battles it looked like it had never been used.

"This-this is really the first one…your father made? The one…all your kunais are based off of?" She said as she looked at the blade in amazement.

"Yes, it's the very one…" He said has he nodded his head.

"It's beautiful…" She said admiring it from every angle like she was dreaming.

"Why are you showing me this?" She asked him as her stunned eyes returned to him.

He looked at her sad resolve and said. "If you reforge the Raijin sword…I will give you my father's sword…"

.

She looked like Naruto had punched her in the chest she was so stunned.

Neji soullessly said. "You're kidding aren't you Naruto? Your father sword is the Fire Nation's most famous sword. It's worth a fortune!"

A single tear rolled down her face as she resheathed the sword and set it gently back on the counter.

"I can't take your fathers Flying Thunder God sword…It's just too much. It was worth it to me just to hold the legendary blade once."

She took in a ragged breath and looked up at him with a weak smile.

.

"Besides, without your fathers Yellow Flash jutsu it's just an exquisitely well made sword. It should stay with the only person that can use his jutsu.

This must be very important to you for you to even offer your father sword as payment." She said sadly.

He nodded his head at her slowly and said. "Yes it's very important to me."

Tenten looked over at Neji and said. "Thank you for the flowers, but I have a sword to reforge. I can't go out tonight."

Neji nodded and said. "I understand."

.

"One last thing…Don't tell anyone that we are trying to reforge the sword. Tsunade wouldn't approve of it." He told them.

She looked over at him blankly and said. "You didn't get permission?"

He shook his head back and forth. She looked down and slid the broken pieces of the sword back towards him on the counter.

She hung her head and said. "Then I can't even attempt to reforge it… I'm sorry."

.

Naruto nodded his head at her solemnly.

Neji looked at him curiously and asked.

"What did you want the sword for? I mean… to trade it for the only weapon you have of your fathers…You must have a dire need for the Raijin sword."

Naruto went over to the door and put up a powerful privacy seal. He turned back toward both of them and very seriously said.

"What I say here doesn't leave this room." They both nodded their heads with wide eyes.

Naruto relaxed and sighed deeply as he looked into Tenten's eyes. "I need the sword to fight The Nine Tailed Fox…"

They both looked like he had stolen their souls from them and looked at him blankly for many long moments.

.

"You-you're going to unseal Kyuubi? Why? Why would you do such a thing?" Tenten said nearly beside herself with anger and worry.

"I don't have much of a choice. The seal holding Kyuubi is weakening. Within two years it will break and Kyuubi will be set free.

If I don't die when it escapes, then I will fight The Nine Tailed Fox, but to do that I need the Raijin sword repaired."

Neji finally came out of his shock and said. "So that's why you were willing to trade for your father's sword to get it repaired…"

He turned to Neji and said. "Yes, now you understand why I'm so desperate to get it remade."

Tenten looked at the floor with a very sad and confused look on her face.

"Let me think it over. I can't make a decision like this lightly…"

.

He gave her a short nod and walked back over to the counter. He folded the broken pieces of the Raijin sword back up and handed it to her.

"Keep this while you think it over. Think about what it would look like if it was whole again." She reluctantly took the black cloth.

Naruto picked up The Flying Thunder God and rehooked it to his back under his Sage outer coat.

He walked over and removed the privacy seal and opened the door. He turned back to her and said.

"I'm sorry I had to ask this of you. If there was any other way I wouldn't have asked you."

.

"Naruto…" Neji said to stop him.

"You're going to give your father's sword to Hanabi after she becomes a Sage…Why?"

He let out a short laugh and shook his head.

"She is my Disciple. After she becomes a Sage I'm going to try to teach her the Yellow Flash Jutsu of course.

She should have enough chakra to learn it by then. Good night you two."

He said as he left through the door and closed it behind him leaving a very stunned Hyuuga and a distressed blacksmith behind.

Naruto leaned up against the door of Tenten's shop and stared out into the night for a long moment.

Over four hundred yards away, well out of his normal sensory range, an Anbu with a cat mask dissipated into smoke.

.

* * *

.

Later that night at the Hokage's office.

"Hokage, Kakashi has come to see you. He says it important." An Anbu said through the door.

She set down the papers she was reading and looked over at the clock. It was just after ten pm.

She leaned back and stretched and then relaxed back into her seat.

"Send him in." She said in a none too happy tone.

Kakashi entered the office was a serious look on his face. Tsunade's expression immediately changed to worry.

.

"What wrong Kakashi? Why are you here so late?"

She asked while he put up privacy seals up on the door and windows before returning to stand in front of her desk.

He took a deep breath and after a long moment he said. "Naruto is trying to reforge the Second Hokage's Raijin Sword."

She gave him a puzzled look and asked. "How? I had over a dozen master smiths look at it and they all said it was beyond repair.

That's why I let Naruto display it in his living room in the first place."

.

"He took it to Tenten…" He said calmly.

"Tenten? I know she's a smith, but if a master smith couldn't repair it then what chance does she have?

She is only an average smith over all." She said with a curious look on her face.

"I wondered why Naruto would take the sword to her of all people as well.

She has gotten a lot better at her weapon crafting then you might think.

She's also an impressive jutsu sealer." He said.

Tsunade gave him a flat look and said. "How good?"

Kakashi eyed her for a moment and said. "Take out the kunai Naruto gave you and look at the makers mark…"

She rolled her eyes at him. "I already know it's not Tenten's makers mark. I've seen it before, but I don't know whose makers mark it is."

She said as she opened the top draw of her desk and pulled out the cobalt blue kunai. She flipped the blade over and looked at the bottom of the pommel.

.

Kakashi walked over to her and turned the blade at a different angle in her hands.

She looked at it intently and she opened the top draw again and retrieved a letter opener that Tenten had given her for her birthday a long time ago.

"They are kind of similar, but not the same." She said while eying both of them.

"Take away the NU over the symbol." He said calmly.

Tsunade eyes intently started looking back and forth between the two items. She set them both down on the desk.

"…NU….Naruto Uzumaki! She really did make these!" The Hokage said clearly surprised.

.

"I did some digging. She makes them with Naruto's help, but can still nearly make them on her own.

She only need's Naruto to cast the jutsu…She can even do the sealing part on her own.

Naruto normally does it though to save her the chakra.

She is also the maker of Naruto's spare estate keys that were designed by the Fourth Hokage." He said.

Tsunade blinked blankly at him.

Kakashi said. "With Naruto's help…She can easily go well beyond an average smith as you called her. You might call her a… Grandmaster smith…"

She sighed and said. "Ok, she is better than I thought, but surely you jest about her being a Grandmaster smith even with Naruto's help."

Kakashi pulled out his own cobalt blue kunai from his holster and presented it in front of her.

.

"The Fourth Hokage was my master Tsunade…Do you have any idea what is sealed in these kunais Naruto gave to us?" He asked her intently.

She sighed and leaned back. "Frankly no. I never was talented with time/space Ninjutsu…" She said as her eyes went wide with realization.

Kakashi nodded at her. "If she can seal time/space Ninjutsu into a weapon then I think her getting a Grandmaster smith title isn't such a farfetched idea." He said suggestively.

"Ok ok, so she might be able to reforge the sword and he or she might be able seal the lightning back into the blade.

Where are they going to get the information on the jutsu my uncle sealed into it? It's locked away in the Hokage vault.

Even Naruto couldn't break into there, nor would he." She said sarcastically.

.

"He wouldn't have to. It is true that the Hokage vault holds the armor and relics of all the past Clans to keep them safe, but there is another back up for all the jutsu of the clan's.

One that he happens to be the keeper of that's under his house. Also didn't you give him free rein of it to study any scrolls he could unlock by himself?" Kakashi said seriously.

She looked up sarcastically and said. "There's a blood seal on both of the Senju vaults. He has no chance of getting passed that without my blood."

"Didn't you say that before he took a direct hit from the Sarutobi vaults blood seal and easily lived?" He said knowingly.

She sighed and was clearly getting tired of the verbal chess game she was losing.

.

"The blood seal on the Senju vault is much more deadly than one that was on the Sarutobi vault.

He would still need the equivalent of a Grandmaster of the element of lightning to cast the jutsu that my uncle's friend's casted for him.

Unlike what most people think, the sword wasn't forged using a sustained Chidori that was sealed into the blade, I know better.

My uncle was good friends with Raichidon, also known by other name…The Thunder God.

This is why both my uncle's sword and Minato's sword have the same name in their titles because he used his jutsu to help make them." She said.

Kakashi blinked in disbelief and said. "You mean The Thunder God was a real Shinobi?"

.

"Yes, he was. My uncle told me he was so attuned to the lightning element that he could control where the lightning bolts of a thunderstorm cloud would strike.

You should know him well. He is the one that killed the Second Hokage…He was the first Raikage's Anbu commander…" She said knowingly.

Kakashi's was slightly stunned and full of questions. "Then why did he help both your uncle and Minato make their swords?"

"He helped the Second Hokage before the war started and after it was over, a long time later, he helped the Fourth Hokage make his sword.

So you see there is no way they can remake that sword." She said as she crossed her arms.

.

Kakashi eyed her for a moment and said.

"There is a lightning master that can call down the lightning from the sky…and he's in this village right now."

She looked at him curiously and asked "Who?"

"Someone Naruto knows very well…Sasuke Uchiha." He said seriously.

Her eyes widened for a moment as Kakashi said.

"If Tenten, Naruto and Sasuke work together there is a very real possibility they could remake that sword…even make it stronger…"

She took a long deep breath and sadly shook her head back and forth.

"I can't believe he would go this far to remake my uncle's sword…"

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Hanabi were doing their morning training when a Anbu appeared near them.

"Sage Naruto the Hokage has summoned you." He said from a kneeling position.

He gave the Anbu a curious look and said. "Ok, me and Hanabi will be there shortly."

"She summoned JUST you…" He said seriously.

He gave him a puzzled look and created a single clone. "Ok… Hanabi keep trying to summon with my clone I'll be back shortly."

.

Naruto entered the Hokage's office a short while later. She was going over paperwork as he walked up to her desk.

She carefully set it down and eyed him slowly.

"What is this about Tsunade-Chan? I'm still training Hanabi right now. You can't be thinking of sending me on a mission are you?"

She reached into her desk and pulled out a small blue scroll and carefully set it in front of her.

.

"Why are you trying to reforge my uncle's sword?" She asked him slowly.

Naruto lowered his head and mumbled to himself. "Damn, how did she find out so soon?"

He picked his head up and said. "I need it for my training to learn the lightning element."

She let out a long sigh and said. "I figured as much. Did Sasuke offer his help in remaking it?"

"Kami how did you know that?" He asked in surprise.

"I am the Hokage after all." She told him flatly.

.

She looked down at the scroll on her desk sadly for a long moment before asking.

"Did you really offer Tenten the Flying Thunder God sword for her help?

Naruto suddenly got a sad look on his face as he looked away and said. "Yes…I did, but she refused it. She said it was too much."

She looked at him sadly and said.

"You were willing to part with the only weapon you have of your fathers to get the Raijin remade. Is it really that important to you?"

He took in a deep breath and looked her right in the eyes and said with resolve. "Yes, it is that important to me."

She picked up the scroll on her desk and tossed it to him.

.

He caught it and asked with a confused look. "What is this?"

She looked at him with resolve and said. "It's the records on how my uncle and his friend made the sword. The jutsu he sealed into the blade is in there as well."

Naruto gave her a blank look of shock. "You-you mean I have your blessing to try to remake it?"

She hung her head and said. "It's just a broken sword right now…If you need it that badly then yes, you may try to reforge it.

But be warned that jutsu in that scroll is as such a high level that I don't even know if Sasuke could use it. And I want you to promise me one thing…""

He looked at her intently as she said. "Never try to trade your father's sword again."

"It's not like I wanted to part with it… I promise."

Naruto smiled at her and ran over and hugged her. "Thank you Tsunade-chan!"

.

* * *

.

After Hanabi went to her bedroom Naruto again slipped out of the house and went to Tenten's shop. Her sign wasn't out this time, but the lights were still on.

He went up to the door and said. "Did Tsunade send you to protect her shop?"

An Anbu's head melded out of the wall. "Yes she did. The item inside is still very valuable even in its current condition. She felt it should be guarded."

Naruto nodded at him and opened the door. He went up to the counter and rang the bell.

"I'll be there in a moment." She said.

Soon she came out and her look changed to worry and nervousness.

.

"Naruto I'm-I'm still not..." She said as she stopped in mid sentence when Naruto took out a small scroll and placed it on the counter.

She eyed the scroll for a long moment.

"You don't need to worry anymore. Tsunade gave me the jutsu scroll and her blessing to try to reforge the sword."

She smiled at him in relief. "Really?"

He nodded his head at her and said. "Yes. Didn't you notice the Anbu stationed outside guarding your shop?"

She stared at him blankly. "I guess not…" He said slowly.

.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" He asked her.

"Yes actually. I want to practice repairing this kind of damage to a sword. Follow me."

She said as she went back in to her forge. He followed her.

She went into a corner were some sword blades were leaning up against the wall. She handed him three of them and said.

"These are some of my defective blades. I was going to melt them down, but never got around to it.

I want you to break them the same way you broke Raijin."

He nodded his head. "Ok, if that's what you want. Can I use your vice to hold them though?"

"Sure." She said as he went over to the vice on a metal work bench and clamped the blades into it in a fanned out pattern.

He gave her a reserved look and said. "You might want to stand back for this…"

She blinked at him and suddenly took heed of his obvious advice.

.

He summoned at Rasengan and pushed it into the first blade.

It snapped almost instantly. He broke the other two in the same manner and released his jutsu.

She walked over and inspected the broken blades.

"I see…the wind isn't cutting the blade. It's making it vibrate until the blade can't take it anymore and snaps. That explains how cleanly the break on the Raijin sword is."

Naruto look over at Tenten who was lost in thought. "Is this ok?" He asked her.

She shook her head a few times to come out of her thoughts. "Yes, its fine." She said with a wave of her hand.

"Is there anything else I can do to help?" He asked her slowly.

She gave him a questioning look like she wasn't sure she wanted him to help.

"I can man the bellows, get fire wood, massage your shoulders and get you food. Just name it." He said with a boyish smile.

She sighed and said. "Have you read the scroll yet?"

.

"Yes, what about it?" He replied.

"What kind of metal was used to make the core of the sword?" She asked.

He looked up in thought and said. "I don't remember…"

She gave him a flat look and said. "You're worthless then…"

She walked back to the counter and got the scroll.

She skimmed through the history and finally got to the part of how the sword was made.

The more she read the more her face became shocked.

She walked back into her forge with the scroll in hand and held it up in front of Naruto.

.

"You never told me the inactive form of the sword was just the hilt and that it uses a time space jutsu to summon the blade at will!

The lay out to make this sword is INSANE!

I haven't even gotten to the jutsu that's sealed in it yet! I'm scared to keep reading!" She yelled at him.

He sighed at her and said.

"Look, I don't need the blade to be summoned from another time/space. I just need it to produce lightning."

"No Naruto, you DO need it to be summoned from another time/space. The blade is always active.

It even says in the scroll that when they first made the sword that they made it like a normal sword where the blade was fixed into the hilt.

They couldn't find a sheath that could hold in the lightning and there is quite a list of things they tried." She berated him.

.

"Look I'm not going to pull your leg.

I didn't understand diddly-squat about what the heck the blade is made of, but I understood the time/space jutsu quiet easily." He said.

She had an exasperated look and wiped her face with her hand.

The door to the shop opened and she rolled her eyes.

"Kami…who is it this time?" She said as she went back to her counter.

.

"Hello, Welcome to Tenten's shop of smithery and sealing how can I help you?...Lady Tsunade what brings you here?"

Tsunade was standing next to Kakashi, while holding a small box and said. "I came to hear how you and Naruto are doing on fixing my uncles sword."

She rolled her eyes and said. "I've just started reading the scroll…Your uncle was insane to make something this hard to create!"

She smiled at her knowingly. "That's why twelve master smiths told me it was beyond repair.

My uncle was very mild mannered unless it came to anything related to combat…then he was over the top."

Kakashi said. "We came to add our advice if you needed any."

"Heck I don't know where to start. I haven't even finished reading the entire scroll.

I don't even know what the blade is totally made from yet." She said as she went back into her forge where Naruto was.

.

They followed her into the forge.

Kakashi said. "The blade is actually a crystal that was infused with a very special iron to make it stronger.

The core of the blade is platinum to conduct the lightning.

In the opening of the hilt is a summoning orb that summons the blade from a pocket of time space that was created in the pommel.

The summoner's orb also had a jutsu to fix the blade on it when it's summoned. That's the over view at least."

.

Naruto took the scroll from Tenten and started reading it again.

"This is pretty cool. It liquefies the core of the blade when it's used and then re-solidifies after it's not in use….

Ohhh…that's kind of tricky. It says that if any air is in the core that it will break the blade the first time it's used."

Tenten hung her head and said to herself. "I really should have taken the Flying Thunder God sword for this."

Tsunade told her. "Don't get discouraged. I brought some things that will help."

She set the box down on Tenten's soot covered workbench.

.

She took out the first item. It was a gray necklace as thick as her thumb. "Here is some platinum."

Kakashi eyed her for a long moment. "Did some poor noble guy give you that as a suitors present?"

She threw him a scowl and told him quietly. "Hush you…"

She picked up the next item. It was a five inch square flat piece of metal that was half an inch thick.

It was concaved and was the same grayish tan color as the broken pieces of the Raijin sword.

Tenten eyed the square of metal and looked back at the Hokage sadly.

She put on a fake cheerful smile and said. "What's wrong?"

.

She took a ragged breath and said. "Hokage-sama…This is the left shoulder plate out of a suit of plate armor…

Seeing as how the only time I've seen this metal is in the Second Hokage's sword, then I'm pretty sure I know what you got this off of."

She gave her an understanding look and said.

"Yes. I got it off of my uncle's armor that's in the Hokage Vault. How they made the metal is lost. I didn't have a choice.

I know you hate it when we lose relics of the past, but the sword is of much greater value then the shoulder plate of my uncle's out dated armor."

She looked at the floor and sadly said. "This is just getting worse and worse…"

The next item she took out of the box was a small crystal vial.

"This is magma quick crystal and it's insanely expensive. Luckily my uncle left some in our clan vault.

You will have to use this to melt the piece of the blade back together as it's the only thing known to be able to melt crystal without shattering it.

It dissolves part of the blade and then re-hardens after it dries." She said.

.

Kakashi spoke to Naruto. "Do you think you can restore the time/space jutsu?"

Naruto was intently reading the scroll and looked up at him.

"That's actually the most dangerous part of the whole process as far as I can tell.

It says that the blade being moved to its place in the time/space pocket it's actually what broke the first two blades they made.

Once it's fixed in that place its fine though."

.

Kakashi said. "I think you should go with a fixed blade and try to make a sheath instead.

We only have one broken blade so if you mess up it's over. Several of the components in the blade are unknown to us."

Naruto scratched his head in frustration and said. "Yeah the only problem is that wood is the ideal sheath, but wood isn't a very good material to hold a jutsu seal in.

I'm really starting to see why they made this sword the way that they did.

At first I thought they were showing off…, but now it seems practical."

.

Kakashi held out his hand and said. "Can I see the scroll?"

Naruto handed it to him and he went over all the types of thing they had tried to use to make a sheath out of.

"That is quite a list…but I don't see ironwood on the list.

It's actually known to hold a jutsu fairly well and probably wasn't available before the eastern shipping routes were opened fifteen years ago.

It's mainly used for making the lower parts of sea ships as it's so strong." Kakashi said.

"Do you think we could get any of that kind of wood in the village?" Naruto asked.

.

Kakashi sighed. "Just about every larger sea ship would have it for in voyage repairs, but we only get the small ships that come up the river to peddle their wares.

It's not likely we can find any of it in the village as most of them are fairly local people.

Only a few actually have sea ships that send smaller ships up the river." He said.

"Crap, I don't have any of my kunais buried to the south of the village either.

That's like a six day round trip just to get a log." He said as he hung his head.

"You know it's only just after nine pm and I don't think Tsunade has eaten all day…" He said suggestively.

Tsunade was telling Tenten a story about her uncle using the sword when Naruto yelled over at them.

.

"Hey Tsunade are you hungry?"

She stopped in mid sentences and turned to him as she raised an eye brow.

"Please tell me with all I've done for you today that you aren't going to pester me about eating.

I can get something when I get back to my room."

"I'll treat all three of you to dinner at Taki's…and drinks." He said with a smile.

"Naruto, I need to read over the scroll. I'll have to pass." Tenten said shyly.

"I too have pressing matters to attend to." Kakashi said with a fake smile.

Tsunade looked at him carefully and said. "I guess going out for a drink and some food wouldn't be a bad idea..."

.

* * *

.

They arrived at the white building and entered the officer's lounge.

They took their seat as a waiter came up to them and said. "I'll have your drinks shortly."

Naruto looked around the lounge and he didn't see any sea ship officer, only the local merchant sailors.

"Damn!" He said to himself looking around the nearly empty officer's lounge.

The waiter was over at the bar when Tsunade said loudly. "Double my normal drink order."

Naruto sighed loudly clearly thinking he was going to be taking a very drunk Hokage back to her room again.

"I don't see any sea ship sailors here tonight. Why don't you have a drink with me?" Tsunade said evilly.

Naruto gave her a flat look of annoyance.

"Because last time you told me to spend the night with you and then you gave me two big lumps on the head in the morning."

"You can spend the night again. But you're sleeping on the couch this time." She said in a joking and warning manner.

Naruto's look never changed as he sarcastically said. "Then I'd probably get even more lumps from Hanabi when she found out."

.

Suddenly a group of twelve rowdy sailors entered the other side of the bar.

The noise from the other room nearly double with all the sailors talking so loudly.

Tsunade said. "It looks like a ship got here late, but you are still drinking with me." She warned him.

He rolled his eyes at her and said. "I'm buying. I never said I'm drinking with you."

She rolled her eyes at him as a mountain of a man barely squeezed himself through the door to the officer's lounge.

.

He was just over seven feet tall wearing blue pants a white shirt and a red vest.

His red hair and beard were shaggy and he had a big red scare over his left eye.

He had a bit of a pot belly, but overall he was a powerfully built man of over four hundred pounds.

"Zakrai, can I get seven pitchers of Rakia ale please?"

He asked the formally dressed bartender as he placed two chairs next to each other to hold his massive weight.

The barman nodded his head at him.

.

Naruto eyes lit up. "Hey, Red Scar."

"Hello there Naruto. I see you are with your mother eating at the officer's lounge again.

Rest assured I will not be getting rowdy Miss Hokage." He said and then laughed as Naruto followed suit.

"I'd hope not." Tsunade said and also laughed.

Naruto asked him. "Hey Red, you're a sea captain right?"

He gave him a slightly curious look and said. "Actually, I'm a fleet captain of the high seas, but what of it?"

Naruto carefully chose his words. "Would you happen to have any ironwood?"

Red Scar let out a great roar of laughter and said.

"Are you thinking of making your own sea vassal and trying to compete against me? You look a little green for the sea if you ask me!"

"Umm no nothing like that." He said awkwardly.

.

"Then what would you need ironwood for?" He asked cheerfully after he calmed his laughter.

"The only thing it's good for is making sea ships for how much it cost for the stuff. How many planks did you need?" He asked.

Naruto looked at him and said. "That depends…How long is a plank of ironwood?"

Red Scar gave him a curious look and said. "A plank is fifteen feet long."

Naruto looked over at him and said. "I don't really need that much.

I only need a piece about two inches wide and just over three feet long. I want to make a scabbard for a sword."

"Hmmm, I guess it's not the strangest thing I've ever heard before."

He said with a shrug. "Follow me to my ship. I've got a few spar pieces lying around."

.

Naruto followed him down to docks until they got to a thirty five feet long sailing vessel. He led him over deck and eventually they made it to a very cramped hull.

Even Red Scar had trouble fitting in between the barrels of cargo before he finally made it back to a fifteen feet long thin box built into the side of the hull's wall.

He opened the long thin box and said. "Here is the wood I have. Take a look and tell me which one strikes your fancy."

Naruto looked through the box. There were only two full length pieces of iron wood.

He took a look at the end of both of them and set them back down as they didn't have the wood pattern he was looking for.

Most of the other pieces of wood were only about a foot long and ill suited for when he needed them for. He then caught sight of a few broken pieces of wood near the box.

"Hey, are those pieces ironwood too?" He asked.

.

The captain gave him a confused look. "Yes, but they are quite old. We hit a bottom rock on the way here and had to replace some boards.

Those are the ones that broke. We sometimes use them to make wood pulp to seal crack in the hull, but not when they are that old." He told him.

Naruto walked up to the splintered plank and picked up one end. He saw a perfect circle in the center of the plank.

It was exactly what he was looking for. It was the heart of the iron tree and the hardest part of the wood.

"Hey, can I have this piece?" He asked with a smile.

"Sure. It's just drift wood as far as I'm concerned.

It should have been thrown overboard already." He said casually. "I won't even charge you for it."

.

On their way back to the bar Naruto suddenly remembered something. "Hey Red?"

The giant man looked down at him and said. "Yes?"

Naruto gave him a confused and curious look before asking. "Have you ever heard of swordfish swimming up a freshwater river before?"

Red Scar suddenly let lose a great merit of laughter. Naruto smiled innocently and scratched the back of his head.

"Hehe yeah, I guess my eyes were playing tricks on me that day…" He said.

Red Scar calmed his laughter and said.

"I doubt that. The swordfish is one of the noblest fish of the sea. Beautiful and powerful they are.

A fellow captain of the seas of mine sometimes catches them and sells them off as pets to nobles."

.

Naruto looked at for a long moment before asking. "Then why was that so funny?"

He smiled back at him. "Because the noble swordfish is a very lousy pet.

If you put one with any other fish it will kill them. That fellow captain of mine calls them sucker pets for nobles.

They put them in their showy tanks with other fish to display them and they come back to find a blood bath of fish guts. That's when they normally let them go in a river.

I bet a noble found that out the hard way the day you saw that fish. To think there are nobles that still buy those things!" He said and then laughed again.

.

They returned to find that Red Scar's drink order had been moved to the Hokage's table. Tsunade was already halfway through her bottle of sake.

"You two took too long." She said slightly annoyed.

Naruto set the four feet long five inch thick plank that was splintered at one end next to his chair and said.

"Sorry. His ship was at the other end of the docks." Naruto said as he sat down to his plate of food.

Red Scar eyed the Hokage carefully.

"Do I take it that my drink order being moved is a invitation to drink with you miss Hokage?"

She looked over at him and said. "Yes, seeing as how Naruto doesn't want to drink with me tonight." She scowled at Naruto.

Red gave her a smile as he put two seats together across the table to hold his massive weight and sat down.

"Thank you for the invitation." He said respectfully.

.

Naruto eyed Red Scar and asked. "Why are you drinking tonight?

I thought you didn't drink very often. I hope you didn't lose another sailor again." He said.

"Nothing thing like that. I pulled my back a bit while repairing the ship. I only want to dull the pain."

He picked up the first pint of ale and downed it in a single gulp.

Tsunade said as she poured another shot for herself. "That's good to hear. How has your business been lately?"

.

"Fairly good. We started shipping exotic fruits recently and they have been a big hit, but our main seller is still the basics like metal, fabric and weapons.

Tomorrow will be a great time to make a pie. We are off loading quite the shipment of limes, strawberries, cherries and melons to the local merchants."

He said and then downed another pint of ale and set the empty glass down.

"How has life been in your village?" He asked.

Naruto wanted to tell him about the Chunin exam's but knew he was forbidden because Red wasn't supposed to know about their secret ninja village.

Red Scar already knew more than he was supposed to about their village.

.

"It's been pretty quiet. I've taken up teaching and I have a new student." He said thinking carefully how to explain to him without revealing too much.

Red nodded at him quietly and said. "Ah yes, I remember you telling me you were a martial artist in your county's military.

How are your students coming along? Are they still hot headed thinking they can beat their master?"

Tsunade laughed loudly. "Definitely not! Everyone in the village knows not to mess with Naruto. His students are among them."

Naruto scratched the back of his head innocently and blushed slightly. "Yeah, they are coming along pretty well.

We all entered…A tournament of sorts together and my two students fought each other in the semi-finals match.

I was in the other semi-final match and my opponent forfeited to me after seeing the two of them fight." He said shyly.

Red Scar and Tsunade laughed.

.

"Well if your martial art skills are even close to Miss Tsunade's I can see why." Red Scar said while smiling

Tsunade drained the last of her bottle of sake as Red watched her and he shook his head.

"I've sailed all over the seas and I've never seen another that could drink as much as you can."

He turned to the bar keep and loudly said. "Another bottle for Miss Tsunade on my bill please."

.

Naruto have him a sour and warning look and said. "Hey, if you sauce her up then YOU take her home."

Red laughed quietly and said. "That actually happened one time when you were not here.

I found out very quickly that your village guards are VERY protective of her.

Ten of those guards that wear black followed us the whole way.

One tried to stop us from leaving the dock area, but she told him to leave us alone.

.

We were both pretty drunk and staggered all the way to that huge building that she lives in.

I handed her off to the guard at the door and got sick over the railing.

I was very regretful at that moment for trying to drink her under the table.

I could hardly move and I was about to pass out when one of the guards wearing green heaved me onto his shoulder and carried me back to my ship.

I think he might have been a guard leader or something as he was strong enough to lift and carry my weight.

Any way the next day's voyage downstream had to be the worst day of life. I was So sick that day."

He said as they laughed.

.

* * *

.

The two days later after training Hanabi, Naruto again slipped out of the house and went to Tenten's shop.

The Anbu guard waved him in at the door and he entered her weapons gallery. He never rang the bell and slipped into her forge.

He could feel she was very low on chakra and she was in the middle of casting a jutsu.

She had the Raijin sword in a vice with the blade half's clamped together like they were whole.

The place where the two broken half's met was glowing red like magma.

Tenten both hands were stretched on in front of her hold on to a jutsu.

All around her gray dust filled the air and was slowly being drawn into the blade.

She was very dirty and sweating profusely as she hit her knees.

_"Oh no!…Its breaking…I can't give up…but I can't go on… I'm almost out of strength and…chakra…" _

She thought between labored gasps for air as she kept drawing the metal dust into the crystal blade.

Naruto wore a solemn and very resolved look as he moved behind her without her noticing.

_._

_"Her mental state looks like it's about to break…and she's burning up too much chakra as well…_

_I guess I'll have to help her, but can she really endure my chakra at its purest state?"_ He thought.

He summoned the purest of blue chakra into his hand. Chakra that was infused with his will.

It was only the size of a candles flame, but it radiated his very being… his will.

Naruto looked at the chakra in indecision for a long moment as Tenten's chakra was fading.

_._

_"I haven't even given Hanabi chakra of this kind…but if it is the only way…"_ He thought as he touched the blue flame to her back.

Her fading eyes snapped open as she instantly burned with bright blue chakra that surrounded her body.

Not only did she burn with chakra but she was infused with Naruto's indomitable will.

A will that would never give up or back down. A will that didn't even know what the word failure meant.

"AGHHHHHHH!" She screamed while throwing her head back as she was set on fire by his chakra and his very being.

The dust in the air was instantly drawn into the blade and it glowed white.

The heat in the room became unbearable and Naruto wrapped his arms around Tenten then disappeared as the metal workbench sweated melting metal droplets.

.

They reappeared outside of his house. Naruto was standing while Tenten panted on all fours.

"Are you ok Tenten?" Naruto asked her as he kneeled down.

She stared up at him with a crazed looked of absolute resolution in her brown eyes.

"What the HELL did you do you me!" She yelled at him.

He reached out and placed both of his hands on her shoulders. He looked at her softly and said.

"I couldn't let you fail… so I touched you with my Will of Fire."

_"His Will of Fire…I can't believe a feeling like this exist!_

_I feel like I could do anything without fail, even level mountains. Is this how you always feel?_

_Is this how strong the will of our future Hokage is?"_ She thought wildly.

.

She closed her eyes and saw Naruto. He was bigger than a mountain and he was looking down at her from far away.

She suddenly felt very small next to him, like she was a grain of sand next to a mountain.

Memories of Naruto filled her mind. She saw him charging into battle with powerful opponents again and again.

She vividly remembered the play he acted out for Iruka's class on the battle of the three Sannin.

She saw him surrounded by the Toad Clan when he fought Pain.

She saw him fighting Sasuke on the day he ended the fourth ninja war.

_"This is the Will of Fire of Naruto…I see… This is why he could always face such powerful ninja without fear or doubt in his heart._

_This is why no one can truly stand by his side as his equal."_ She thought.

.

Naruto gently shook her by her shoulders. She came back from the depths of her mind and looked at Naruto with confusion in her eyes.

"Hey…Are you ok Tenten?" He asked her kindly with concern in his voice.

She shook her head as she got up on her feet. "Yes, I am. I've just…never felt a Will of Fire as strong as yours. I was a bit overcome by it…"

She said as she looked away from him.

He nodded his head in thought before saying. "Are you ready to go?"

She turned and gave him a confused look. "Go where?"

Naruto gave her a boyish smile and said. "Back to your forge of course! I want to see if you were successful in remaking the blade."

She smiled shyly at him and said. "Oh…right. I'd forgotten for a moment."

.

They walked back to her forge. All the windows were open and the Anbu guard was by a tree near the door.

"A little warning would have been nice when you released the wave of heat." He said.

Tenten looked over at him slightly embarrassed and said.

"Sorry I didn't realize that was going to happen. I take it you were the one that opened the windows?"

"Yes, I didn't want the shop to burn down. I am here to protect it after all. I've also sent word to the Hokage." He replied.

Naruto walked up to the door and opened it. "Let's go see if she's going to kill me or not?" He said to her.

.

Her forge had always smelled like soot and burning iron, but it was even stronger now.

They went back into her forge and looked around. The part of her vice that was holding the blade had melted. The metal table had bumps where it started to melt and re-harden.

The melted vice was barely holding the gleaming yellow crystal blade. Tenten rushed over to it and started examining it from every angle without touching it.

Naruto walked over to her and asked. "Did it work?"

She eyed him coldly. "Quiet! I'm trying to see that now." She scowled him as she went back to her work.

After many long moments and she held her hand over the blade. She touched it with her finger and smiled. She then tried to remove it from the vice.

"Crap! It's stuck in the vice. Help me get it out." She asked Naruto as she tried to open the partly melted vice to no avail.

.

Naruto crouched down in front of the vice with an intense look of thought on his face.

He rubbed his chin a few times before getting an innocent look on his face.

"Actually I don't have a jutsu that is going to help us here." He said.

Tenten sweat dropped and fell over. She got up and yelled at him.

"You're supposed to be the most powerful Ninjutsu user in history and you can't handle this?"

He held his hands up at the outraged weapon's smith and said. "Sorry! My earth jutsu isn't that good or refined yet.

My wind jutsu is to powerful, I could damage the blade if I used it."

Tenten looked at him with a sour look. "You're useless…" She said flatly.

.

Tsunade sighed loudly as she walked into the room. "I came here to see how things are going and all I find is you two arguing."

She walked over to the vice and looked at it for a moment. "Tenten grab the blade." She said and Tenten held onto it.

Tsunade grabbed both sides of the vice and pulled it apart with a loud snap of her monstrous strength.

Tenten carefully examined the rest of the blade. She then pulled out the scroll and started reading as she looked it over.

"There are no air pockets in the core of the blade…" She said blankly and then suddenly smiled. "I think I did it…"

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief as Tsunade said. "Maybe Kakashi was right about you after all."

She looked over at her and asked. "What did he say?"

"He said with Naruto's help you could become a Grandmaster smith." She told her and then turned to Naruto.

"Have you managed to make a sheath for it yet?"

.

Naruto pulled out a scroll and set it on the ground. "Unseal!" He said while making a hand sign.

There was a small puff of smoke and then on the scroll there laid a three feet long ash colored sheath.

"I'm no good at carving out stuff like this. I got someone else to form the wood into a sheath.

I've created a pocket of time/space in it to contain the blade. I just hope it's strong enough." He told her.

Tsunade signed at him. "If it isn't strong enough, I have a containment room set up to house the sword in until you can find something that will.

That's only if you can seal the jutsu into it." She gave him a knowing look.

.

Tenten laid the blade and the handle out on her work bench and started getting tools.

Tsunade eyed her critically and said. "You're not actually thinking that you're going to finish putting it back together tonight?

You are filthy and exhausted. You need to go home and rest Tenten."

She turned and looked at the Hokage. Pure determination shined brightly in her eyes.

"No Hokage-sama. I want to finish it while the Will of Fire burns brightly in me. I want to see it whole again.

I want it to be wielded by a leaf ninja so it will give hope to the people of the village again."

She said with conviction as she grabbed the two pieces and slid them together.

"To us weapon smiths, remaking a master piece like this is our greatest dream. I can't stop when I'm so close."

.

Tsunade turned a sour look to Naruto and said. "This is all your fault. You always have this effect on people…"

He smiled at her and shrugged. Tenten turned to him and said.

"There isn't much of the quick magma left. I'll need your help to form the summoning crystal and the blade together."

She put on an old pair of leather gloves and uncorked the small crystal vial.

She set the vial down and got out a straight edge to make sure she formed it at the correct angle.

Tsunade sighed loudly. "I guess there is no point talking to you. Anbu!" She yelled into the other room.

The Anbu guard was instantly bowing at her feet. "Go get the lightning master." She told him.

.

After twenty minutes Tenten with Naruto's help fixed the blade into the hilt.

"Wow it you did it Tenten!" Naruto cheered her. She pulled out a cloth and wiped some of the soot off of her face.

"We should probably let the quick magma cure over night just to make sure the hold is as strong as possible."

She said clearly exhausted while she looked at the sword that was lying on her work bench.

"That will not be necessary. It's fully cured in five minutes." Tsunade said as she looked at Tenten.

"Are you ready to go home now? It's about to get dangerous when the lightning master gets here. We don't know what will happen if the sealing fails."

Tenten smiled at her. "There's no way I'll be able to sleep until I know if it worked or not."

Tsunade rolled her eyes and sighed. She clearly didn't want her to be there if they failed.

.

"He's almost here." Naruto said as he went over and picked up the sword.

He walked outside and everyone followed. In front of her shop was a small open clearing in the woods.

Naruto walked to the center of the clearing and waited silently for many long moments looking down the road.

An Anbu with a man dressed in white was slowly walking up the road. The man in white used a cane and his eyes were covered with a bandage.

Tenten eyes when wide when she realized who it was.

"Sasuke…he's the lightning master he was talking about?" She said breathlessly. "I thought he gave up being a ninja and his jutsu…"

Tsunade lean down and whispered. "He's not a ninja. He's just helping his friend."

.

"I take it Tenten has remade the blade seeing as how I was summoned Naruto." Sasuke said when he was right in front of him.

Indomitable determination shined in his eyes as he said. "Yes Sasuke. She did it. Do you think you can cast the jutsu I told you about?"

Sasuke gave him a sneering smile and said. "You may be the hero of the village, but I'm still the best lightning master in the village."

Naruto smiled back at him. "Have you prepared the chakra we are going to need?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes I have. I've got over four hundred clones worth standing by." He said with a smile.

Sasuke chuckled softly as he tilted his head down. "I figured you'd go overboard. There is no way we will need that much."

"Hey, at least I came prepared!" He said loudly.

.

"I've gotten the guard to read the scroll to me. I can cast the jutsu in it, but I feel it would be better to use one of my own instead.

It doesn't matter what jutsu is sealed into the blade as long as its lightning based. I have a plan.

Instead of using a sustained attack and sealing it multiple times, I'd like to seal one of my strongest lightning attacks into the blade…" He said.

Naruto eyed him curiously. "And which one is that?"

"You'd have to use the curse of my clan for this to work my old friend." He said and then sighed.

Naruto stared at him with a serious look while he thought for a long moment.

"You want to try sealing Kirin into it, don't you?" He said slowly.

Sasuke smiled at him. "Exactly."

.

Naruto looked up at the sky in thought.

The moon was full and heavy rain clouds were in the air like broken pieces of a puzzle scattered across the sky is disarray.

He looked back at Sasuke in thought. He sighed and turned to Tenten and Tsunade.

"I think it's time you guys clear out. It really is about to get dangerous." He said seriously.

Tenten looked at him in confusion and asked. "Wait. What is this 'Kirin' jutsu you are talking about?"

.

Tsunade put her hand on Tenten's shoulder and said. "He's going to call the lightning down from the clouds.

Natures lightning and it's vastly more powerful than anything a ninja can create alone. He's right we need to get clear of here to be safe."

"But-but my shop is here!" She protested.

"Your shop is safe Tenten. I've placed a barrier seal on it." The Anbu guard said.

Tenten slumped her shoulders in defeat and left with Tsunade and the Anbu guard.

.

Sasuke gave Naruto a knowing smile after the others left. "You know I can't perform this jutsu in the village. It's far too destructive."

He nodded his head at him and looked off into the distance. His eyes locked onto the tallest mountain in sight.

He pulled out one of his kunais and put his arm around Sasuke's shoulders.

They disappeared into the night.

.


	24. Chapter 24: The Summoning Jutsu

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**Chapter 24: The Summoning Jutsu**

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Authors notes:

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Questions/reviews:

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_**Lord-Kuroryu  
2010-08-03 . chapter 23**_

_**This is a very good story Thousandson! **_

_**One thing which confused me was the lightning sword of the Second Hokage when he was a very strong water style ninja. **_

_**Then again, most Jonin can use two different styles of jutsu. **_

_**I love how you also use a bit of science in your story, like the sword has to be in a pocket of space because it's always active. **_

_**I'm really looking forward to your next chapter!**_

.

Hell you and me both! That is actually from the anime, I never said it made total sense.

As for how the sword works. I just thought of everything in the Naruto world and asked myself 'How would I make this item work.'

Let's be realistic, the sword is a lightsaber from Star Wars. It even has the same sound effect from the movies in the anime.

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Last chapter

* * *

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Tsunade put her hand on Tenten's shoulder and said. "He's going to call the lightning down from the clouds.

Natures lightning and its way more powerful than anything a ninja can create alone. He's right we need to get clear of here to be safe."

"But-but my shop is here!" She protested.

"Your shop is safe Tenten. I've placed a barrier seal on it." The Anbu guard said.

Tenten slumped her shoulders in defeat and left with Tsunade and the Anbu guard.

.

Sasuke gave Naruto a knowing smile after the others left. "You know I can't perform this jutsu in the village. It's far too destructive."

He nodded his head at him and looked off into the distance. His eyes locked onto the tallest mountain in sight.

He pulled out one of his kunais and put his arm around Sasuke's shoulders.

They disappeared into the night.

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Chapter Twenty-Four: The Summoning Jutsu.

* * *

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Naruto appeared on top of the tallest mountain near the village with Raijin in his hand.

He took his arm out from around Sasuke and looked to the heavy clouds in the sky.

Even though Sasuke was sightless he tilted his head toward the heavens as well. A bolt of lightning leaped from one cloud to another.

It sent out the loud crack of thunder that reverberated across the landscape.

.

"Even Kami seems to favor you. A thunderstorm is brewing just when you needed one…" Sasuke said as he smiled at the clouds.

"That is not totally true. I'm moving those clouds with my wind to help create that thunderstorm. They are bound by my will…"

He said as the storm clouds rolled in the sky and grew darker.

Sasuke laughed quietly to himself. "So all that training wasn't for nothing. You CAN create lightning…You just can't control where it strikes…" He said proudly.

"Doing this takes all my will. It wouldn't be effective when I'm fighting Kyuubi while summoning the other four elements and molding them into their sub elements."

He said as his un-henged brown eyes focused of the clouds. The clouds rolled and churned angrily in the night sky as a bolt of lightning hit the top of a nearby mountain.

.

Naruto walked over to the summit and drove the blade of the sword into the earth. He stepped away from it and looked back at Sasuke.

Sasuke became one with the storm and was deep in concentration. "Get ready."

Naruto looked over at the gleaming yellow blade of Raijin.

He went through a long series of hand signs and runes appeared in to air just above the swords hilt.

They turned in a slow rotation waiting to seal the lightning.

"It's ready." Naruto said seriously while holding up his hand in a sign to reinforce his seal and his eyes shifted to red with three commas's around their outer edge.

.

Sasuke held up his hand to the thick stormy clouds as the broke over the land dropping heavy sheets of rain.

He held his hand for a long moment of concentration before speaking one devastating word.

"Kirin!" He yelled to the heavens and a single blinding bolt of lightning shot out of the clouds and hit the sword.

The bolt seemed to last forever and Naruto struggled to contain it in his seal. It arched and hissed in a thundering clap as it finally ended.

The thunder echoed off the nearby mountains as Naruto hit the ground on all fours.

.

"Did it work?" Sasuke said calmly.

He panted a few times and said. "I…don't know…I can't…see."

"That will go away shortly. What seal did you try to seal it with?" Sasuke asked.

When he had finally caught his breath he said. "It's one of the most powerful trap seals that was on my father's clan scroll. It's called… a Vortex seal."

Sasuke listened carefully and could hear the sound of small bolts arching constantly.

He smiled and said. "I think it worked…"

.

Naruto looked over at the blurry sword and could just make out the bolts of lightning leaping off the blade.

"Hand me the sheath you made for it. I'll do it. The lightning doesn't hurt me." Sasuke said with his hand out.

Naruto stood up and took out the ash grey sheath while panting. "Here." He said as he handed it to Sasuke.

Sasuke walked over to the Raijin sword. Several bolts of lightning passed right through him and he pulled the sword free from the stone.

He slowly slid the blade into the sheath and all was quiet.

"Your sheath is holding…I think Tenten is going to be overjoyed." Sasuke said as he looked over at him.

.

* * *

.

Tenten and Tsunade were in her office waiting to hear the results on the Raijin sword.

It was pouring rain outside and flashes of lightning were hitting all over the place.

"I'll never forgive him if he breaks it again." Tenten said worriedly.

Tsunade sighed at her. "The sword was already broke Tenten. It was worthless as a weapon.

Calm down, they have only been gone twenty minutes." She told her.

Tenten paced around the room and threw her hands over her head. "I know! I just can't stand not knowing…"

.  
A loud knock at the door sounded.

The Anbu guard said. "Hokage, Sage Naruto and Sasuke are here to see you."

Tenten raced across the room and ripped the door open.

Sasuke was holding Naruto up with one of his arms over his shoulders and they both were drenched from the rain.

Naruto was clearly exhausted, but held firmly onto the sword in his right hand.

.

"Tenten…" He said as he held the sword by the sheath out in front of him. He wasn't holding it directly out at her.

She took the sword from him and eyed him intently for a long moment. "Naruto?..." She said curiously.

Water streamed down his face as a lightning bolt that hit far away lit and up the village behind him for a moment.

He blinked at her trying to focus in on her.

"Naruto….Why are your eyes brown instead of blue?" She asked him carefully.

Naruto gave her a short laugh and henged his eyes back to blue.

.

"You're holding the Thunder God Raijin and that's all you have to ask me." He said clearly very tired.

Tenten stared at the sword in her hand in disbelief. "You-you mean it worked?"

Naruto started slipping off Sasuke's shoulder and he had to catch him. He got a better grip on him and politely asked.

"Tenten, if you wouldn't mind, could you please un-block the door.

I have a very limited amount of time I can use my chakra to see with and it's almost used up from having to carry him back here from on top of a mountain.

Soon both of us will be blind."

She stepped out of the way wearing a blank look. Sasuke made it two steps in side before her look became one of shock.

"Wait! Naruto…you're blind!" She said loudly.

.

Sasuke continued to carry him to the couch and he said. "I can hardly see right now. You're like a dim shadow to me in a blindingly white room."

Sasuke carefully set him down on the couch and sat down next to him. Naruto lean his head back in exhaustion.

Tenten worriedly looked over a Tsunade's worried look. Sasuke panted and said.

"You haven't gotten any lighter since we were younger…By the way if I end up having the same side effect as Hanabi from that jutsu you used on me…

I might stop being a peaceful person just long enough to hit you with my Kirin attack a few times."

Naruto laughed through his exhaustion and then cringed with pain in his head. "Ouch my head is killing me."

Tsunade got up and went over to him. She stood before him and shined a light into his eyes.

"Your eyes aren't responding to light…What happened?" She asked as she continued to check him out.

.

"Naruto used a sealing jutsu and I summoned Kirin the thunder dragon of the skies.

I tried to keep him hidden in the clouds, but I'm not sure if that went well.

Kirin used his lightning on the blade for almost ten seconds. I added my own chakra to it to make it more powerful.

He used some weird sealing jutsu that made runes appear over the top of the sword and then spun in a vortex motion.

After that he handed me the sheath and I sheathed the sword.

He could hardly stand and I had to use all my sensory chakra to carry him back here." Sasuke said clearly exhausted as well.

The sadness was clear in Tsunade's eyes as she lifted her hand and started pouring healing chakra into his eyes.

.

"You really used the Maigika Vortex Trap Seal to remake the Raijin…I can't believe you'd go that far. I hope you know you are lucky to be alive.

That jutsu almost always takes the life of the one that uses it alone. Even your father never used it by himself.

It was meant to be used with three people at Sage level." Tsunade said with sadness in her eyes.

She spoke softly. "I hope you know what that seal was meant to be used for...?"

Naruto held still while she healed him and said. "Yes, I do know what it was invented for, to seal one of the tailed beasts into a Jinchuuriki."

Sasuke turned over to him and gave in a sour expression.

"If I had any strength left in my arms right now I'd punch you." He said slightly annoyed.

"No one said it was going to be easy, but the sword is remade." Naruto said as he tried to catch his breath.

.

She finished healing his eyes and placed her hand over his heart.

Naruto felt Tsunade's chakra entering his body. His eyes snapped opened and he grabbed her wrist.

"No! Don't use that jutsu on me. I'm fine. There is no need to take such a risk." He said firmly as he pushed her arm back.

She smirked at him. "I guess you will just have to overpower me then. That is if you can…" She said in a warning manner.

Naruto could see her, but she was still blurry to him.

"Mother stop! You can't help me with that jutsu. I am already balancing three different kinds of chakra.

If you add a fourth you are only making it harder on me." He said loudly.

.

She flinched and turned away. Naruto released his grip on her forearm.

"Can you at least see now?" She said unable to look at him.

"Things are still a bit blurry, but I can see colors again.

If you are that worried about my chakra being this low I can dispel a few of my clones, but I was saving them for something important." He said.

She hung her head and said. "All this for the Raijin sword…Aren't you taking too much…"

She was cut off as someone from behind her that crashed into Naruto on the couch.

Tsunade looked up and saw the back of a Toad Clan uniform.

.

"Master…" Hanabi said as she was fiercely clutching him in a hug.

"I had the most vivid dream about you fighting a dragon made of lightning….are you ok?" She asked clearly emotional and worried.

Naruto instinctively wrapped his arms around her as she buried her face into his shoulder.

"I'm fine Hanabi. It's all over. Shouldn't you be in bed?" He asked her tenderly.

"I was…until I had that dream…A man in white summoned that dragon and made you fight it to protect something from its lightning." She yelled into his shoulder.

He stroked her back and said. "I told you it was over… I'm fine."

Tsunade and Tenten were stunned. Hanabi's dream was exactly what Sasuke had told them had happened.

_"Has the connection developed to that degree?" _Tsunade thought soullessly.

.

"I asked the man in white to summon that dragon…its name is Kirin." He told her. She clutched him tighter.

"Why would you ask this Kirin person to summon that lightning dragon?" She asked him.

"Kirin is the dragon…I asked Sasuke to summon him. The man in white is sitting right next to me." He said while holding her.

She instantly pulled her head back and looked a Sasuke.

A look of horror came to her face as they reappeared in the farthest corner of the office with Naruto on his knees in front of her.

Killing intent poured out of her as she held a kunai out in front of them. She was scowling at Sasuke.

Sasuke sighed and looked at her with his sightless eyes before saying. "Attack me if you wish, but the only one you will hurt is Naruto."

"Hanabi stop! He is telling the truth." Naruto said through is blurry vision.

.

Hanabi continued to glare at him. "You summoned that and could have killed him? For what purpose?" She yelled at him.

Sasuke faced her and said. "Because he asked me to… I know he has told you all about me Hanabi.

He has told you things that he hasn't told his closest friends and yet you know them.

You know our story and from that you should know that I would give up my life for him if he asked for it. "

"Calm yourself. Sasuke is not an enemy. You are no match for him." He said as her grabbed her arm that was around him.

Hanabi relaxed her grip on him and put away her kunai while eying him.

Tsunade sighed and said. "Hanabi take Naruto home. We will talk about this in the morning when he is feeling better."

.

"Yes Tsunade-chan. Hanabi lets go." He said as he turned around to walk out the door. He promptly walked face first into a wall with a dull thud.

"Ouch!" He said rubbing his face. Tenten busted up laughing while Tsunade rolled her eyes.

Hanabi gave him a strange look and carefully said. "Master….maybe I should led us home…"

"Yeah I guess that would be a good idea." He admitted while holding his aching face.

Hanabi took him by the hand and slowly led him out the door but not before throwing Sasuke one last scowl.

.

"He is going to be the death of me one of these days." Tsunade said as shook her head and turned back to Sasuke.

"You aren't helping the matter either." She scolded him.

Sasuke sighed. "At least it worked, the sword is remade." He turned to Tenten.

"Tenten I thought you couldn't wait to see it and yet you haven't even looked at it." He said.

She smiled and was about to unsheathe it when Tsunade said.

"I think you should take it back to your shop to look it over. I'll send Kakashi over to help you later.", as a quick second thought.

.

* * *

.

Naruto could no longer sleep and opened his eyes. He looked around the blurry room. It took him several moments to focus his eyes.

He could see a set of statues of mermaids in the corner of the room that were holding large jars.

"This isn't my room." He said as he looked down to see Hanabi was sleeping soundly on his chest and she was wearing a thin red night gown.

His eyes widened as he looked at himself.

_"Who took my shirt off? And what am I doing in Hanabi's room?"_ He thought as he tried to shift her off of him and sit up.

Hanabi stirred and opened her eyes.

"You're too noisy in the morning…Go back to sleep." She said half asleep with a sour look on her face as she pushed him back over on to the pillow.

She went right back to where she was and tried to go back to sleep.

.

"Hanabi…what am I doing in your bed?" He asked her in a warning manner.

"I had to practically carry you back here from the Hokage's office last night. Don't you remember?" She said refusing to open her eyes.

Naruto struggled to remember what happened last night with his hand over his eyes and finally said. "That doesn't explain why I'm in your bed and not mine…"

She grinned and said. "I guess you aren't going to worry me again by going out at night without telling me.

This is pay back for me having to lug you all the way back home whiskers."

Naruto got a stern look on his face and said.

"Hanabi…this isn't right. What if Shizan saw us like this?"

Hanabi sighed as she had given up on going back to sleep. She pushed herself up off his chest and stretched. She blinked lazily at him and said.

.

"Then I guess you'd have another picture to put on your mantle.

It's not like we haven't slept next to each other before." Her stomach growled loudly.

Naruto sighed loudly and got up off the bed. "Where is my shirt?"

She smiled at him innocently and said. "The better question is, where is your pants?"

.

Naruto eyes went wide as he looked down. He was wearing his pants... Hanabi busted up laughing.

"HAHA, I got you!" She said as she almost fell out of the bed.

"Ha ha very funny…" He said sarcastically as he left the room and headed off to his own room to change clothes.

She looked over at her night stand after she stopped laughing. On it was a picture of her hitting him in the head with a rock with his eyes bulging.

She smiled at it. "Got you again whiskers…" She said to herself softly.

.

They were all eating down in the dining room as Shizan took a seat with her food.

"I heard some noise this morning from up stairs. What was that all about Hanabi?" She asked as she cut up her fried egg and took a bite.

She glanced around innocently and said. "It was nothing…"

Naruto looked at her flatly.

"What are you two going to do today?" Shizan asked.

Naruto finished his bite of toast and said.

"I need to stop by the hospital this morning for a checkup and then we have to go over to Tenten's shop to pick up my order.

After that it's back to training for the rest of the day."

.

* * *

.

Naruto was sitting in a hospital room with Hanabi waiting for Sakura to see him.

"Can you see better master?" Hanabi said slightly worried.

"Yes, things are a little hazy far away, but it's been getting better all morning.

Rest assured we will not be skipping training today." He said with a knowing look.

"Hey! I only tried to play hooky once. I want to go to training." She said slightly offended.

.

The door clicked open and Sakura came into the room in her white medic's coat.

She was carrying a clip board and was writing on it as she approached him.

"Morning Sakura." He said as she set down her clip board.

She was wearing a huge smile…a huge fake smile. She cracked him over the head with a single thundering punch.

The bed he was sitting on broke in two from the thundering strike.

.

Naruto sat up from the floor rubbing his head. "Ouch what was that for?"

"You-you even have to ask!" She said beside herself in anger. "How could you ask Sasuke to use that jutsu for you?"

He continued rubbing his head as he squinted up at her.

"Actually it was HIS idea. Why don't you go crack him instead?" He said sarcastically.

"Still, you know better. You know he'd do nearly anything for you!" She said angrily.

Hanabi got in-between Sakura and Naruto. She stared down Sakura with a very serious look.

She pushed her away from him. Sakura looked at her in shock and offense.

.

"Let's get one thing straight right now Sakura. He's MY boyfriend and master. Not your punching bag.

If you EVER strike my master again, you will be the one that ends up on the ground!" She said as killing intent poured out of her.

She gave her a short laugh and leaned on one of her knees. "If you think you're the one that can take me down then let's go outside."

"I'm certainly farther on the path to becoming a Sage than you are." She said as she walked out of the room.

.

She flinched from her comment and the fire appeared in her eyes as she clenched her fist in front of her.

"I'm gonna teach that high and mighty Hyuuga princess a lesson." She said through gritted teeth.

"Sakura-chan, come on, please let it go." Naruto said defensively as he tried to block the door.

She easily shoved him out of the way and stormed down the hall.

"Aww come on you two." He said as he hung his head in defeat.

.

Outside behind the hospital Sakura dropped her medics coat on the ground and put on a pair of black leather gloves.

Hanabi got in her he defensive Taijutsu form and waited.

Naruto waited by a tree outside clearly unhappy about this. He suddenly perked up.

_"You know if Hanabi beats her then maybe…just maybe Sakura will think twice about her Sage training."_ He thought to himself and a smile appeared on his face.

"Alright you little Hyuuga brat, its time you learned who is in charge around here." She said as she stared her down and cracked her knuckles.

"You can't be speaking about yourself I hope. A medic that hurts her patients, what a laugh." Hanabi retorted calmly as she activated her Byakugan.

.

Naruto walked over to the two of them and with a strained face said. "I don't suppose I could talk you two out of this?"

They both turned to him and said at the same time. "Shut up Naruto!"

Naruto hung his head and grinned evilly as he popped one of his Sage clones at the Hokage training ground.

Naruto sigh and pick his head up. He patted Hanabi on the back over her heart string chakra line and forced his Sage chakra into her.

He smiled and said. "Well good luck Hanabi. It's been nice knowing you."

She kept her calm peaceful look and smile at Sakura.

.

Naruto backed away from them.

"I'm gonna end this in one shot you little brat!" She said as she charged Hanabi. Just as she was about to hit her Hanabi disappeared.

Sakura skidded to stop herself and looked around trying to see where she had gone.

Naruto smiled at Sakura. _"This fight is over." _He thought.

.

Hanabi was high in the air above her and had already summoned three clones.

Her Sage mark came out on her face as she yelled. "Four Hanabi's Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Sakura turned and looked up just to catch a glimpses her first strike.

Hanabi and the three clones hit it was a barrage of strikes and she couldn't defend from as it was four on one.

.

When it was over she was laid out on the ground. She struggle to get into a sitting position and said through clenched teeth.

"How…How did you do that? It took you over forty minutes last time to enter Sage mode." She strained against the pain of her attack as she started trying to healing herself.

"Because I'm on the path to become a Sage. I don't hide myself doubt behind a bad attitude like you.

Also you can't heal yourself when you don't have any chakra you can mold."

She said still in her Taijutsu form as her three clones dissipated into smoke with a loud pop.

.

_"Damn she's right. I can use any of my chakra…I never expected her to be that fast."_ Sakura thought.

"You have a pretty poor way of treating your friend, comrade, patient and village hero." She said sharply.

Sakura had just gotten to a sitting position and could only look away in shame.

"Hanabi stop." Naruto said genuinely. "Please stop. She wouldn't have clobbered me if she didn't care. It's kind of the way she has says she cares about me.

I know you may think it's weird, but that's how it's become over the years."

"It's still not right to use violence as a form of affection Naruto. Nor is it right for her to strike another woman's man like that.

She disrespected me when she struck you and she disrespected Squad Seven." Hanabi said while looking at Naruto.

Sakura looked over at her in offense and said. "You're just a Genin that joined the Squad a month ago. What would you know of our squad?"

She gave her a queer look and said. "Apparently a lot more then you, I'm not a Genin, I'm a Chunin. Also there is a new leader to Squad Seven in case you didn't know."

She gave Naruto a confused look and said. "Kakashi retired? Who's the new Jonin Instructor then? Who could they even replace him with?"

.

Naruto sighed as Hanabi said. "He's the one you clobbered a minute ago. That's right it's Naruto Uzumaki, Hero of the five nations."

Sakura looked at Naruto in disbelief. "That's not all…He got approval from the high council…You just hit the future Sixth Hokage."

Sakura was stunned to her core. Memory after memory of Naruto saying 'one day I'm gonna be Hokage!' played in her mind over and over.

Over twelve years worth of memory play in her mind in a few moments of him saying that.

She tried to stand but fell down. "Naruto come here please…" She said emotionally.

He walked over to her and kneed down. She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck with tears in her eyes.

She squeezed him at tightly as her weak arms could. "It's finally happened…after all these years…your dream of becoming Hokage…"

Naruto sighed with a kind look on his face as tears streamed down her face.

.

"I was going to tell you over dinner tonight about being promoted to Jonin Instructor.

I'm not the Sixth Hokage yet. I'm only on Tsunade's possible list of successors." He told her as he held her tightly.

More tears streamed down her face as she said. "Who could they possibly pick over you?"

He nodded his head slightly and said. "Kakashi is the only other person on her list. Don't worry though; Tsunade isn't retiring any time soon."

Hanabi sighed. "I don't like you hugging him either, but it's better than you hitting him. So I'll let it slide."

She said as she looked back at the hospital to see everyone looking out the windows at them.

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Hanabi were summoned to the Hokage's office a short time later.

He was sitting on the ugly green sofa of the Second Hokage while Tsunade checked out his eyes.

She put away her light after having him do a few basic exercises with his eyes.

"You should be fine within another day." Tsunade said.

.

There was a loud knock at the door and the guard outside said. "Tenten is here to see you Lady Hokage."

"What good timing. Send her in." Tsunade said as she returned to her chair.

The door opened and Tenten was surrounded by Anbu guards. In her hand she carried a sword.

She walked in and only the Anbu with a cat mask escorted her inside.

The Anbu closed the door behind them and then put up the privacy seals.

Tenten stood before her and said. "It looks like we were successful. The sword is as good as new."

She handed the sword to Tsunade. She took the sword and eyed it for a moment. She stood up and went over to Naruto.

.

She held the sword out and said. "I can't believe you three did it. Here, now you have both the Thunder God swords.

You have my blessing to use it however you see fit."

He took the sword with both hands and said. "Thank you Tsunade-chan."

Hanabi gave him a confused look and said. "Both? As in there is another one of them?"

Tsunade looked over at her and said. "Yes Raijin is the Thunder God.

The Fourth Hokage's sword is the Flying Thunder God. Naruto has them both now."

Hanabi looked over at Naruto. "Master if you already had one of them why did you want the other?" She asked him.

He gave her a kind look and said. "Because Raijin is a lightning element sword, my father's isn't.

The Flying Thunder God sword is the sword all my special kunais are based off of."

She blinked at him a few times in confusion.

"We will talk about it another time." He told her as he stood up.

.

"It's time we went to training." He said as he reached for Hanabi's hand.

"Just a moment Naruto. I need to speak with Hanabi." Tsunade said.

She turned to her with a dangerous fake smile and said.

"You've been quite the hot head recently. I heard about your little fight with Sakura this morning.

If I hear about another of these fights with a leaf ninja then you'll be sparring with ME next time. Got it…" She said as her look changed to a scowl.

.

Naruto was cringing away for Tsunade and Hanabi never flinched. She stood up calmly and said.

"I will not say that I'm sorry for what I did. She had no right to hit my master and treat him that way.

She picked the fight not me. I have nothing to be sorry for."

Tsunade looked over at Naruto with gritted teeth and said. "If you want to keep your Disciple then you had best get her out of my office…Now!"

Naruto nearly backed into the corner from her killing intent.

"Ri-Right! Hanabi come on we are going." He said nervously as he grabbed her by the hand and dashed out of the room.

.

Tsunade went back to her chair and said down. She sighed loudly as she pulled out an ornate scroll and set it on her desk.

"His students are getting just as bad as he is." She said as she turned to a very stunned Tenten.

She picked up the scroll and held it out to Tenten.

"Congratulations Tenten. For remaking my uncle's sword I'm giving you this as a reward."

She gave her a confused look as she walked up and took the green scroll with a golden embroidery on it.

.

She opened it and read for a moment.

The scroll slipped from her hands and clattered on the floor as her look went blank. "A-A Green Dragon scroll…"

Kakashi took off his cat mask and smiled at her.

"That's right. You are now officially a Fire Nation Grandmaster Weapon Smith. Hang it in your shop with pride." He said.

"It's not money, but I figured you'd want this a lot more." Tsunade said kindly.

.

Tenten was still in shock as she picked up the scroll and walked out without another word.

Kakashi looked at her back as she left sourly. "I figured she at least be a bit happier about it."

"She will be when she realizes it's not a dream." Tsunade said as she picked up a scroll and started back to work.

A loud knock on the door stopped Kakashi from leaving out the window.

"Lady Hokage, Sakura is here to see you." The guard said through the door.

.

"I had a feeling this was coming. Send her in." She said knowingly.

The door opened and Sakura came in looking slightly tired. Tsunade crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair with a slightly annoyed look on her face.

"If you are her about the fight you had with Hanabi then don't bother, I've already heard about it.

I guess you already know that you shouldn't have picked a fight with her in the first place." She warned.

Sakura looked at the floor sadly. "I-I'm not hear about that…I'd like to take a leave of absence from my hospital duties."

.

Tsunade looked at her curiously and said. "What for?"

She shifted nervously in place and still didn't make eye contact.

"I want to go to Mareleste Swamp and take my Slug Sage training…if you will let me that is."

Tsunade sighed loudly and said under her breath. "Damn you Naruto…you're always making more work for me."

.

"We don't even know your animal type yet Sakura. I can only guess what animal you are. I'm not certain that you are a Slug type.

Before you can even think of going there you will have to learn the summoning jutsu and I don't really have the time to teach you right now."

Sakura looked at the floor quietly. "Oh sorry for asking then." She said meekly.

Tsunade got a evil twinkle in her eye and said.

"I do however know a master summoner that's teaching someone else how to summon right now. How about I send a message to him?

He might even be able to tell you what chakra animal you are."

Sakura looked at her in surprise. "Please master I'll do anything if you will ask him to train me…!" She begged her.

_"Kami Tsunade you are ruthless aren't you." _Kakashi thought as he shook his head.

.

* * *

.

_"This is strange; this isn't one of the normal training grounds…Why did Tsunade send me all the way out here? I hope she isn't getting senile." _

Sakura thought as she picked her way up a wood path.

"Summoning jutsu!" She heard faintly off in the distance. She quickened her pace to see who this master summoner was.

She rounded a group of tree to see none other than four-hundred Naruto's and Hanabi.

Hanabi was standing by a stream going through hand sighs and using the summoning jutsu.

Sakura face turned to a shocked look of dread.

_._

_"Kami she's ruthless! How can I ask Naruto to teach me after Hanabi just beat me up? Ergh! This makes me so mad!" _She thought.

She stood there in anger for a moment before relaxing and sighing.

_"Well I did say I'd do anything…"_ She thought in dismay as she hung her head.

She picked up her head and walked over to them.

.

"Hey Naruto I've got a scroll from Tsunade for you." She said as all the training Naruto's looked over at her.

The real Naruto that was watching Hanabi by the stream waved her over.

Hanabi continued to train like she wasn't there. Naruto had a curious look on his face as he took the scroll.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh great an assignment scroll. As if I wasn't busy enough.

I guess I better get used to this as the new leader of the squad." He said as he opened the scroll.

He read over it quickly and then stared at Sakura for a moment. He read over it again and stared at Sakura again.

Hanabi stopped training and eyed him curiously. "What is it master? Are we going out on another mission?"

He shrugged as he casually scratched the back of his head. He looked over at her and said.

.

"It seems my first assignment as Squad Sevens leader is to teach Sakura the summoning jutsu."

Hanabi gave Sakura a disbelieving look as she went back to her training.

Sakura's wore a strained look with a fake smile.

_"Don't lose your cool Sakura…keep calm."_ She told herself.

Naruto looked over at her and said. "That should be simple enough. What type of animal does your chakra lean towards?"

.

Sakura gave him a strained look and said. "Tsunade was hoping you could figure that out."

Naruto rolled his eyes and read the entire scroll at the bottom was a note that read. _"You fired her up. You handle it…' leader'!"_

Naruto sighed as he walked into the clearing and bit his thumb. He went through the series of hand signs and yelled.

"Summoning jutsu!" A huge puff of smoke enveloped the training ground. After it cleared only a single old Toad was standing there.

"What's this all about Naruto? Lately you have been summoning me for some rather petty reasons. I hope you have a good reason this time."

Fukasaku warned him with a none to friendly look.

.

"It's not a petty reason this time. I need to know what animal Sakura leans towards. That's all." Naruto said with his hands out defensively.

The old toad relaxed as he walked over to her and inspected her. Sakura was sweating profusely in worry as the elder Toad Sage looked her over.

"She has quite a bit of chakra and her control seems pretty good. This shouldn't be hard. Let's hope she's a Toad type animal.

She looks like quiet the promising student." He said as Sakura blushed slightly and looked away.

.

The elder took out a large diagram and placed it on the ground. There were all kinds of chakra animals on it.

In the center of it was the twelve main animals in a circle and around them were all the sub animals.

"Come here and place your hand in the center of the paper child." She leaned down and set her hand in the center and asked.

"Umm ok… what now?" He placed his small hand on top of hers and said. "Just run some chakra into the diagram."

.

She closed her eyes and summoned her chakra.

Normally this would have been easy, but she had a tougher time because of Hanabi's attack on her from earlier that day.

Two animals glowed on the paper. "You can stop now Sakura." He said softly.

She opened her eyes as the paper stopped glowing. She looked at him questioningly.

"It's too bad…" He said.

.

"What? What's too bad?" She said desperately.

The elder looked at the ground sadly and said. "You're not a Toad type…"

She sweat dropped and fell over. She stood back up instantly and grab on to his shoulder. "Come on tell me already!" She said franticly.

The elder sighed and said. "Your main animal is the Bull as you might have expected."

Her look became sad and her hands slipped from his shoulder.

"I see…So I can't follow in Tsunade's footsteps then…" She said in a defeated tone.

"On the contrary, your sub animal is the Slug…just like Tsunade." He told her.

.

Sakura blinked blankly at him and said. "My sub animal?"

The old toad nodded at her and said. "That's right. The Slug isn't one of the twelve main animals, it's a sub animal. You have a choice to make.

You will either need to sign the Bull or the Slug contract."

Sakura replied. "I already made my choice. I want to sign the Slug con-" Fukasaku held up his hand you quite her.

He placed his hand back on his walking stick and said.

"Don't be hasty child. I know you want to follow in Tsunade's footsteps, but do you know anything about the Bull Clan?"

She stared and him blankly. "Not really I guess."

"I see…Then I will teach you of the Clans." He said as Naruto and Hanabi came over to them and sat down cross legged.

Sakura gave them a strange look and said. "What are you two doing?"

.

Naruto gave her a curious look and then smiled while saying.

"When an elder takes time to teach, you should listen. He is over eight-hundred years old and he's very wise. His greatest gift is his knowledge."

Sakura gave him a very confused look. Hanabi grabbed her arm and pulled her into a sitting position. She whispered loudly into her ear.

"During Sage training the only breaks you get is when the elders teach you. So just sit down and shut up!" She turned back to the elder with a strained smile.

Sakura awkwardly adjusted herself while sitting.

.

"The twelve main animals are the twelve most powerful Clans.

The Bull is one of the best for strength in combat, but they have their weaknesses just like any other Clan.

For a straight line attack there is little doubt they are the second strongest Clan.

The first would be the Elephant, but they take forever to make a decision on any matter.

The Bull Clan is only great in a straight line attack and it takes them time to recover after an attack.

When they are recovering is when they are prone to a counter attack.

This is why the Bull Clan is one of the best for combat, but they are very weak to the agile Monkey Clan.

The Clans are…Well they are like the elements, some are strong against one Clan and weak against another.

But that is not important right now. Right now what is important is why Tsunade chose the Slug Clan over the Bull Clan when she had the same choice.

Tell me child do you know why Tsunade chose a lesser Clan when she could have chosen a stronger one?" He asked her.

.

Sakura was caught off guard by the question and only shook her head from side to side.

"I thought as much." He said with a sigh as he looked down.

"Let's look at the Slug Clan. As far as physical power they are one of the weakest. They are a support Clan.

They are versatile and quick to react on the battle field. They are also one of the hardest types of Clan's to kill.

They have the greatest regeneration abilities of all the Clan's and the strongest healing powers.

One Clan member can divide into thousand's and accomplish many tasks at the same time.

When they are wielded by a master like Tsunade they can easily rival one of the main Clans.

Can you see now why Tsunade chose the Slug Clan over the Bull Clan?" He asked her.

.

Sakura was lost in thought. _"For what I want I honestly think I'm actually more suited to the Bull Clan. _

_But why did my master really decide on one of the lesser Clans over the main Clans. _

_Over all its just doesn't make since even if Jiraiya and Orochimaru were both fast and powerful attackers. _

_I would want to surpass them and become the strongest."_

.

The elder sighed loudly clearly seeing she didn't understand.

"I know you were held back during the Fourth ninja war.

As far as a war goes it was a fairly short one, but have you ever looked over a battle field when your foes and your comrade's bodies laying still in death.

Have you ever ceased feeling revenge at a sight of something like that?

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a small child and knew that you killed their parents in a war?

Did you have to live with the grief of knowing you caused countless children to starve to death in a war?

I think not Sakura. This is why the Hokage chose a lesser Clan, the Slug Clan.

I know she seems like a rash hot headed woman, but in truth she is actually the kindest Shinobi of her time.

She chose the Slug Clan because she wanted to ease the pain others and wanted to help them." He told her.

.

She looked down in thought for a moment. She then pulled out a small red scroll and handed it to Naruto.

"Please unseal this Naruto." She said with conviction in her eyes. Naruto examined the seal on the scroll and went through a series of hand signs.

"Unseal!" He said as a giant red scroll appeared. He opened the scroll and wrote Sakura's name on the empty slot next to Tsunade's name.

He looked over at her and asked. "Do you know how to sign a summoning contract?"

"Not exactly." She admitted shyly.

"It's a blood contract. You sign it with a hand print of blood." He told her.

She stood up and cut her hand and pumped her fist a few times. She placed her hand on the contract. It glowed faintly for a moment.

Naruto smiled at her and said. "Good, now all you have to do is learn the summoning jutsu. It will not be easy and it takes a lot of practice to master it."

"If that's all you needed Naruto then I'll be off." Fukasaku said with a nod as he dissipated into smoke.

Naruto taught her the series of hand signs and she started practicing with Hanabi by the river.

.

After only two hours she was managing to summon small slugs. Hanabi was trying even harder to stay ahead of Sakura.

She was summoning tadpoles that were almost toads by the end of the day.

_"They are both doing better than I expected. They're little rivalry seems to be driving them both on."_ Naruto thought with a hidden smile.

"Ok you two let's call it a day." He said as all his clones popped.

They were both covered in sweat and looked very tired.

Sakura looked down at the three inch slug she had summoned and smiled at Hanabi.

Hanabi looked at the almost toad she had summoned and thought.

_"Damn she's catching up to me a lot faster than I expected! I can't lose to her!"_

.

Naruto turned to leave and Sakura said. "I'll be over at your house in an hour or so. I still have to do the shopping before coming over."

Hanabi looked over at her and said.

"There is no need for that. Shizan has already done the shopping. She has been taking over the cooking recently."

"Oh…I didn't know that." She said in tired surprise.

"Yeah she has been doing that on her own. She's a much better cook than I am." He admitted.

.

* * *

.

Sakura, Hanabi, Shizan and Naruto were eating in the dining room a short while later.

"So you're teaching Sakura now too?" Shizan asked.

Naruto nodded his head and swallow the food he was eating.

"Yes. The Hokage is too busy to teach her so she sent her to me.

I was already teaching it Hanabi so another person learning it with her isn't that hard for me. They are both progressing well." He said casually.

"Naruto how long do you think it will take me to master this jutsu?" Sakura asked as she was cutting up her fish.

.

Naruto looked up in thought for a moment before looking at her.

"With your amount of chakra and control you will probably get it faster than Hanabi. But this jutsu isn't an easy one to master.

You need a lot of chakra to summon the bigger slugs. You will need to ask Tsunade about the Slug Clan later.

If you want to get technical, I haven't even mastered it yet." He said.

.

Sakura and Hanabi gave him a confused look.

"I still can't summon the Grand Geezer, but I can summon all the rest of the Clan." He said.

"Grand Geezer? Who is he?" Sakura asked intently.

"Yeah he's the greatest of the Toad Sages. He's over a thousand years old and nearly as big as Gamabunta.

He's a little forgetful at times and he is more of a prophet then a fighting class Toad." He told her.

Hanabi eyed him carefully. "Why do you think she will get this jutsu faster than me?" She asked with the slightest hint of offence in her voice.

Naruto looked at her casually and said.

.

"Well when it comes to experience at using jutsu she has a lot more then you do. She has more chakra than you as well.

Right now you two are fairly evenly matched to learn it, but when it comes to pumping more chakra into the jutsu she has an advantage over you."

She carefully asked. "Are you going to use THAT jutsu on her as well?"

Naruto took another bite of food and then said. "No, I'm not going to use the Raw Chakra Transfer on her. She doesn't need it.

She is already a Ninjutsu type and has the chakra levels of one. You however don't, that and my limited time is the only reason I'm using it on you."

.

Sakura gave him a odd look and said. "You're still using that on her? Didn't the Hokage tell you to stop using that?"

He sighed and looked over at her. "I don't use it recklessly like I did before.

Only one to two times a day max. I'm not filling her up forty times a day like before."

She sighed and shook her head in exasperation. "At least you are trying to be responsible about it.

How long until Konohamaru goes back to the Monkey Clan?"

.

"A few days probably. I hope Raichi has an easier time with him this time." He said.

"How long until you two go back as well?" She asked softly with a hint of sadness.

Naruto shrugged and said. "I need to talk to Hiashi before we leave. I have to put in for a leave of absence with Tsunade as well.

She also needs to get back to full strength. Whenever she is, we will travel to mount Myoboku on foot as part of her Toad Sage training."

She gave him a confused look and asked. "Why would you need to go there by foot and how long will that take?"

"It is the Toad Sage spirit quest to go there on foot and it takes about a month according to what Jiraiya said." He replied.

.

"A month? How long will you two be gone?" She asked in surprise.

Naruto thought about it while chewing his food and said. "I not sure, but probably three to six months."

Hanabi dropped her chop sticks and said. "Really that long? It only took me two weeks to learn how to go into Sage mode."

He nodded at her. "Yes that is true, but we have to build up your chakra levels and you need to master summoning as well as learn our fighting style."

Sakura looked at him blankly. "So that's why you have to put in a leave of absence?"

"Yes, no one said becoming a Sage was easy." He said knowingly.

They finished eating and Hanabi and Shizan went to their rooms.

.

Naruto escorted Sakura out the door.

"Good bye Sakura." He said with a wave.

"Umm Naruto about my Summoning training. Who will teach me after you leave?" She asked curiously.

Naruto scratched the back of his head in thought. "Well as far as teaching you, you already know how to use the jutsu.

You just need to keep doing it until you get better at it.

As for giving you pointers, I figured you could ask Kakashi or Tsunade while I'm away." He said.

She took a long moment to think before finally asking. "Does your offer still stand?"

.

Naruto looked at her flatly as he crossed his arms. He sarcastically said.

"If you are just going to take me up on it to look in on Hanabi and me then no."

She held her hands out defensively and said.

"No, no that's not why I was thinking of thinking of taking you up on it." She relaxed and look down as she sighed.

"I was only thinking that I should learn everything I can from you before you leave again." She said honestly.

Naruto relaxed and looked at her with an understanding look as he nodded.

.

"If that's your reason then yes, my offer stands." He told her with a smile.

"It's not my only reason. I mean I am twenty and still living with my parents.

They can get kind of annoying at times and have a curfew at my age is a bit ridiculous. It's a bit cramped in my small room as well." She said slightly annoyed.

"Want me to help you pack?" He asked her with a boyish smile.

.

She eyed him flatly and said. "Hold on we still have some things to talk about first.

If I move in with you, you have to let me pay rent. I'm not going to be some freeloader. Also I want my own bathroom.

You tend to be slob with your cleaning habits and you leave your towels on the floor."

Naruto rolled his eyes and said. "Come on, why do you want to pay me rent? Aren't we beyond that?"

.

She eyed him and said. "I don't want to feel like I owe you or that I'm being a freeloader."

He sighed again. "Fine, but I get to choose the rent." He said as he thought about it for awhile while rubbing his chin.

He hammer fisted his palm and said. "I know, since I'll be away for so long how about you're first six months rent is to look after the place while I'm gone?"

She eyed him carefully and said. "I'm still going to pay you a monetary sum on top of that…"

He rolled his eyes at her and said. "Fine just use it to buy food then. Also, I'll even let you turn one of the other rooms into an office if you like."

She smiled at him and said. "I think I'll take you up on that offer to help me move then. How about you help me tomorrow after training?"

He chuckled softly at her. "Actually, I can have you moved in and set up in less than an hour."

.

She looked at him in dread and then her look changed to one of sarcasm.

"You know my parents would freak if you summoned that many clones. You would break all kinds of things." She said knowingly.

He smiled back at her and said. "I wasn't going to use clones at all. I am a lot better at sealing then you might think."

She eyed him curiously and said. "What were you thinking of doing?"

.

"I'll seal all the things in your bedroom into a scroll and unseal them into your new room.

All you will have to do is push the things like your dresser out to the wall since your room will be bigger.

We will need to take all the stuff out of your closet though." He said casually.

She blinked blankly at him a few times and said. "You've been planning this for awhile haven't you?"

He nodded his head solemnly. "Yes, actually I have or at least I always hoped anyway. Do you think your parents will be stunned if we move you in tonight?"

She wore a so-so look and said. "I don't think it will be much of a problem. I have been telling them I've been looking for a place of my own for awhile now."

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Sakura came back through the gate a short while later. He was holding a small scroll in his hand and Sakura was in a foul mood.

"I can't believe my parents! They practically shooed me out the door they were so happy!" She said angrily as they walked up the cobble stone walk way.

"Don't take it to heart Sakura. You will have all the room you need here." He reminded her.

"Still I don't like how happy they were about it." She said angrily as she crossed her arms.

He reached for the door and Naruto stopped. "Oh there are some things you need to know about living here…" He said almost as an after thought.

Sakura got a very angrily and childish look on her face as she said.

"What? Don't tell me you are going to give me a curfew and crap like my parents?

I moved in with you to get away from that!"

.

Naruto's look became very serious as Sakura took a step back from him.

"No nothing like that. You can come and go as you please, but you can't have any visitors beyond our closest friends." He said.

She gave him a flat look and said. "I can date whomever I wish Naruto. That will not stop me from that!"

Naruto gave her a look of almost offence as she cringed away from him. "As if I would ever stop you from dating someone else…"

Naruto let go of his offence and shook his head in exasperation.

.

"Fine I will show you the reason why. Then you will understand." He said as he opened the door and went inside.

She timidly followed him to the door across from his bed room. He opened it and headed down a set of stone steps with her behind him.

He walked up to a large blue steel door and pulled out a midnight blue key out of his pocket.

"What you see down here you can never reveal to anyone. Only the high council, myself, Hanabi and Tsunade know about this." He said he warned her.

Sakura swallowed hard and nodded her head.

.

Naruto tuned and put the key in the door. He unlocked it and said.

"There is a very good reason why this compound is one of the most secure in the village."

He led her down the stone hallway and into a small room with a mid side messy desk.

He led her pass the desk and into a vast open room with nothing but scroll cases and bookshelf's.

He looked at her very seriously and said. "I am the keeper of this. I am its guardian.

This is the backup archives for the Hokage Vault. In here is the jutsu for all the clan's of the village."

He fanned its arm out at all the scrolls and books stretched further than she could see.

.

She looked at the room in shocked awe. She breathlessly said. "I-I never knew…"

Naruto sighed and said. "I know that's why I'll forgive your reaction to the house rules. This is the reason why you can't have company.

It did hurt a bit when you thought I was trying to restrain your love life."

She looked at the floor with a sarcastic face and shyly said under her breath.

"What love life. I don't even have time to date with how busy I've been.

Honestly the closest thing to a date I've had recently is when you come eat lunch with me."

.

"Did you say something?" Naruto asked.

"Umm nothing. Can we go to see my room now?" She asked quickly changing the topic.

He smiled honestly at her and said. "Sure."

He led her out of the basement and up to the second floor kitchen.

"You can have your pick of the rooms in this wing of the house, save for the second door to the left." He said.

She eyed him curiously and asked sarcastically. "And what's in that room. A dragon or something?"

.

He wore a solemn face as he walked over to the door and unlocked it with the midnight blue key.

Sakura followed him up to the door. The wooden door creaked slowly open at his touch.

The air was very stale like the room hadn't been opened in a very long time.

Inside was a twin size bed that looked like it had been slept in a long time ago and was never made up again.

There were some old cloths on the floor that was very faded picture of the Fourth Hokage and his wife on the nightstand beside the bed.

Sakura looked around the room and wonder why Naruto wouldn't want her to take this room…Until she looked in the open closet.

Inside it she could see white uniforms with the words written from the left hip to the right should that read' Fourth Hokage'."

.

Sakura was stunned and stammered. "So-So this is your parent's bedroom?" She asked.

He nodded his head. "Yes. I left it is just the way it was when I got here.

My mother's night gown is on the floor and the picture of their wedding day is still on the night stand. It is just the way they left it…like they could return at any time.

I know you might think I'm a bit foolish keeping this room the way it is, but it's one of the few things I have left of my parents." He said sadly.

"I thought Hanabi was staying in their room?" She said in disbelief.

Naruto sigh and said. "No my father was a true Shinobi right down to how he lived in his own house.

My parents never lived in the master bedroom as far as I know.

There was a very nasty trap put on it when I moved in.

He set the house up so if an intruder managed to get inside they would likely get trapped or killed before making it to him and my mother."

_._

_"I had no idea a Hokage had to take such precautions."_ She thought in shock.

Naruto pulled the door to the room closed with a loud creak. He turned and gave her a smile.

"I cleaned out one of the room for you to use. You can pick any of them beside this one as your bedroom, but for tonight this is the only clean one."

He went across the hall and opened a twenty feet square room with nothing inside of it. The carpet was a light tan color and the curtains were blue.

He set the scroll in the center of the floor and went through a series of and signed before saying. "Un-seal!"

.

All over her thing appeared just as they where her bedroom…except for all the things hanging on her walls.

The room was much bigger then hers and all the things on the walls appeared into to thin air.

They crashed to floor with the sound of breaking glass as picture frames hit the floor.

Naruto put his head in his hands as Sakura shook her fist at his back in anger.

Sakura relaxed suddenly and walked up to him from behind.

She wrapped him in a hug from behind and honestly said. "Thanks for letting me move in."

Naruto struggled slightly to turn around and hugged her back before saying. "Thanks for moving in."

Naruto helped her arrange some of her things and then turned to the door.

.

"I keep a clone in the down stairs kitchen if you need anything. Feel free to ask if you need a hand." He said.

"I think I'm good right now. Good night." Sakura said with a smile while sitting on her bed.

"Good night." He said and left the room closing the door behind him.

He leaned up against the wall outside of her room and sighed.

_"I guess it would be better in the long run to let her know where she stands in this household."_

He thought as he summoned a single clone that went down stairs.

.

He yawned loudly as he stretched and walked down to the last room at the other wing of the house on the second floor.

He slowly opened the double doors with a lotus carved into them.

Hanabi was sleeping with the book he let her borrow hanging lazily in her hands.

_"I bet you're going to be happy in the morning. You are going to wake up in my arms for the second night in a row."_

He thought as took his shirt off and climbed into bed with her.

He wrapped his arms around her curvy frame as she pulled him in closer in her sleep.

_"I wonder if she knows that she is tempting me more than her sister even did right now." _He thought as he kissed her on the cheek and went to sleep.

.

* * *

.

Sakura woke up early to make breakfast. She finished setting the table and smiled.

_"Now all I have to do is wake everyone up."_ She thought happily.

She went to Naruto room and knocked the door. "Naruto breakfast is ready!" She said in a musical tone as looked through the open door.

Naruto wasn't in his room. _"I guess he is out training knowing him."_ She thought casual as she went up stairs wake up Hanabi.

.

Naruto and Hanabi were sleeping soundly in each other's arms as Sakura knocked lightly on the door.

"Hanabi…I made breakfast. Come down when you are ready." She said loudly.

Hanabi stirred slight and snuggled up to Naruto. She buried her face into his neck.

"Hanabi?" Sakura said in confusion as she opened the door.

She saw Naruto sleeping on his back wearing no shirt and the rest of him was covered by the blanket.

He was in the middle of the bed with Hanabi's arms and legs wrapped around him from his right side.

Hanabi was wearing a yellow silk night gown that was low cut in the front and back.

Her face was right up against his neck.

.

Sakura's face went back with shock, but quickly she looked at them curiously.

_"Naruto is up to something. Hanabi is a noble, there is no way he would be foolish enough to do this kind of thing with her all the time…" _She thought.

She smiled at them. _"I see, he is testing me. Well we will see about that…What would Kakashi do to move this situation into his favor?"_

She grinned evilly as she quietly dug through her belt pouch. She pulled out a camera and lined up a shot for a picture.

"Hmm fried fish. That is always my favorite after…training." She said in a dreaming stupor as she bit the closest thing to her…That just happened to be Naruto's neck.

Naruto's eyes snapped open in pain as a click from Sakura's camera went off.

.

"OUCH? Hanabi LET GO!" He yelled at her, but she didn't wake up and bit him even hard.

He grabbed a pillow and started beating her in the head with it. After a long moment she finally let him go.

He covered this throbbing neck with his hand as she struggled up on you all fours while straddling him.

The low cut yellow night gown she was wearing showed Naruto her bare chest from her position.

He blushed deeply even through his pain as she blinked sleepily at him and said.

"Hmmm I love dreams like these even more then dreams of eating. I can do anything to you and…you…don't get…mad." She said clearly thinking it was a dream.

She wrapped her arms around the stunned Naruto's neck and pushed her body against his.

She pulled his head into a passionate kiss that he was too stunned to resist as another click came from Sakura's camera.

.

When he came to his senses he struggled to pull Hanabi off of him. He forced her lips away from him with a loud pop as he broke the suction she had on him.

He held her at bay by the shoulders while he panted to catch his breath.

She finally started to wake. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes while sitting on his thighs.

"Master what are you doing in my room?" She said as she blinked at him trying to focus her eyes. Then she looked up in confusion and sleepily said.

"Never mind I don't care that you are in my room. I like sleeping next to you."

She broke his hold on her shoulders and laid back down on his bare chest as Sakura's camera went off again.

She quickly dosed off to sleep again as Naruto turned and gave Sakura a 'save me' look.

.

Sakura smiled innocently at him and turned away with her new pictures.

_"Sakura was supposed to get mad show her true colors! Kami how did everything go this wrong?"_ Naruto thought in dismay.


	25. Chapter 25: The Departure

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**Chapter 25: The Departure**

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Author's Notes:

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Questions/Reviews.

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Last Chapter.

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When he came to his senses he struggled to pull Hanabi off of him. He forced her lips away from him with a loud pop as he broke the suction she had on him.

He held her at bay by the shoulders while he panted to catch his breath.

She finally started to wake. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes while sitting on his thighs.

"Master what are you doing in my room?" She said as she blinked at him trying to focus her eyes. Then she looked up in confusion and sleepily said.

"Never mind I don't care that you are in my room. I like sleeping next to you."

She broke his hold on her shoulders and laid back down on his bare chest as Sakura's camera went off again.

She quickly dosed off to sleep again as Naruto turned and gave Sakura a 'save me' look.

.

Sakura smiled innocently at him and turned away with her new pictures.

_"Sakura was supposed to get mad show her true colors! Kami how did everything go this wrong?"_ Naruto thought in dismay.

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Chapter Twenty-Five: The Departure.

* * *

.

It was a warm morning day and the sky was a clear blue without a cloud in it as they set out to the training grounds.

Naruto was walking in front of them in a defeated mood with his shoulders slumped.

Hanabi was looking innocently at Sakura while blushing. Sakura was smiling at her and quietly said.

"Wait until I get them developed. I can't wait for you to see the look on his face when you bit him. It was _so_ funny."

Hanabi blushed harder and looked down. "I-I didn't know that was the real him…I thought I was dreaming." She said shyly.

Sakura's smile got bigger. "I kind of figured that." She said with a knowing look.

.

Hanabi looked over at her after a long moment and said. "Why did you show up so early to make breakfast?"

She looked over at her curiously and said.

"I guess you haven't heard yet. I moved in last night.

I'm renting a room at the other end of the house on the second floor from your bedroom."

Her look flattened out as she carefully eyed Sakura.

Sakura gave her a kind look and honestly said.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to mess with you two or get in your way.

I trust you and Naruto. I just needed a place to move into."

.

Hanabi dropped her scrutinizing gaze and replaced it with a curious one.

"Why here of all places though? You should make plenty of money from your job at the hospital." She asked clearly not overly happy about it.

Sakura leaned back in looked to the sky. "You know the village is still rebuilding from the war.

It's mostly back to the way it was before, but it's hard to find a place of my own. New houses that get built go to larger families first.

There really aren't many that go to a single person yet. That's why I've been living with my parents for so long.

I just needed more room and decided to take him up on his offer from long ago." She said honestly.

Hanabi looked are her carefully. "So you will not interfere with our relationship?" She questioned her.

.

Sakura's eyes shifted back and forth as she put her hand to Hanabi's ear.

"About part of our training…I'm going to be saving some of my chakra back. I'd like to handle the medical Ninjutsu.

Naruto is a medic, but he's…well sloppy sometimes. Nothing beyond that though." She whispered.

Hanabi nodded her head and said.

"Then it's a truce. I will not complain about you staying with us and you will not mess with our relationship."

.

Sakura smiled at her and said. "Agreed, but can we make an exception for taking pictures to pick on him with?

I'm starting to see why Kakashi loves it so much"

Hanabi smiled back at her and said. "Ok as long as none of them show ME in an indecent light." They both laughed.

When they stopped laughing a moment later Hanabi honestly said.

"I think it will be nice to have a female friend outside of my Clan, even if it is only for a few days."

.

Sakura gave her a wondering look and asked. "You don't have any female friends?"

Hanabi glanced over at her as they walked and said.

"No, I was home schooled. I didn't go to the ninja academy.

I had to train an extra two years as the Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan.

I could only leave the compound with a guard of Jonin level.

It wasn't until I was placed on Squad Seven that I got a chance to make friends with people outside of my Clan."

.

Sakura blinked at her in surprise and said. "Really? It sounds like being an Heiress and training at home was pretty rough."

Hanabi shrugged and said. "Yes it was, but it is nothing compared to Sage training."

Sakura suddenly became shy as she pointed her two pointer fingers together. "What is Sage training like?" She asked curiously.

Hanabi took a long moment as she looked up and thought. "It is the hardest training I could have ever imaged.

We trained from sunrise to sun set every day.

Even when we do take a break to rest, either he or one of the elder Sages is feeding me knowledge as fast as I can grasp it.

I still have so much to learn." She said honestly.

Sakura wore a strained look. "But what exactly did your training consist of?"

She asked carefully clearly dreading what she was getting herself into.

.

"Everything. Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, chakra control, elemental theory, learning a new fighting style and jutsus.

I can't go into too much detail because the Toad Clan's laws forbid me from telling people outside of our Clan."

She said clearly regretfully she couldn't tell her more.

Sakura gave her an understanding nod and said. "So it's really that hard?"

.

Hanabi replied. "Yes, but if you have faith in yourself you will succeed."

Sakura shifted uncomfortably and she said. "How do you have so much faith? Weren't you worried about turning into a stone toad? "

She eyed her carefully and said. "I didn't know you that knew about that. No, I was never scared of failing.

Naruto and the Elder Sages were watching over me at all times. It's wasn't as dangerous as you might think."

.

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief after hearing her words.

"Don't get me wrong the training was hell and it was dangerous, but it was worth it." She said with a shy smile.

Sakura looked at her intently and said. "How so?"

Hanabi blushed slightly and said. "The elder's hut where we stayed was fairly small. We slept right next to each other and Naruto is a clingy sleeper.

I got to wake up in his arms almost every morning."

Sakura covered her mouth and laughed slightly. "Hanabi you are a bit devious."

Hanabi shrugged casually and said. "I took my perks where I found them.

The training was hard, but knowing that I would likely wake up in his arms helped me keep going when I wanted to quit."

.

Sakura got an evil look on her face and said. "So this morning wasn't the first time you two slept in the same bed."

She shook her head casually and said. "No, far from it. He actually slept with me the night before as well, but that was my doing."

Sakura was intensely curious for more details and said. "Your doing…how so?"

"After he finished sealing the lightning into Raijin he was more tired than I've ever seen him. I had to practically carry him back to the house.

As you know he couldn't see so I led him to my bedroom instead of his." She said and smiled.

Sakura grinned at her and said. "You really do take you're perks when you find them."

Hanabi got a slightly annoyed look as she looked up the road at his back.

"That and he was heavy. He owed me so I took my favor from him." She said deviously.

.

Sakura laughed at her. _"I can see how she has such a hold on him now. She really does have her ways of keeping him in check._

_To think this little girl can control Naruto in such a way…They really are a good match even if they are only supposed to be pretending."_ She thought.

Hanabi looked over at her with a knowing expression and said.

"Besides, I'm sure you took your share of favors when you dated him as well."

_**"Hell yeah we did!"**_ Inner Sakura yelled inside her head.

Sakura shyly looked away to hide her blushing cheeks. "Yeah…I-I guess I took a few." She said shyly.

Hanabi smiled and said. "I may not know a lot about relationships as this is my first one, but Naruto is very shy when it comes to progress.

I really have to scheme sometimes to get what I want at times. I have to be careful though, I don't want to hurt him or get yelled at."

.

Sakura was clearly seeing that their relationship wasn't just a pretend one, at least from Hanabi's point of view.

Sakura's face suddenly became very sad as she struggled within herself for a long moment.

She took a deep breath as she decided to tell her something. "Hanabi…" She said seriously.

Hanabi stopped walking and turned to her.

"There is something you need to know about Naruto.

It's not my place to tell you this actually and I wouldn't if you weren't a Heiress…" Sakura said seriously.

Hanabi smiled at her and said. "I already know…"

Sakura shook her head back and forth and said. "No you don't know. Naruto…he can't…"

Hanabi finished the sentences for her. "Have children…I know."

.

Sakura was stunned at her casual reaction as her mind started to race.

"But-but then you can't end up together. You have your Clan duties." She said in shock.

"There is always hope Sakura." She said without the slightest flicker of doubt in her eyes.

Sakura nearly had to take a step back from the amount of faith she saw in her eyes.

"You-you sound like you've already confessed to him or something, but you couldn't have done something like that…"

She said in disbelief while wearing a strained smile.

She looked at her with her doubtless eyes and said. "That's because I have already confessed my love to him."

Sakura looked like she had lost her soul from shock.

_._

_"How-how can she just come out and say it like that…She said it so matter-of-fact like. _

_She wasn't afraid at all to tell me that. She said it like I asked her what she had for breakfast." _

She thought as he mind began to race again.

"Why? Why would did you do that when you know the risk? I just don't understand."

Sakura asked in a very lost manner while she gazed at her in confusion.

Hanabi turned and looked out to the sky.

.

"The life I want is a sliver of hope. It maybe a thousand to one long shot, but there is still hope.

I know all the risks of my actions. I'm taking that bet and betting it all on Naruto."

She said with absolute faith in him.

Sakura turned away from her in disbelief.

_._

_"Only Naruto himself has faith that strong…How could Hanabi suddenly have it too?" _

She thought as she clutched her elbows and turned away from her.

She closed her eyes and went to a place in her mind that she had seen many times.

It was a huge growing mountain. Everyone that knew Naruto was trying to climb it as it constantly grew higher.

On the very top of it stood Naruto gazing out over the entire world.

.

The determination and faith he had in himself shined so brightly in his eyes that it even rivaled Kami.

Even the Hokage was beneath him trying to be the one that reached the top and stood next to him as his true equal.

The place next to him was always bare in her mind. No one ever reached the top to stand next to him, but this time someone WAS there.

Hanabi was standing next to him at great risk to herself. She had become the one to stand next to him.

Where in his eyes he shined godlike determination and faith, her eyes shined with the love she had for him.

_"She must know that if Naruto dies his mountain will crumble and the person standing beside him will fall the farthest. _

_I could never be as brave as she is."_ Sakura thought as she was truly humbled by Hanabi's words.

.

"Sakura?" Hanabi said slowly. Sakura shook her head to clear away her thought.

"Sorry, I was just caught off guard by you being so forth right about your feelings for him." She said honestly.

Hanabi shrugged and said. "Why should I hide my feelings for him?

You know I never set out to become a Sage. I never had dreams or aspirations like that."

Sakura gave her a very confused look and said. "Then why are you trying so hard to become a Sage now?"

Hanabi started walking as Sakura walked up to her side.

.

"Because that is what Naruto needs. He needs a Disciple. I'd do anything for him, so that's what I'm trying to become for him." She stated calmly.

She eyed her carefully and said. "You are willing to risk your life by going through Sage training just for him?"

"It's because of him that I've made it so far in my Sage training Sakura.

Do you know what I was thinking that day in the Chunin exams when I finally broke through into Sage Mode?"

She asked her.

.

Sakura was caught off guard by the question and nervously said. "No…what was it?"

Hanabi continued to walk as Sakura got a curious and longing look on her face.

"I saw the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life…I saw Naruto sitting on top of a giant stone Toad with a water fall of oil behind him.

The oil is death to anyone that touches it that can't control Sage chakra.

Every facet of his bare skin was covered in it and he was surrounded in a huge sphere of golden Sage chakra.

My only thoughts and desires in that moment is that I want to sit on that stone Toad with him." She said with conviction burning in her eyes.

Sakura stared at her blankly and said under her breath. "It's just like the way she was on the mountain in my mind…"

.

Naruto yelled from farther up the street. "Hey you two come on! You are falling behind."

"Coming Master!" Hanabi yelled back as she started running up to him.

Sakura shook her head trying to process everything that happened and ran after them.

_"Hanabi…There is something very different about you…"_ She thought.

.

* * *

.

They reached the training grounds and Naruto summoned his normal four-hundred clones.

Hanabi and Sakura continued their little rivalry in their training.

They trained until just after high noon when Naruto looked up from the scroll he was reading and said.

"Ok that is enough for now let's go get lunch."

Hanabi and Sakura were both panting and sweaty.

_"Damn! Her Toad is still bigger than my Slug. I thought Naruto said I would get this faster than her!"_ She thought to herself.

Hanabi looked over at her and said. "You're getting better. You may over take me learning this jutsu, but I'm not giving up my lead willingly."

Sakura smiled at her and she smiled back.

.

* * *

.

They arrived at Ichiraku Ramen a short while later.

Hanabi wasn't in the greatest of moods being forced to eat ramen again as they took their seats.

She muttered loudly. "I hate it when I get out voted and have to eat ramen."

Ichiraku came up with a note pad and pen in hand. "What will..."

He stopped in mid sentence has his eyes locked onto the large red bite mark on Naruto's neck.

.

"Naruto what's on your neck?" He asked curiously.

_"Aww Kami I forgot to henge the bite mark! I've been walking around the whole village with it…_

_Strangely enough no one gave me any weird looks they all just smiled at me..."_

He thought and then looked over at Hanabi flatly. She looked down in embarrassment as he said.

"This morning Hanabi couldn't wait for breakfast and took a bite out of me instead…"

Hanabi shrank back in her seat as Sakura laughed.

.

The ramen master wore a strained smile as he strangely put a frying pan on the counter in easy reach.

He turned directly to Hanabi and said. "Hanabi what you like to order?"

Naruto and Sakura both laughed at him taking her order first as she went flush with embarrassment.

.

Someone lifted the overhanging curtain and took a seat next to Hanabi.

"Hello everyone." Sai said with a smile.

"Congratulations on making Chunin Hanabi and to you as well Naruto for making Jonin Instructor."

Sakura looked at Sai with a very put out look and angrily said.

"Hey how do you know about that when I had to find out the hard way?"

He gave her a queer look and held up a newspaper.

On the front of it was a picture of Hanabi using her Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms move on Konohamaru.

"Because it's in the national news release." He said while tapping his finger on the paper.

"What? Let me see." Sakura said as Sai handed her the paper.

.

Nearly everything about the Chunin exams was in the paper as well as a list of everyone that made Chunin.

There wasn't a word about Konohamaru's red chakra.

Sakura read down the list of names and while pointing at a name she said. "Look Naruto, Moegi made Chunin as well."

He looked over at the paper and smiled. "I bet Ebisu is quite happy."

"There is a whole article on you and another about you, Hanabi and Konohamaru being student and master."

She looked through the article and then looked over at Naruto in shock.

"You didn't tell me the Five Kages voted personally on you to give you the Rank of Jonin Instructor!" She yelled at him in shock.

Naruto scratched the back of his head innocently. "It seems I forgot to tell you that. Sorry." He said apologetically.

.

Ichiraku turned back around from making ramen and said. "Well it seems all of Squad Seven is eating lunch here today. What will you have?"

Sai ordered a bowl and Hanabi said. "All of Squad Seven…? Hey I've seen your picture in Naruto's living room." She said while pointing at Sai.

Naruto slapped himself in the forehead and said. "Oh, I'm sorry Hanabi. I totally forgot you two haven't met yet. This is Sai."

Her eyes lit up and she asked while point at him. "The one that painted your fox statue that is outside your house?"

Sai smiled at her and said. "Oh you have seen my work? How did you like it?"

She looked at him flatly and said. "It scared the hell out of me… twice."

They all laughed, even Hanabi. "Well that's some compliment. Thank you." He said honestly.

.

They got their orders a short while later. Sai was showing Hanabi some of his minor jutsus.

"Hey Sai what is your ninja rank? Me and Sakura are Chunin, Naruto is a Jonin, but I don't know your rank." She asked him curiously.

"This is not a Squad to get caught up in Ranks." He said as he smiled at her.

"I can't tell you my true rank, but it's in between Jonin and Jonin Instructor."

She shot him a puzzled look and asked. "In between Jonin and Jonin Instructor? I thought Instructor was just a job for a Jonin."

.

Kakashi spoke from the end seat and said. "No Hanabi. You're a noble and you didn't know this already? I'm surprised about that."

Hanabi blinked over at him. _"Kami when did he get here? I didn't even feel his presents and I've still have some Sage chakra in me."_

She thought in surprise.

Kakashi continued. "The ninja ranks are as follows.

Civilian, academy student, Genin, Chunin, Special Jonin, Jonin, Jonin Instructor or Jonin Squad Leader, Jonin Commander, High council and finally Hokage.

Note that only Genin and up are considered ninja."

.

She looked at him in confusion and said. "Then why can't Sai tell me his rank?"

Kakashi gave her a disappointed look and said.

"Just think about why a ninja couldn't give you his true rank. Just from him saying that you should be able to understand why."

She thought hard for a moment and then her eyes lit up. "He's in Anbu then!"

.

Kakashi nodded his head and said. "Very good Hanabi. Now that you are a Chunin you are eligible to get Anbu request and mission."

She looked at him in disbelief and said.

"Really? I might have to go on Anbu missions? But the Anbu are the best of the best! How could they even consider me?"

He looked at her carefully and said. "You don't feel you're ready for Anbu missions yet?

Didn't you defeat Konohamaru in the Chunin exams when he had more chakra then even the Hokage, cursed chakra at that, but chakra all the same.

Aren't you well on your way to becoming a Sage and you can already enter the pinnacle fighting state in the ninja world, Sage Mode.

You have received training by the hero of the five nations.

You are the Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan and are easily in the top two of your generation at using the Gentle Fist.

Can't you see why the leader of the Anbu Black Ops might want to throw a mission or two your way?"

.

Hanabi wore a look of dread as she stammered.

"M-Me and Konohamaru worked together to dispel the red chakra before we fought.

I'm not combat proficient at Sage mode and Naruto isn't done training me…

"Oh, so you truly feel you aren't ready yet?" Kakashi said with a serious look.

She looked down and shook her head. "I want to finish my training before even considering taking on missions on that level." She said worriedly.

Kakashi smiled at her and said. "Fine then…I won't send you on any." He turned back around and started reading his book.

.

She looked at him curiously while the rest of them watched her. "Hey wait…What is your rank Kakashi sensei? I thought you retired."

He continued reading his book and said. "I'm not at liberty to say…"

Naruto and Sakura smiled at him. Naruto said. "So you took your old job back. I bet they are pleased."

"Maybe." He said without emotion.

Hanabi was confused and said. "What job?"

Naruto looked over at her and knowingly said. "Head of the Anbu Black Ops."

Hanabi stared at him curiously in disbelief.

.

Naruto started in on his third bowl and said. "Eat up Hanabi. You will need the energy to keep training."

She turned and looked at Naruto and then sourly looked at her ramen.

She started eating and clearly didn't enjoy it.

A short while later Kakashi looked over at Naruto and said. "Thank you for treating me Naruto."

.

He held up a hand sign and disappeared into smoke.

Naruto scowled for a moment at Kakashi's empty seat and tipped up his bowl to drink the ramen broth of his last bowl.

He set the bowl down on the counter and wiped his mouth.

"Ok are you two ready to get back to training!" He said enthusiastically as he put his fist in the air.

Sakura rolled her eyes and Hanabi giggled at him.

"Where you get all that energy I'll never know." Sakura said in a tired tone.

.

* * *

.

Naruto led two very tired and sweaty ninja's through the front door of his house later that the evening.

Sakura's arms were hanging out in front of her as she slumped down in a nearby chair exhausted.

Hanabi was exhausted as well and said. "I can't wait to take a shower."

Sakura wore a dreamy expression and said. "A shower…in my very own bathroom. Hmmm." She smiled at the thought of it.

Naruto was just about to walk into the kitchen and cringed badly.

.

"Actually Sakura-chan I forgot to leave a clone to clean out your bathroom. Sorry." He said as he scratched the back of his head innocently.

Sakura's head rolled on her shoulders to look at him. "I hate you right now Naruto." She said slightly annoyed but very tired.

Hanabi reached down and grabbed her hand. "Come on, you can use the shower in my room. It is big enough for five people." She said trying to get her up.

Sakura gave her a flat look and said. "You want to bathe together?"

She gave her a sarcastic look. "Did you forget I'm a girl too? If you're that exhausted then I'm worried about you taking you're Sage training.

This is light training in comparison. My Sage training isn't nine hours a day its fourteen hours a day." She said.

Sakura let out a deep breath and said. "I'm not so sure I want to become a Sage anymore…"

Hanabi giggled at her and said. "Come on. If you are too bashful I'll let you shower first."

.

They went up to Hanabi's room and Hanabi undressed and turned the knobs on the back of the mermaid shower.

Water started pouring out of the jars each of the statues held. Hanabi turned to her and said.

"It takes it a minute for the water to get warm…What are you doing?"

Hanabi looked at Sakura as she was eyeing the closed door of her bedroom.

"I'm thinking of what kind of seal to put on the door incase Naruto tries to peek at us." She said while thinking.

Hanabi looked at her flatly and slight annoyed.

"Don't put any seal on my door. Naruto is not going to peek at us. Besides I don't care if he sees me naked." She said.

Sakura threw her a sarcastic look and said.

.

"You are far too trusting. Naruto is still a guy. He's a pervert.

You should see the look on his face when he does see a woman's body."

She continued eying the door in thought.

Hanabi walked over you her and gently pushed her hands down from the door. She wore a very pained expression.

"I have. He looks like he has lost his soul as he blushes and immediately leaves.

I can't even describe the pain I saw in his eyes the day he saw me naked bathing in a spring during my Sage training." She said with such a strong look of empathy in her eyes.

.

Sakura started to remember many things Naruto has said.

.

_Flash back_

* * *

.

'I am thinking more like the old man these days. Everyone in the village is like my children.'

.

'That's because I have. I have given up on love Sakura-chan.'

.

'I asked her if I could have children. She ran some test and the results were not good…'

.

* * *

Flash back end

.

Sakura looked at the floor ashamed at herself.

_"Of course he wouldn't peek at us. It's not like he doesn't want to. It's that he can't make love to a woman. _

_So it would only hurt to see something he wanted and couldn't have."_ She thought sadly.

Hanabi genuinely asked. "Do you understand now?"

She took her gaze off of the floor and nodded solemnly. She looked her in the eyes and said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't look at things from Naruto's point of view.

He accidentally walked in on me in the bath when we were thirteen and I guess I never let it go."

.

Steam was starting to fill the room. "The shower is ready."

Hanabi turned and got into it. She grabbed her shampoo and lathered up her hair.

Sakura undressed slightly sad and uncomfortably.

_"All this time I have known him…Even when he told me he couldn't have children I didn't realize his pain. _

_I've known him for over eight years and we have protected each other with our lives…_

_How is it that I've have been so blind to his pain and how could she have seen it so easily?" _

She thought sadly.

Hanabi was scrubbing her hair as she turned around to see Sakura looking very sad while holding the clothes she took off in front of her.

She was gazed off into nothingness.

.

"Umm are you ok Sakura? I've only been to a public bath once. I can understand if you're shy…" She said carefully.

Sakura snapped out of her thought and shook her head.

She stared and Hanabi's confused look and said. "Sorry I just had something on my mind."

She dropped her sweat covered clothes on the ground and stepped into the shower.

Hanabi's eyes went wide while staring at her.

Sakura suddenly became very self concision of her body and covered her private areas with her hands.

.

"What?" She said nervously and child like.

Hanabi crouched down and stared at her hip.

"It's just like the books say…Even female shinobi's bodies are covered in battle scars…"

Sakura blinked a few times in confusion. "Battle scars?" She asked her awkwardly.

"Yeah." Hanabi said as she pointed to a V shaped scar on the left side of her hip.

"Where did you get this one?" She asked curiously.

Sakura was a bit caught off guard at her question and looked down at the scar in thought.

.

"Oh I remember. I got that one falling off a cliff when I was thirteen.

It was right before Naruto broke the Second Hokage's sword." She said in thought.

"What about this one?" She said pointing to a thin line scar on the right side of her ribs.

"Oh that one, I got grazed by a kunai during a fight with a rogue ninja."

.

"How did you get this one?" She said as she examined a scar on her left shoulder than went all the way through.

She thought about it as Hanabi gently pushed her down to her knees and put her shampoo in her hair.

Sakura leaned her head back and closed her eyes as Hanabi worked the lather into her hair.

"I got that one when I was stabbed with a sword on a mission two years ago." She said as Hanabi concentrated on shampooing her head.

Hanabi dragged her fingernails all the way down to her scalp as she shampooed her hair.

Sakura shivered in relaxation as Hanabi asked. "How did you get the burn mark on your left arm?"

.

Sakura flinched and looked to the side. She tried to hide it and but sadly said. "Do you really want to know...?"

Hanabi gently, but firmly pulled her head back in the stream of water flowing out of one of the mermaids jars.

She worked the soap out of her hair and said with a shrug. "Not if it bothers you. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

Sakura held her breath as the water poured over her face and hair. Hanabi let her go a moment later.

She shook the water off of her face and touched the burn scar on her arm.

"Actually you should know about this one…Naruto gave me this one." She said seriously.

Hanabi smile at her. "During training I'd guess knowing him."

.

Sakura shifted her head back and forth seriously with Hanabi behind her.

"No it wasn't during training and it is something you should know about him as a team member.

He is a Jinchuuriki. He has control to a degree over the Nine Tailed Fox, but he has several states when he draws on its chakra.

The most dangerous one is when he loses his temper and gets very mad.

Red chakra will surround him and the more angry he gets the more chakra tails appear.

.

He can control it up to five of those tails now… but before he could only control three after that the fox takes over…

Even Orochimaru fled before his power in his four tailed from when the fox took over.

I foolishly tried to calm him down and he swiped me out of the way with one of his chakra tails and left me with this scar.

If you ever see his sixth tail come out then run away no matter what.

He no longer knows friend from foe in that state." She said while holding her arm.

.

Hanabi blinked at her in shock and timidly asked. "Is there anything else I should know?"

She gave her a strained smile and said. "Actually yes there is…You may think twice about wanting to sleep next to him after I tell you this.

Naruto has been known to do the Rasengan in his sleep."

Hanabi covered her mouth and laughed. "I can just see him doing something like that!" She said as she laughed.

Sakura giggled as well after a awkward moment of thought.

.

After a long moment Hanabi shyly turned to Sakura while she washed out her own hair and said.

"Sakura I have a question for you…You don't have to answer it if you don't want to…"

Sakura looked at her curiously and said. "Yes and what would that be?"

"Umm how far were you able to get Naruto to go? I mean I only want to know my limit." She added quickly.

Sakura blushed and looked away at the floor. "I-I'm not sure I'm comfortable telling you that…"

Hanabi gave her a awkward grin and said. "Sorry then forget I asked…"

Sakura sighed and after a long moment of silence she turned back to her. "Third base…" She admitted shyly.

.

Hanabi stared at her in shock and then grinned evilly, clearly happy with her new prospects.

Sakura looked at her sadly and said. "But that was before he knew that he couldn't have children…"

The perverted grin faded from her face and was replaced by a slightly sad one. She sighed and nodded her head.

"I guess that means I need to stick to first base for now." She said and then smiled meekly.

"That would probably be best." She said softly.

"Hey Sakura…Thanks for telling me." Hanabi said honestly.

"Umm it was a bit weird telling you that, but we are teammates now. Just don't push me for any details ok?" She said shyly.

Hanabi looked over at her and said. "Ok."

.

They finished showering and Hanabi got her a towel. She then went into her closet and put on fresh clothes.

"Crap I forgot to get my clothes before coming to the shower." She said in dismay.

"Umm you are almost a full head taller than me. I don't think any of mine will fit you." Hanabi said apologetically.

"It would be interesting to see what you looked like in a Toad Clan uniform though." She said with a smile.

.

Flash back

* * *

.

It was a few days before Naruto found out he couldn't have children on a very cold day.

Sakura had spent the night with him in his singles bed after having one of their most intimate encounters yet.

She had been pushing him for awhile to take the next step in their relationship.

She was happy that they finally pleased each other's desires, but had been disappointed that she couldn't get him to go all the way.

She awoke in Naruto's arms and smiled.

She sat up in the bed and then turned to looked at her clothes on the floor.

The front of her shirt had been ripped open in their haste last night, even her bra had been pulled apart.

Her expression became sour as she turned to Naruto who had just propped his head up on his hand while lying in bed.

.

"Morning beautiful." He said sleepily.

Sakura picked up her shirt and held it on the end of her finger in front of him.

"How am I supposed to wear this home?" She said with a blushing smile.

He shrugged casually at her and said. "You can wear one of my uniforms."

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and said. "I can't wear that out in the village…everyone would know…"

Naruto chuckled softly and said. "No I guess not, but you can wear it around the house until I can get you some other clothes."

.

She bit her lips together shyly and said. "Umm ok."

She walked over to his closet and took one of his uniforms off a hanger and put it on. She looked at herself in the mirror.

Naruto's clothes swallowed her. She had to hold the pants by the front of them because they were too loose on her.

The sleeves of his Toad Clan overcoat were so long only the tips of her finger stuck out.

She giggled at her appearance and turned to Naruto who was watching her.

"Well how do I look?" She said while smiling as she turned in a circle.

Naruto looked at her sweetly and said. "As wonderful as ever."

Sakura gave him a thoughtful expression as she walked over to him and place her hand on his bare chest.

She leaned down and kissed him tenderly.

.

* * *

End of flashback.

.

"No I don't think I want to wear a Toad Clan uniform again." She said shyly.

Hanabi blinked at her in surprise as she tilted her head slightly and said. "Again?"

Sakura held up her finger and looked at Hanabi sternly. "I told you… No details." She warned her.

Hanabi backed away from her as she bit her lips together and shyly said. "Sorry…I didn't realize it was THAT kind of story…"

Sakura rolled her eyes and sigh. "I guess I'll just wear the towel to my room." She said as she opened the door and walked down the hall.

.

She got to the kitchen by the stairs when Naruto came up.

"Sakura-chan dinner…." He stopped in mid sentence when he got look at her wearing nothing but a towel.

He flinched and looked away as he closed his eyes.

"Sorry I felt you leave Hanabi's room and came to tell you dinner is almost ready." He said quietly.

_"I saw it…just for a split second…The pain Hanabi said she saw in his eyes. _

_She was right. I need to do something to make this better."_ She thought.

.

She looked at him sarcastically and said. "Naruto open your eyes. I'm covered you don't need to make such a gesture."

"I-I'd prefer not to." He said and didn't move.

"Sheesh it's not like I've got something you haven't seen before. You're such a baby sometimes." She said in exasperation.

Hanabi walked up behind Sakura and giggled at Naruto's shyness.

"Come on master I'll go back down stairs with you." She said as Sakura went into her room to get dressed.

.

* * *

.

They were all sitting at the table eating a short while later.

Sakura was deep in conversation with Hanabi telling her a story about one of their missions.

"Yup he almost hit the guy with it and the jutsu ran out of Chakra. You should have seen the look on his face.

It was a bit scary back then, but it is funny looking back on it." Sakura said in high spirits.

Hanabi had been hanging on every word and said. "Really? What happened next?"

She smiled at him and said. "Kakashi sensei had to come save him."

.

Shizan said. "You two seem to be hitting it off quite well."

Naruto nodded in agreement while looking at his food and said.

"It's amazing really. To think a few days ago they were at each other's throats."

Sakura looked over at him smartly and said.

"You and Sasuke taught me something. You don't truly understand another ninja until you fight them."

Hanabi smiled brightly.

.

"Hey Sakura, why did you decide to become a medical ninja?" Hanabi asked curiously as she took a bite of rice.

"Oh that." Sakura said while finishing her food. She pointed at Naruto with her chop sticks.

"I was because of him. I found the best way for me to help him was to stay out of his way and heal him afterwards.

Which is something you should take note of. If things get serious just stay out of his way.

They don't call him the most powerful Ninjutsu in recent history for nothing." She said knowingly.

Naruto rolled his eyes at her. She looked at him kindly and said.

"I used it as an example Naruto. I know you hate it when people say that about you."

"Ok, I'll keep that in mind." Hanabi said honestly.

.

Sakura asked Naruto. "Do you plan on teaching Hanabi Medical Ninjutsu?"

He nodded his head as he leaned back in his chair. "Yes I'm just not sure when it will be. I'm thinking of teaching her it after her Sage training.

It all depends on how large her chakra reserves are then. I have a number of jutsu I want to teach her. I have a limited amount of time though.

I have to prioritize the order in which I teach her. If she can handle it I want to teach her the Yellow Flash right after her Sage training." He said casually.

They were all shocked. Hanabi's chop stick fell out of her hands and clattered loudly onto her plate.

"Naruto! You can't really be thinking she would have enough chakra to perform that jutsu?" Sakura said in shock.

Naruto sighed and said. "Sakura please understand. I have to leave behind my jutsu. I will not live forever.

If I don't teach it to someone then it will be lost over time. That's why masters take students and teach them."

.

Sakura was in thought for a long moment. "But…ergh I see your point, but I just wish there was another way." She said clearly frustrated.

"Sakura." He said kindly. "She is my Disciple…I want to teach her all my jutsu…"

"So are you going to teach her the Rasengan too?" She asked worriedly.

Naruto rubbed his chin in thought and finally said.

"That one is not high on my priority list right now, but eventually if she wants to learn it."

Hanabi suddenly smiled as big as she could.

.

"You're going to teach me the Pervert Snuggle? I can't wait!" She said excitedly.

Sakura almost choked on her laugh. She turned and gave her a very reserved, curious look and asked Hanabi. "Pervert Snuggle?"

Naruto laughed nostalgically and said. "Yes, that's the name she gave it when I first meet her. That seems so long ago now."

Hanabi said with a smile on her face. "Yes it does. I was a totally different person back then. Before that no one invaded my personal space.

I met him and within the span of a few days it was normal for him to be in my personal space." She said then laughed.

.

After things calmed down Sakura asked. "Do you really think Hanabi will progress far enough to use the Yellow Flash?"

Naruto shrugged his shoulders and said. "It all depends on how well her Sage training goes. But I truly hope so."

Sakura smiled at him and said. "Don't make her too powerful or she might come to rival you for the title of Hokage."

Hanabi laughed and said. "No way I'd never want that job! I've already all the responsibly I could ever want being a Heiress to the Hyuuga Clan."

Naruto laughed softly as he picked up his plate and took it into the kitchen.

Sakura and Hanabi did likewise. Naruto started washing his plate and took Sakura's and Hanabi's.

.

They started to turn around to leave when Naruto said. "Hanabi."

She turned and walked back over to him as he finished washing the dishes and dried his hands with a nearby towel.

He turned and placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned down to her face.

He slowly and purposely said. "I'm going out to train tonight. Ok?"

She covered her mouth to hide her giggle and said. "Aww here I was hoping I'd get lucky three nights in a row and wake up in your arms again."

She and Sakura laughed. "I almost wish you didn't tell me…By the way." She asked with a curious expression.

.

"Why do you go out at night to train? Where do you go?"

Naruto let go of her shoulders and stepped back. "I go to the Hokage Training grounds for my nightly training."

She gave him a confused look. "I didn't know there was a Hokage training grounds. Why do you go there?" She asked intently.

"Because it's the only training ground with a chakra absorbing barrier around it.

The jutsu I practice there is far too dangerous to be used anywhere else." He told her.

She thought about it for a moment as her eyes lit up. She smiled like a kid in a candy shop.

"So that's where you practice all your really cool jutsu! Aww Can I come? Please just for tonight!"

He looked at her kindly and said. "No. It's far too dangerous. I want to keep my Disciple in one piece."

She put on a fake pouting face and said. "Awww that's not fair!"

.

Naruto chuckled at her softly and said. "I'll make it up to you when we get back to Mount Myoboku."

She gave him a longing look and curiously asked. "How?"

"I'll show you the Rasenshuriken. I'll even cut the top off a mountain with it for you." He told her sweetly.

Her jaw dropped and then she smiled. She rushed him excitedly and hugged him fiercely. "Thank you master!"

"Ok ok, let go. I need to get going. Why don't you get to know Sakura better while I'm gone?"

She let him go and said. "I was going to do that anyway."

Naruto walked to the door and said. "I'm off you two." He opened the door and waved at them from behind.

Hanabi said loudly. "No fighting any dragons while you're gone!"

.

Sakura just looked at the very happy Hanabi and shook her head.

_"I've never seen a master and student relationship like theirs. But they make each other happy. I guess that's all that matters." _She thought with a smile.

"Come on Hanabi. I have something I want to show you in my room." She said.

Hanabi looked over at her curiously and asked. "What would that be?"

"I guess you will have to come see if you want to know." Sakura said as she walked up the stairs slight smile.

Hanabi followed her to her room.

.

Sakura's room had a old dresser with a mirror on top of it on one wall.

In the corner near the far wall there was a pile of broken picture frames from when she moved in.

Her bed was on the other wall and next to it was a desk with medical charts on it. Next to the desk was a bookshelf with scrolls and books on it.

Sakura went over to her closet and started digging in the bottom of it.

"It's in here. Give me a second to find it." She said.

Hanabi walked over to the desk and took a seat.

.

Sakura pulled two photo albums out of the closet and said. "I found them."

She went over to the bed and sat down. She waved Hanabi over and then opened one of them.

"I figured you'd want to see these. They are pictures of Squad Seven and the rookie nine."

Hanabi pointed at one of the pictures and said. "That's the same one Naruto has on his mantle."

"Yes this was taken just after we became Squad Seven."

.

Hanabi laughed at one of the pictures and said. "What happened to Naruto in this one?"

She asked while pointing at a photo of him clutching his stomach on the ground in pain.

Sakura laughed and said. "That was our first mission outside the village. On the way there he ate elder berries and got very sick."

She turned the page. Next there was a picture of Squad Ten and then a picture of Naruto eating with Shikamaru and Choji at their favorite BBQ restaurant.

Sakura showed her all her pictures she had gathered over the years and told her all about them.

"You have so many wonderful memories. I hope I'll have a album like yours one day." She said honestly.

.

Sakura smiled honestly and said. "Don't worry, one day you will. By the way I have a book I want you to read."

She got up and walked over to her bookshelf. She thumbed through her medical books and selected one of them.

She went back to Hanabi and handed it to her. "It's helpful to understand a jutsu before you learn it.

There is a lot of good information on healing Ninjutsu in that book. Naruto will eventually teach you it, but it's always helpful to get a head start." She said.

Hanabi took the book and said. "Thank you. I'll start reading it soon. I'm going to head to bed now. Good night."

"Night." Sakura said as Hanabi left.

.

* * *

.

Two days later.

It was very early in the morning and the sun hadn't risen yet. Naruto went to knock on the door of Sasuke's house.

"It's open Naruto." He said calmly.

Naruto entered and went to the table. Sasuke had already poured tea for them and was waiting for him.

"I see you didn't forget." Naruto said as he took his seat.

.

"Of course not. I heard Sakura moved in with you. How did Hanabi take this news?" Sasuke asked.

"At first she was a little stand offish, but soon they were getting along like family. She talks to Sakura more than me now." He admitted.

Sasuke nodded his head. "I see. It's hardly unexpected from everything you have told me about her.

She was probably starved for female companionship. Don't tell me you are jealous?" He said.

Naruto grinned slightly as he scratched the back of his head and said. "Maybe a little bit."

.

He took a sip of his tea and said. "How is her training going?"

"She is learning the summoning jutsu and she's making great progress now that Sakura is training with her." He said with a smile.

Sasuke gave him a curious expression and asked.

"Sakura is learning the summoning jutsu you say… Did you finally convince her to take her Sage Training?"

"Err well not exactly. I can't take all the credit. Hanabi was the one that convinced her."

"And how did she succeed when you failed so many times." He asked curiously.

.

"Well Sakura picked a fight with Hanabi and Hanabi beat her.

A few hours after that she showed up at the training ground that we use with an assignment scroll from Tsunade.

My first assignment as Squad Seven's leader was to teach her the summoning jutsu." He replied.

Sasuke nodded his head in thought. "Hanabi, Konohamaru and now even Sakura is trying to become a Sage.

That's quite the list of people you have inspired. How long until you leave to take her on the Toad Clan's spirit quest?" He asked.

"That is the main reason I came here so early. We are leaving in a few hours.

I'll be gone for six months, maybe longer depending on Hanabi's progress and… the condition of the seal."

He said as his hand instinctively went to his stomach.

.

"I see. I'll be looking forward to your return then my old friend and to hear all about how you turned her into a true Sage." He said honestly.

"Good bye Sasuke. I'll tell you everything when I get back." Naruto said as he got up and left.

After he had closed the door Sasuke thought. _"If they succeed in becoming Sages then the leaf will have five. _

_One village having so many Sages has never been seen before in history. The closest it ever came was when all the Sannin were alive if my memory serves me right. _

_The three Sannin Sages and the Hokage only made four. Naruto you are going to break another record in the history books. I just know it."_

.

Naruto came back through the gates of his compound just as the sun was dawning a new day. He went up to the door and opened it.

Hanabi was already packed and putting her traveling sandals on when he came in.

Shizan gave her a hug and said. "You behave yourself and don't give the elders a hard time when you get there."

Hanabi smiled at her and said. "I won't. Please tell Sakura good bye for me. She was called into work and I will not be able to tell her."

"Of course I will dear." She said kindly.

Hanabi lifted her traveling pack and said. "I'm ready to go master."

He smiled at her and said. "Ok let's go."

.

They walked across the village and they were nearing the main gate.

"Dad look, its Sage Naruto and that girl that beat Konohamaru. Is he really a Hero of the Five Nations?" A young boy said while point at them.

The boy's father kneeled down and said. "Yes, he is and he will likely be our next Hokage."

"Wow really?" The boy asked as his father nodded his head.

"Yes my son." He said with a nod.

.

Naruto suddenly stopped and said. "Hanabi I want you to let go of any Sage Chakra you have."

She looked at him curiously for a moment and then closed her eyes in concentration.

She released the small amount of Sage chakra and opened her eyes.

Naruto continued walking. She walked up next to him and asked. "Master, why did you want me to do that?"

Naruto grinned slightly and said. "You'll see shortly."

.

They made it within sight of the main gate and Hanabi could see a ton of people there to see them off.

The rest of the rookie nine minus Ino, team Ebisu and Gai sensei's team were there. Kakashi, her father and even the Hokage was there as well as many others.

Hanabi shrank back behind Naruto. "Why are they all here?" She asked shyly.

He grabbed her by her shoulder strap and pulled her up along side of him.

"They are here to see us off. We will be gone a long time. It's like a farewell party."

He said as the crowd started waving and cheering at them.

Naruto led Hanabi into the crowd of people. "Hey why did you guys do all this?" He asked loudly.

.

"Well you aren't going to be back for a while we thought we would see you off." Gai sensei said with his signature two thumbs up and gleaming smile.

Kakashi came up to them with a camera. He held it out to Naruto and then a thought for a moment.

"On second thought…you'd probably break it." Everyone laughed as Naruto put on a sour look. He turned to Hanabi and handed her the camera.

"Get me some good pictures of your training and I'll make you an album like the one I gave Sakura." He said with a smile as he placed the camera in her hands.

"Good luck Naruto." Shikamaru said while Choji nodded in agreement.

.

Neji and Lord Hyuuga walked up to them next.

"Good luck becoming a Sage Hanabi and Naruto don't overdo it." Neji said with a smile.

Lord Hyuuga sternly said. "Don't raise your chakra levels too quickly and lose our Gentle Fist art. My Daughter, know that I am proud of you."

He turned to Naruto and said. "I have little doubt you will give the Hyuuga Clan its first Sage.

You have already turned her into a fine Shinobi. May The Will of Fire burn brightly in both of you on your travels."

He bowed and went to step away when Hanabi wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"Good bye father." She said as she let him go.

Naruto told Hiashi. "Don't worry I'll turn her into a Sage, she is my Disciple after all!"

Hinata told them. "Good luck you two and we will miss you."

"Yeah good luck you two." Kiba said with a smile.

.

Shino walked up to them and said. "I've never been very good at this sort of thing, but here."

He handed Hanabi a small jar. Naruto looked at it curiously. "What is it?"

"Bug repellent…It's the only thing I could think to get you two." He said and walked back over to Kiba and Hinata.

Naruto laughed. Hanabi honestly said. "Kami you have no idea how good of a gift you got us. That Toad village is crawling with bugs!"

Everyone laughed at her comment.

Tenten walked up to Naruto, but unlike everyone else she wasn't smiling. Her look was serious.

.

"Are you taking IT with you?" She asked intently.

Naruto smiled at her and with both hands he reached under his overcoat and pulled out two swords.

He held them by their sheaths out in from of him in a crossed pose.

"Yes I'm taking both the Thunder Gods with me. Rest assured they are safe." He said reassuringly.

She breathed a sigh of relief and said. "Good, I'm glad they are safe and good luck with your training."

Tsunade walked up to the two of them and stared deep into Naruto's eyes.

.

She sighed and said.

"It seems like only yesterday you were a pint sized Genin learning the Rasengan.

Now you're a Sage leaving with your Disciple to make her a Sage as well…"

Naruto looked at her very honestly and kindly as he said.

"Mother we have no need for such words. We have always been able to understand each other by the looks in our eyes."

He walked over and wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him back and forced herself not to cry.

.

"You really know how to make me feel old."

She let him go. "You better bring her back in one piece or I'll take you off my list of successors for Hokage."

He sweat dropped "Come on! Don't be like that." He said loudly.

She turned her nose up at him and looked away. "I'll have to because if you don't come back with her I'll kill you."

He laughed and said "Ok, ok I get it."

.

Tsunade walked over to Hanabi and placed her hand on Hanabi's head.

"You were supposed to make Naruto more like a noble. That is why I put you in Squad Seven."

She said and then sighed at her. "But it looks like he has made you more like him. You've turned into a bit of a hot head.

At least you can keep him in check better than anyone else." She smiled at her.

"Good luck you two…And you as well Konohamaru." She said as she stepped back and looked at him by the gate.

.

A certain pink hair medic was running up the street at them.

Naruto smiled and said. "Sakura-chan!" He waved at her.

She was running at them with opened arms and Naruto opened his arms to receive his hug good bye from her…

She ran right by him and hugged Hanabi.

Naruto pouted with two rivers of tears flowing down his face.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" He said as everyone laughed at him.

"I got Ino to cover for me so I could see you two off." She said as she let go of Hanabi and smiled at her.

.

"You still never beat me in summoning Sakura-chan." She said with smile.

"Hey! We are neck and neck now!" She said with her fist up pretending to be angry.

Her look suddenly softened and she said honestly. "I'm really going to miss you Hanabi. You already have your master's greatest power."

She looked at her curiously and said. "What power is that?"

"You grow on people very quickly and form tight bonds with them." She said honestly as she turned to Naruto.

"I really want to tell you good luck, but after all the years I've known you I know you will not need it." She said and he smiled at her.

"So I'll say hurry home soon you two."

"Good bye Sakura-chan." Naruto said.

"Good bye Sakura-chan and remember you have to have faith in yourself to become a Sage." She said honestly.

.

Tsunade walked up to Sakura and said. "They aren't the only leaving for Sage training Sakura…"

She stared blankly at her and said. "No way…I haven't even pack and I haven't mastered the jutsu…"

The Hokage grinned at her as she bit her thumb and went through a series of hand signs.

"But I have. Unsummoning Jutsu!" She yelled as she grabbed onto Sakura's arm and slammed her hand into the ground.

They both disappeared.

Naruto just shook his head and said. "She just had to steal our thunder…"

He walked over to Raichi, Moegi, Udon and Konohamaru near the left side of the gate.

.

"Ok Konohamaru, as your master I have to check your pack before you leave." He said very seriously as Konohamaru returned the look.

They both set down their packs as Naruto said. "I'm only look for two things."

They both reached into their pack at the same time.

They both said as the same time. "Extra water and instant ramen!" They yelled as they held up their ramen and extra water.

Everyone sweat dropped as both of them laughed. Suddenly everyone else joined in too.

.

Hanabi walked up to Konohamaru sneered at him child like. "When we meet again you'll be calling me a Toad Sage."

He returned her look and shook his fist at her as he said. "Right back at you! I'll be a Monkey Sage when we meet again!"

"Maybe in a hundred and fifty years at the rate your going." Raichi said sarcastically.

Konohamaru hung his head and sighed as everyone laughed.

After the noise died down Hanabi looked at him softly and said.

.

"You'll make a fine Monkey Sage I just know it."

He nodded his head at her. "Yeah I know. I'm gonna miss you guys though." He said clearly trying not to cry.

Naruto grabbed him by the shoulders and looked at him proudly.

"You're well on your way to becoming a fine Seventh Hokage.

I know I will be a very proud master when I return here and your grandfather's spirit will be proud as well.

Keep it up and goodbye for now." He said as Konohamaru wiped the tears out of his eyes.

.

"Ok Konohamaru, finish your goodbyes so we can be off." Raichi said in a tired tone.

Konohamaru turned to his sensei and team mates.

"Moegi keep Udon in line and don't let him get into trouble." He said as he turned to Udon.

"Udon keep training under your new master Red Tooth or whatever his name is."

"Red Claw not Red Tooth and I will Leader." He said sadly.

.

Kakashi's eyes went wide. _"Udon being trained by the infamous Red Claw…_

_He is the one that stepped down from head of the Anbu Black Ops when I took over all those years ago._

_He has to be at least eighty by now and he never took on any student…No one was ever good enough to him."_ He thought soullessly.

.

Konohamaru turned to his sensei and said.

"I will not forget what you have taught me sensei Ebisu and I'll eat my green vegetables."

"I can't believe you are already going off to become a Sage. I've very proud of you.

Goodbye for now." He said honestly.

Konohamaru turned back to Raichi and said. "Ok I'm ready Elder Raichi."

The monkey walked up to his side and went through a series of hand signs.

"Unsummoning jutsu!" He said as he touched Konohamaru's leg and slammed his hand into the ground.

They disappeared in to a puff of smoke.

.

Naruto looked back over at Hanabi and said. "It's time we were off as well." He shouldered his pack and waved good bye to everyone.

They cheered at the two of them.

"Hurry back!" Kiba yelled.

"Good bye Naruto-san!" Lee shouted.

Naruto reached the gate and turned back around.

"Hey Kakashi sensei! Good luck filling in as Hokage until Tsunade gets back!" He yelled back at him.

Kakashi eyes went blank. "_Wait Tsunade left…so is Naruto…I'm the only other on the list! _

_No WAY! I have to run the Anbu AND filling in as Hokage! This is just too cruel…"_

He thought as he slumped forward in defeat with two rivers of tears flowing out of his eyes.

.

Naruto and Hanabi set out on the road. When they were a few hundred yards away from the village they heard the sounds of thousands of people cheering them.

They turned around and saw nearly the entire village up on the walls surround the village cheering loudly for them to send them off.

Hanabi was a bit overwhelmed at the sight before her as Naruto said.

"I thought I'd have to become Hokage before the leaf village did something like this.

This reminds me of the time when I brought Gaara back to his village." He smiled down and Hanabi at then waved at back at the village.

He turned around and charged off in to the morning sun with Hanabi in tow.

"Come on! It's off to mount Myoboku to complete your training!"

.

* * *

.

Hope you enjoyed.

.


	26. Chapter 26: Homecoming

**Chapter 26: Homecoming**

Authors notes.

Reviews/ Questions.

.

* * *

Last chapter.

* * *

.

"Hey, Kakashi Sensei! Good luck filling in as Hokage until Tsunade gets back!" He yelled back at him.

Kakashi's eyes went blank. "_Wait Tsunade left…so is Naruto…I'm the only other on the list! _

_No WAY! I have to run the Anbu AND fill in as Hokage! This is just too cruel…"_

He thought as he slumped forward in defeat with two rivers of tears flowing out of his eyes.

.

Naruto and Hanabi set out on the road. When they were a few hundred yards away from the village they heard the sounds of thousands of people cheering them.

They turned around and saw nearly the entire village up on the walls surround the village cheering loudly for them to send them off.

Hanabi was a bit overwhelmed at the sight before her as Naruto said.

"I thought I'd have to become Hokage before the leaf village did something like this.

This reminds me of the time when I brought Gaara back to his village." He smiled down and Hanabi at then waved at back at the village.

He turned around and charged off in to the morning sun with Hanabi in tow.

"Come on! It's off to mount Myoboku to complete your training!"

.

Chapter Twenty-Six. Homecoming.

* * *

.

Eight months later.

It was a cold morning on the twenty-second of December.

The fringed winds howled outside the Hokage's office as her and Kakashi looked out at the Hokage monument on an overcast day.

"What are you thinking about Tsunade? Are you worried about Shikamaru and Kurenai's newborn?" Kakashi asked quietly.

She shook her head. "No, he was born healthy. I was thinking about how quiet it has been since Naruto, Hanabi and Konohamaru left for Sage training.

They have been gone too long. Sakura completed her training three months ago. I'm worried about Naruto and the seal…"

Kakashi looked her up and down and said. "To say nothing of wanting them home for the holidays. I already saw the wrapped boxes you got them."

He looked over at the wrapped boxes behind her desk and then turned back to her.

.

"You shouldn't worry so much. It's only been two weeks since his last messenger toad." He said calmly.

"I want to exam the seal when he gets back. We are well into the time when it could break." She said solemnly.

"The early time it could break. I'm sure Naruto wouldn't have stayed away for so long if it was close to breaking."

He said as a knock on the door sounded.

"Lady Tsunade, Sage Sakura is here to see you." The Anbu guard said through the door.

Tsunade turned to the door and said. "Send her in."

The door opened and a howling gust of cold air rushed in. The air threw Tsunade's blonde hair up as she stepped into her office.

.

Sakura hadn't taken to wearing a fancy Sage uniform like Naruto's.

She wore her normal uniform and her only appearance change was the green diamond Sage mark on her forehead.

Her main change was in her eyes. She no longer doubted herself they way she used to. She was much calmer and more at peace than before.

She walked in and closed the door. In her hand was a small frozen toad that had its tongue sticking out.

"I found this outside your door lady Tsunade." Sakura said while holding it up.

Tsunade's eyes went wide for a quick moment before she looked over at Kakashi and gave him a nod.

He went over and picked up the frozen toad and his hand radiated heat. The toad melted and stood up throwing water off its back.

It croaked quietly for a long moment.

.

Tsunade got right down in the small toads face and said. "Well I'm waiting?"

The toad croaked loudly and opened its mouth. The end of a green scroll was hanging out of its mouth.

Tsunade grabbed it by the tips of her fingers and pulled it out of its throat.

She shook the toad spit off of it and opened it quickly.

She read it within the span of a heart beat and eyes went blank.

.

Kakashi curiously said. "What is it?" Sakura was holding her breath for the news as well.

Tsunade handed him the open green scroll unable to speak.

He held it up in front of him and read it aloud. "Mother we are coming home."

Sakura smiled and said. "Finally after all this time I'll get to see Naruto and Hanabi again."

Kakashi told her seriously. "You know what this means don't you?"

"Yes it means if Konohamaru makes it back then the leaf really will have more Sages then ever in recorded history." She replied clearly still lost in thought.

Kakashi sighed. "So much for those quiet days, but they were nice while they lasted." He said sourly.

Sakura only smiled bigger.

.

* * *

.

Snow littered the ground in the cold and frigid December morning.

The two main gate guards where shivering in the cold at their station.

"I can't wait until our shift is over. I'm so cold. I think they have shriveled up and fallen off! How can you stand this cold Izumo?" Kotetsu said miserably.

"Hey I'm freezing out here too, but my little girl said all she wanted for the holidays is for it to snow. So I'll happily bare it for her."

Izumo said as three people wearing hooded white leaf traveling cloaks came through the main gate.

.

They walked over to the guards. Izumo said. "Name, Rank, Squad and mission assignment?"

"Name Shikamaru, Rank Jonin Commander, Squad Ten, Mission to find some place warm and get out of the freezing cold!" He said from under his hood.

"Cut the protocol Izumo. Just wave us through. I need to get to the hospital to see my newborn son.

I can believe the Hokage sent me on an ambassador mission to the Lord of Fire at this time of year.

This is Naruto's job, he's the one that wants to be Hokage!" Shikamaru said bitterly.

.

"Achoo!" The largest hooded figure sneezed. "Come on we have been walking for three days in this weather.

I'm Choji, Rank Chunin, Mission to get some hot BBQ in my belly as soon as possible."

The smallest hooded member said. "Name Ino Rank…."

She suddenly hit the ground shivering as gust of wind blew her hood back.

Her lips where white and her skin was very pale.

"Ino!" Choji said as he rushed and wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm.

"Ino?" Choji said questioningly. "You aren't shivering…Your trembling…What's wrong?" He asked with his voice full of worry and concern.

She trembled for a long moment before saying.

.

"There is a _Huge_ amount of chakra heading for us. I-I never felt this much chakra before.

It's terrifyingly powerfully whatever it is." She said while still trembling.

Izumo stared at her blankly. "How could we have missed it…She's right it IS huge…massive even."

"Well it IS a toasty two degrees out here!" Kotetsu said in a foul mood while he shivered with his hands between his legs.

Shikamaru looked over at Ino in dismay.

_"Damn it! My first child was just born yesterday and I was away and couldn't be there for Kurenai during labor. _

_Now this happens…I know the only things that could have enough chakra to make Ino tremble like that… _

_One of the tailed beasts as reformed just like Tsunade always feared." _

He thought bitterly as he put on his Anbu Fox mask.

.

He quick took control of the situation. "Choji take Ino to the hospital!

Kotetsu get to Anbu headquarters and get them to send every available ninja down here to reinforce the gate that they have, now!

You!" He pointed to a merchant that was sitting on a bench resting his tired shoulders from dragging his cart across town all morning.

"Get to the Hokage's office and summon her immediately."

He said in a voice so commanding that the merchant jump with a start and dashed off without even taking his cart.

He drew a kunai with a Anbu paper bomb hanging off of it and held it out in front of himself.

_._

_"That chakra is getting stronger and stronger…It has to be getting closer and closer. What tailed beast could it be?" _

He thought while clenching his teeth.

"Izumo, you and me are the hold out until the rest of the Anbu get here!" He said in a commanding voice.

"Yes commander." He said as he pulled out one of his kunais and posed himself for attack while looking at the gate.

The minutes ticked by…one…three…five…ten…all the while Anbu filled up the area behind them.

After over fifteen minutes forty Anbu were at the gate ready to strike on Shikamaru's command.

.

The wind howled as two hooded figures in black traveling cloaks walked through the gate.

Shikamaru swallowed hard.

_"Whoever they are the taller one has at least ten times more chakra than the Hokage… Kurenai I don't think I'll be coming home…_

_I hope you keep the name I wanted for our child, but I'm guessing you won't as stubborn as you are you'll use the name you wanted…"_

He thought while watching the two figures cloaked in black.

All the Anbu were waiting for the signal from him to attack.

He watched them carefully stop at the gate for a long and tense moment.

The Anbu stared down the two figures cloaked in black and the wind picked up and blew the hems of their traveling cloaks.

.

They started to move again, but not at the Anbu…They walked over to the gate guards post.

The taller of the two cloaked figures grabbed the frozen ink well on the desk and summoned a small flame without hand signs.

It enveloped the ink well for a few moments and then went out when the ink was a liquid again.

_"Great a fire master. At least I'll be warm in my death in this bitter cold."_ Shikamaru thought sarcastically.

The taller cloaked figured pulled out a writing brush and turned the gate guards clip board around.

The taller figure slowly wrote something down on it and then turned back to the main street.

Then walked back over to the center of the gate with the smaller cloaked figure following behind.

.

They suddenly both drew weapons.

The taller of the two of them drew a cobalt blue kunai and the shorter one drew out a curved short sword with blue runes on it.

Shikamaru thought. _"It couldn't be…"_

They both disappeared without a trace.

"Commander!" A Anbu rushed up to him with the gate registry.

He held him away with his hand while looking down the street.

"Don't bother; I know who it was now…To think he's became so much more powerful…"

He turned back the horde of Anbu and yelled to the rest of them.

"We are off to the center of the village. No one is to attack under any circumstances without direct orders!"

.

* * *

.

The two cloaked figures reappeared outside of Ichiraku Ramen in the middle of town.

A figure cloaked in a strange cloak made from bright green tree leafs stood up from the bar.

The cold wind picked up as the cloaked figure stood up off the place at the shop and turned around.

The three cloaked figures stood still as the wind howled and Anbu popped up on every eave of every building around the main street intersection.

"Here I thought I'd be able to at least finish lunch before you two showed up." The green clocked person said while turning around.

.

The wind screamed for a moment as the tall figure in the black cloak took a step away from shorter person in black.

The leaves on the person with the cloak of green shook violently as he was encased in blue chakra that surrounded him.

The green cloaked person burned with chakra so dense it was visible as the ground around him trembled.

The shorter ninja in black drew a short sword that was covered in blue runes in a reverse pose while trying to shield their face from the green cloaked person's tremendous chakra.

The shorter person held the sword up to their face with the blade pointing down at an angle.

.

"I will show you that you are no match for me now…" The green cloaked person said as his chakra grew even stronger and larger.

The smaller person with the short sword didn't move as the force of the green cloaked person's chakra grew.

"Let's do this!" The green cloaked person said as the ninja threw down its left hand and a bow staff with golden tips on it appeared in the his hand.

The green cloaked person pointed the staff at the smaller person in black and said. "I will show you your last victory was…"

The smaller figure in black appeared right in front of the green cloaked person with a sword at the green cloaked person's throat.

The sword cut thought the first three inches of his green hooded leaf cloak.

The cold wind picked up again and it howled flapping their cloaks in its fridge breeze. Then it spun in a small cyclone around the two of them.

It slowly tore the hood of the green cloaked persons away with a loud rip. The hood flew high into the air and disappeared in a gust of leaves.

.

The person in black drew back their blade and then slashed at the green cloaked man like the ninja was trying to take his head off, but the swipe was too wide and completely missed his neck.

The swipe rounded his neck from behind and the person in black pulled the person in green into a fierce hug.

"I missed you terribly Konohamaru…" Hanabi said as her hood fell to her shoulders.

He hugged her back so strongly that he lifted her off the ground. "Kami knows I missed you too Hanabi."

They both had tears in their eyes as they embraced each other for a long moment.

The tall black cloaked person walked over to them and they let each other go.

He placed his hand on Konohamaru's shoulder and said. "Well done Monkey Sage. Well done…"

.

Tsunade and Sakura landed on a nearby building near Shikamaru in his fox mask.

"What's the status on the intruders?" She asked.

"One of them is Hanabi and another of them is Konohamaru.

I'm pretty sure you can guess who the last one with chakra that dwarfs even your own is!" He yelled through the gusting wind while shielding his face.

"Naruto…" Sakura said blankly.

"Tell the Anbu to stand down." She said as she leaped off the building with Sakura.

They landed on the other side of the street from them.

The tall cloaked person turned his head as they landed.

.

"Naruto?..." Tsunade said questioningly with a hopeful look in her eyes as Hanabi sheathed her sword in the sheath that was hung horizontally on her belt from behind.

Hanabi stepped back to the tall cloaked person's side.

The tall cloaked person slowly grabbed the sides of their hood as another gust of wind blew loudly.

The tall black hooded person slowly pulled back their hood and it dropped to their shoulders.

The man had spiky blonde hair, familiar blue eyes and three black whisker marks on each cheek.

Sakura rushed him and yelled. "Naruto!" She crashed into him and hugged him fiercely.

"What took you so long? I've been back for three months!" She said emotionally.

.

Shikamaru dismissed the Anbu and thought. _"You always have to make a entrance don't you Naruto?…_

_I can't believe my eyes…There is five Sages down there. _

_Who would have thought the leaf would one day have five Sages all at once…"_

He shook his head and then left for the hospital to see his newborn son.

.

"I had to finish training Hanabi. It took longer than I thought." He said with a smile as he let her go.

"Didn't you get my messenger Toad? What was with all the Anbu?" He asked while looking around.

She laughed with tears in her eyes. "Yes we just found the poor guy half froze to death outside the Hokage's office not ten minutes ago." She said.

Hanabi walked up to her in her white Sage outfit that was almost exactly like Naruto's, but had the symbol of the Hyuuga Clan on it.

She had only grown more beautiful since the last time they had seen her.

Hanabi walked over to Sakura and hugged her. "I missed you as well Sakura or should I say Sage Sakura."

"I missed you too 'Sage' Hanabi." She said as she held her tight.

.

Tsunade walked over to Naruto.

"Hello mother. I don't think you will be able to remove my name from your list of the possible ninja for Sixth Hokage.

I've done it, Hanabi is a Sage now." He said with a slight smile and proudness in his eyes.

"I want to hit you, but…" Tsunade said and then walked over to him. He wrapped him in a bone popping hug and said.

"The best gift you could have given me for the holidays is just having you home…"

"The Great Sage is home! Inform everyone that Naruto has returned!" An Anbu yelled loudly and everyone cheered them.

.

* * *

.

A short while later they were all seated at Ichiraku waiting for their food.

Sakura asked Naruto. "How much did she master?"

He giggled slightly and said. "Well, quite a bit actually. Let's just say I doubt her father is the strongest Hyuuga anymore. How did your training go?"

She shyly said. "Not bad I guess. My healing is a lot stronger and my Taijutsu form is cleaner."

"You know that's not really very fair that you taught Hanabi the Yellow Flash master." Konohamaru said while giving a playful flat look.

"Hey!" Hanabi said in playful offense. "I worked my butt off training to master that one!" They both laughed.

.

Sakura asked Konohamaru. "Did you learn any cool new jutsu?"

Konohamaru replied."Yeah but it's the other stuff that helped me the most. It took me a long time to master moving and fighting without wasting any energy.

Also check this one out." He held out his left hand and moved it behind his back and then placed his hand on his right ear.

He turned his hand in a complete circle and placed it on his ear again.

Sakura, Hanabi and Naruto gave him an amazed look.

"I'm VERY flexible now. That one was very painful to learn, but now it's very hard for someone to grapple me.

Raichi doesn't have a problem beating me though. I've also learned to use tree leafs as weapons and I can climb a tree like a Monkey without using chakra." He said.

Hanabi gave him a curious look and said. "Did you have to go though the stilling your mind and becoming one with everything exercise?"

.

He gave her a so-so look and said. "Not exactly. I did have to learn to mediate and think of nothing. I guess it's pretty close, but not quite the same."

Hanabi eyed him carefully and said. "So you don't have Sage Mode in the Monkey Clan?"

"You know I asked that same question to King Enma too. It's another yes and no answer.

You need to understand the physical differences between a Toad and a Monkey.

A Toad uses a quick burst of speed and then they rest.

.

Like when they move for example. They can jump very long distances, but after each jump they tend to rest.

Sure they can keep jumping bunch of times in a row, but they will tire out soon. Sage Mode is a Toad Clan thing.

It fits with their burst of power and then resting that their bodies are build for. Take how a Toad eats.

They sit very still and wait for an insect to come within striking range.

Then they snap it out of the air with a quick burst of power.

It's just like how Naruto told me about how Sage Mode works. You become one with everything by sitting perfectly still.

Then you enter Sage Mode and start burning up a lot of chakra.

This is why he has to get the job done quickly or he will go into chakra exhaustion when using Sage Mode.

.

The Monkey on the other hand is agile and always moving. They too become one with their terrain.

They can remember every tree they have ever climbed since they were born.

The Monkeys are much more social animals and live in packs their whole lives.

I pretty much see them as my family now, but it was hard at first.

.

They believe in teamwork much more than the Toad Clan. They have a much more wait and see from a distances attitude.

Unlike the Toad that is always saving up energy for an attack. A rested Toad is always ready to attack, but the Monkey has a different outlook on combat.

Take wild monkeys when you enter their home of trees. They don't attack first; they hoot and yell at you trying to try scare you off.

If you don't leave they start throwing thing at you. If you still don't leave they start trying to actually hit you with the things they throw.

If you try to climb the tree to go after them they will pelt you with things until the last moment then use their speed and agility to jump to another tree.

Then it starts all over with them throwing things at you." He said in exasperation clearing having firsthand experience of this.

.

"Monkeys have a great amount of stamina and will do this to you all day.

You will get eventually flustered and start using more energy than you should to try to match their speed and catch them.

Then you only tire yourself faster to an opponent that already had more stamina than you.

If you do corner one of them, they are fierce fighters and quite strong for their size. They strike fast and hard.

They used their speed and agility to make them hard to hit as well.

King Enma told me if a Toad Sage and a Monkey Sage fight, the Toad has the advantage at first, but the longer the fight last the more the advantage shifts to the Monkey.

Naruto over there is an exception to the rule of basics as far as a Toad Sage goes.

He has both the speed and power of a Toad, but also had the stamina of a member of the Bull Clan.

This is why he was given a title beyond that of a normal Sage.

Even the Monkey Clan hail him as a The Great Sage Naruto and they have a lot of respect for him as do the other Clans.

He is just like his Elder Sage master… another exception to the rule of basics!" He said slightly frustrated.

.

Hanabi looked over at Naruto in surprise then looked back over to Konohamaru and said.

"When did you get so smart and how is Fukasaku an exception to the rule of basics?"

Naruto nodded his head and asked her. "Don't you see something different about him and Shima that sets them apart from the rest of that Toad Clan?"

Hanabi looked down at the counter and thought intently for a long moment before looked back at him and asking.

"What does make them so special? I know they are very powerful and all, but how does that make them different?"

Naruto laughed softly as Konohamaru clearly annoyed said.

"They are always in Sage Mode. They found a way around their low stamina making them an exception to the rule of basics!"

Hanabi looked at him in confusion and asked. "Why would that bother you?"

.

Tsunade tossed her knowing look and said. "Isn't obvious from everything he has said? He asked the Monkey Clan how to beat Naruto."

She looked back over at him in surprise and curiously said. "What did they tell you?"

He sighed and then picked up his head while sourly looking at the back of the ramen shop.

.

Flashback

* * *

.

Konohamaru was deep in the sacred forest with King Enma and Elder Raichi eating a lunch of bananas.

King Enma was pealing whole bushels of them at once and eating them.

Raichi took his time pealing them one at a time and eating slowly.

Konohamaru was halfway through his first one when he honestly asked.

"Hey, how can I beat Naruto in a fight?"

.

King Enma looked over at him curiously as Raichi sighed and said.

"I've told you so many times already, find your strengths over your opponent and use them against him by making him fight your fight."

King Enma laughed loudly and said. "I guess you still have some of the Toad Clans lessons that still need to be broken out of you.

Remember the basics of combat that we have taught you. Make them use their weakness against your strength.

We have taught you to use you head. Let's look at the opponent you wish to defeat and find his strengths and weaknesses.

You have chosen a very difficult foe in your master.

.

Naruto is a Great Sage and they come along once every three-hundred years or so for a reason.

Ours tactics of making another fight our fight does not apply when fighting him. HE will outlast us not the other way around.

So we cannot use stamina against him. He has vast power that can overwhelm our agility with a wide spread attack so we can't use our agility in our favor either.

Then let's look at it from a elemental stand point. Your elements are the same as your grandfather's, earth and fire.

He is stronger than you in both of these elements as well as a master of wind and water. So you can't use these to beat him either.

Now let's look at jutsu, chakra and chakra control. He dwarfs you in jutsu and chakra there is no question about that.

You two are about even in chakra control, but seeing as how he has so much more of it than you. I'd even have to give him the advantage of chakra control as well.

.

I've already taught you the basic differences between the Toad and the Monkey.

Toads are natural ambush attackers so even in the element of surprise you would be out matched.

You would be fighting their fight which would put you at a disadvantage.

He further more can use the one type of jutsu that can surpass and trump even the rule of basics and the rule of elemental weaknesses, time/space Ninjutsu.

This goes back to the very basics of combat…Speed and power and with his stamina to back it up you are dwarfed yet again.

Your only logical option is to hide or run away. Hiding against a Toad Sage this is useless. Their sensory perception reigns supreme among all the Clans.

So your only option is to run…Against someone that can use Time/space Ninjutsu this hopeless.

There is only one X factor to every fight and unfortunately it's the base of all Naruto's lesson like his master." He said kindly.

"What is that?" Konohamaru asked curiously.

.

"The only thing that can overcome any form jutsu or attack. Your master calls it guts, but we have the Monkey Clan have another name for it….Heart.

I'm sorry to be the one that has to tell you this, but he is a Grandmaster above all Grandmasters when it comes to this. It is his greatest power."

He said as he rested his hand on Konohamaru's shoulder.

Konohamaru let out a sign and asked. "So there really isn't a way to beat him for me is there?"

King Enma leaned back on his hands while sitting on the grass with crossed legs while wiggling his toes and said. "Combat is but a foot note in life young monkey.

Being a monkey isn't about combat, it's about living. To feel the breezes on your face as to flip thought the trees, to know each leaf and branch like they are family.

To live as wild and free as the day you were born…That is the way of the Monkey Clan.

I know your master is of the Toad Clan and I've had to break you of several of their bad habits. But I can tell you one thing you have over your master…"

Konohamaru looked at him curiously and asked."What is that?"

.

"You know how to live and not let life pass you by." King Enma said.

.

* * *

End of Flashback.

.

Hanabi blinked at him in mild surprise and said. "I didn't know King Enma was so wise."

Konohamaru nodded his head slowly in agreement. "I didn't know that either until he taught me."

Sakura smiled at him and said. "You really have changed."

He shrugged and said. "I had too to become a Monkey Sage. Did anything happen while we were gone?"

.

Sakura looked over at him and said.

"Yes, quite a few things have happened. For starters Shikamaru and Kurenai got married. Their first child was born last night.

Shikamaru took over for his father as Jonin Commander. Rock Lee advanced in rank to Jonin and really wants to make Jonin Instructor by summer.

He wants to train students after seeing how strong you and Hanabi became after being trained by Naruto.

Ino became the head surgeon at the hospital.

Neji is still training his group and has been having good progress now that they have given up their crushes on Naruto.

Shino just made Jonin Instructor and has yet to get any students as of right now.

Kiba joined the Anbu full time and I don't know what he does, obviously.

Hinata just took her Jonin test and hasn't gotten the results yet. She has become much more confidant since you left.

.

Tenten has been swamped with orders after making the rank of Grandmaster weapon smith for remaking the Second Hokage's sword.

She doesn't go out on many missions anymore because of this. She is still a Chunin.

Choji is thinking about trying to make Jonin because he wants to teach as well. He has been helping at the academy as a substitute teacher.

It has been pretty quite since I got back, but I did help decorate the hospital for the winter festival." She said.

.

Naruto sighed and said.

"So much has happened since we left…We missed Shikamaru's wedding. That's too bad. I wanted to see him all uncomfortable in a suit too."

Sakura and Tsunade laughed. "I've got some pictures in my office I can show you later Naruto." Tsunade said.

"Speaking of Tenten, I need to go see her today." He said seriously.

Hanabi said. "I want to go visit my Clan first. I'm sure father is worried about my Gentle Fist art."

.

Tsunade gave out a sarcastic short laugh and said. "You are right about that.

He still berates me from time to time for putting you on Squad Seven and letting Naruto teach you.

You were supposed to make Naruto more like a noble and instead he made you his Disciple."

Hanabi smiled at her and said. "Don't worry Lady Hokage. After our first sparring match he will never bother you about that again."

She gave her a knowing look as Ichiraku served them their orders.

.

"It's on the house today, but I would like one thing while you all are here." He said with a big smile.

Naruto smiled big at his food and said. "Whatever you want. I've been dreaming of this for eight months!" He broke apart his chop sticks and started inhaling his food.

Ichiraku pulled out a camera and took a picture of them. It was a good shot save for Naruto's awkward look as he glanced up from his ramen.

"The day that leaf village had five living Sages at one time…and they all came here to eat.

I'm going to hang this picture on the back wall when I get it developed." He said happily.

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Hanabi were walking slowly up the winding path to the Hyuuga compound main gate.

They stopped as the gate guard as he said. "I have heard of your returned Sage Naruto and …Sage?"

Hanabi nodded her head. The guard smiled at her proudly and said. "And Sage Hanabi; Lord Hyuuga and Neji are currently sparring in the indoor dojo.

It looks like it might snow soon so you had best hurry."

He opened the gate and waved them through with a bow.

.

They walked in the cold to the square shaped building that was built around an open courtyard.

They went through a open archway that led to the courtyard and over to a set of open double doors.

The sounds of sparring and the movement of feet on polished word emitted from the doorway.

Hiashi and Neji where sparring while Hinata was sitting on a bench in the room watching them.

Neji glanced at who had entered and Hiashi went through a series of attack that sent Neji to the ground.

"You are getting much better Neji. I have little doubt that you will one day be at my level." Hiashi said.

Neji sat up from the floor covered in sweat and stared at Hanabi blankly.

Hiashi gave Neji a confused look as he suddenly became aware of the massive amount of chakra behind him.

He turned himself around quickly in full defensive form.

.

Hanabi grinned slightly at him and said. "Hello father… I have returned."

Hiashi relaxed his fighting form as Naruto tried to suppress his urge to giggle.

"I had heard you two came home earlier. How have you been my daughter?" He said as he breathed hard from his sparring match.

She smiled warmly at him and said. "The training was difficult, but I am now a full-fledged Toad Sage father."

Naruto put his hand on her shoulder and looked at her proudly as he said.

"The elders gave her the rank of Sage some time ago. She has learned a lot since the last time you saw her."

Hinata stared at her blankly as Neji just shook his head in exasperation.

"I just knew you would do it Naruto." Neji said while shaking his head at the floor.

.

Hiashi eyed her curiously and slight worriedly before asking. "What of your Gentle Fist art? I hope you took steps to preserve it."

Hanabi looked over at Naruto and smiled.

Hanabi took off her white over coat with black flames on the bottom hem and the names of all her masters written on the back.

She handed it to Naruto and he folded it over his arm. She unhooked the Flying Thunder God sword from the back of her belt and handed it to him.

He took it and held it in his free hand as she turned to face her father.

She slowly got into her defensive Taijutsu form as Neji picked himself off of the floor.

Neji took a seat by Hinata and Naruto took a seat on the other side of her.

"I will show you that I am still the Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan father." She stated with conviction and without any doubt in her eyes.

.

_"That look…I've seen it before, but not from her. She always had little doubt in her eyes, but she always looked at me as the master when we fought._

_She is looking at me like a equal now…No, she is looking at me the same way the Great Hyuuga Lord used to look at me. _

_The way grandfather used to see me. Could she really have achieved the state of true inner peace? Naruto what have to done to her?…"_ He thought ominously.

Hiashi gave her a almost sarcastic look and said. "I hope you don't think that now that you are a Sage that you can beat me?"

Hanabi smiled back at him and said. "I don't know if I can beat you, but I think I can hold my own against you."

He nodded at her respectfully and returned to his defensive form. "Very well then Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, show me how much you have improved."

"Yes father." She said with respect.

.

Neither of them moved for a long moment.

Neji asked quietly. "Is it safe to be this close to her when she's fighting?"

"Yes everything is fine." Naruto whispered back.

.

"Byakugan!"

Hanabi suddenly launched herself at her father with a graceful series of strikes with blinding speed.

He held her a bay as they clashed again and again.

They both landed strikes on each other when they had stopped. Hiashi had hit her in the shoulder and she had hit on him in the forearm.

_"She got three of my chakra points and I only grazed one of hers…"_ He thought as he jumped back from her.

She continued to charge him and he grabbed her arm while using her forward momentum to throw her behind him.

She summoned a pocket of wind behind her and jumped down at him from mid air.

_"She summoned the wind behind her to leap back at him from mid air? That would be hard to do in just training let alone a fight and she did it with ease._

_Naruto what have you done to her? She a totally different Shinobi now…"_ Neji thought soullessly.

_._

"Rotation!" He yelled as he spun while releasing a tremendous amount of chakra with perfect control that shook the dojo.

Hanabi hit his twenty feet wide sphere of charka and was thrown to the other side of the room.

She spun wildly for a second and then righted herself in flight.

She landed on her feet on the far wall and wait until just before he dropped his rotation before launching herself at him again.

She went right under one of his swing arms as he stopped his rotation.

.

She end up behind him facing away from him in a couching pose with one arm fully extended in front of her and the other pointing back at her father.

She had her middle and pointer finger on the back of his neck at the spine.

She didn't force any chakra into him though.

_"No way…She out flanked him. Not even Might Gai or Rock Lee has been able to do that before!"_ Neji thought in shock.

A sad and disappointed look crossed her face as she said.

"Father…You held back and you already had four of your chakra points sealed during your sparring with Neji."

Hiashi wore a tense look as Hanabi pulled her hand away from him. He was breathing hard as he turned around to face her.

"You held back as well. I fully expected you to come charging at me with the Rasengan like Naruto would have done in his younger years." He said.

"I still don't think I could beat you at the Gentle Fist if you weren't injured and didn't hold back." She said while looking at the floor.

"Well let's say with your current speed and control you really could 'Hold your own' against me. You really have changed." He said proudly.

.

She smiled weakly back at him and said. "It's all thanks the Naruto's training."

Hiashi looked back over at Naruto. He got up and walked over to Hanabi. He handed her the outer coat and sword.

"Thank you for training her Sage Naruto." He said respectfully.

Naruto smiled honestly and said. "Thank you for letting me train her and letting me make her my Disciple."

Hanabi looked over at Naruto shyly.

.

Hiashi turned back to her and said. "You're a Sage now. As head of the Clan I need to see what kind of Jutsu you know are capable of."

She smiled knowingly at him and said. "Here, I will show you my greatest jutsu, but you have seen it used many times."

She placed her hand on his forearm and he flinched slightly with worry. Green healing chakra flowed out of her hands and unsealed his chakra points.

Hiashi gave her a curious look and asked. "Of all the jutsu you know you consider this to be your greatest?"

.

She nodded to him as she kept healing him.

"Yes father. Anyone can cause a wound, but it takes much more skill to close one.

Just like when you told me before about how the Clan leaders on the council fight with words as it is preferable to weapons.

The true path to peace is to understand one another and for that combat jutsus is useless." She said with wisdom beyond her years.

Hinata smiles at her and said. "And here I thought you were going to show us that you are the first person in our Clan to be able to use the Rasengan."

.

Hanabi looked over at her sister and said. "I don't know the Rasengan. Naruto didn't have time to teach me that one. I do know the principles of how it works though."

Neji gave Naruto a curious look as said. "You really didn't teach her your signature jutsu?"

He looked over at Neji and sighed. "No I didn't. I had a limited time to teach her so I had to prioritize which jutsus I taught her.

Konohamaru already knows the Rasengan and can teach it to her if need be.

I taught her other things that I felt were more important first, like medical Ninjutsu." He said.

Hanabi nodded at her master.

.

"This is certainly different than what I expected in some ways. Then again it is a nice change.

Let us adjourn to another room and speak of your time away training Hanabi." Hiashi said as he placed his hand on her shoulder to lead her away.

"Hanabi I have something I need to take care of. Why don't you catch up with your Clan and I'll meet back with you later." Naruto said.

Hanabi turned back to him and gave him a flat look. "What kind of things." She asked in a warning manner.

_._

_"Wow Hanabi just talk down to him like he's your kid or something why don't you?"_ Hinata thought in surprise.

He gave her a smile and said. "You'll know soon enough."

"It better not be anything dangerous…" She stated sternly with her finger in front of her.

Naruto rolled his eyes at her and said. "No, it's not anything dangerous. I'll be back in a hour to pick you up."

She relaxed her stern look at him and said. "I'll see you then master."

.

* * *

.

Naruto arrived outside of Tenten's shop just before noon. He walked up to the door and went inside.

The front room of her shop was nearly empty of weapons on the walls as he went up to the register and rang the bell.

"I'm coming." She yelled from the other room. A moment later she walked into the gallery room wearing her leather coveralls.

"Naruto? When did you get back?" She asked in surprise.

.

"A few hours ago. I know it's the busiest time of year for you, but I was hoping I could get something made…" He asked with a strained look on his face.

She gave him a flat annoyed look. Naruto strained look only worsened. "Let me guess you have a date tonight?"

She sighed loudly and said. "It seems like every time you ask for a favor is always the one time I set aside time for a date."

She slumped her shoulders and sighed again. "What did you need made? Please understand I'm already swamped with orders for the holidays."

.

"I need to get a few of my special kunais made. I'd like to get three or four made if possible. If that is too much to ask, one would be ok for now." He asked her.

She picked up her head and smiled evilly at him.

"Oh come on Tenten…please don't over charge me. I haven't been on a mission in over eight months. I'm nearly broke as it is.

I'm not made of money. Why do you think I send a clone fishing every day?"

He said with a worried expression on his face.

She only smiled bigger and turned around and went back into her forge. She returned a moment later with a two feet long one foot wide black leather box.

She set it on the counter and opened the box. Inside was fifteen cobalt blue kunais without any runes on them.

.

"I had a feeling that you would lose a few while you were gone so I made another set. They just need the jutsu sealed in them." She said with a sly smile.

"Umm I didn't lose any and actually. I can't afford all of them right now. Can I buy three of them now and have you hold the rest for me to buy later?" He asked.

She waved her hand at him and said. "Just take them all now; I know you're good for it. I'll even cut you a deal on the price.

I'll only charge you fifty-five thousand yen each. I only make ten thousand each on them that way."

Naruto started counting on his fingers intently and then looked up to her and sadly said. "Seriously, can I buy three of them now and try to buy the rest later?"

Tenten gave him a flat look and said. "I know in four to six months you could do enough missions to pay for them. Why don't you just take them now?"

Naruto flinched and looked at the floor to the left of him solemnly.

He swallowed hard and after a long moment he said. "Because… I don't think I have that long…"

.

Flashback.

* * *

.

Naruto, Tenten and Neji were in Tenten's shop talking about remaking the Raijin sword.

"What I say here doesn't leave this room." They both nodded their heads with wide eyes.

Naruto relaxed and sighed deeply as he looked into Tenten's eyes. "I need the sword to fight The Nine Tailed Fox…"

They both looked like he had stolen their souls from them and looked at him blankly for many long moments.

.

"You-you're going to unseal Kyuubi? Why? Why would you do such a thing!" Tenten said nearly beside herself with anger and worry.

"I don't have much of a choice. The seal holding Kyuubi is weakening. Within two years it will break and Kyuubi will be set free.

If I don't die when it escapes, then I will fight The Nine Tailed Fox, but to do that I need the Raijin sword repaired."

Neji finally came out of his shock and said. "So that's why you were willing to trade for your father's sword to get it repaired."

He turned to Neji and said. "Yes, now you understand why I'm so desperate to get it remade."

Tenten looked at the floor with a very sad and confused look on her face.

.

* * *

Flashback end

.

Tenten looked at him blankly for a long moment and then she leaned her head down and stared at the floor unable to speak as her hair covered her face.

"Naruto…If you didn't lose any of your kunais…then who or what are these for?"

She asked carefully almost regretting the answer before she heard it.

He looked over her with sad resolve and softly said. "They are for my Disciple…Toad Sage Hanabi Hyuuga…"

Tenten clutched her elbows as she hunched her shoulders down.

_"I can't believe I ever thought to make a profit off of them…What kind of Monster am I?"_

She thought as she closed her eyes tightly trying to force back her tears.

.

She took in a long shaky breath and said. "How long…"

He sighed sadly and said. "I'm not sure. Tsunade is going to examine the seal tomorrow morning…"

Tenten gritted her teeth and shook her head at the floor fighting back her tears.

"Don't play dumb with me! I already know you are the strongest master sealer in the village!

You would know better than her!" She yelled at him but refused to raise her head.

After a very long moment he sighed again at her. He looked at her with sad resolve and said.

"At the rate the seal is decaying… two to four months as best I can tell…"

.

She could no longer hold back her tears as the broke through and slid down her face in silence.

"Really…that soon?" She said hollowly.

She sobbed quietly for many long moments. Naruto could only look at her with a soft look.

She closed the black leather case and pushed it toward him.

She lifted her head and showed him her tears raining down her face as she said.

"Take them…"

.

Naruto sighed and sincerely said. "I'm sorry I can't. I have to pay for them…"

"WHY?" She yelled at him with more tears sliding down her cheeks.

He sighed deeply and said. "Because this is a gift from master to student…If you gave them to me it wouldn't be a gift from me…

Please understand as her master I want to do this for her. I have nothing of great value to offer you. So I will buy them as I can…"

She clutched her elbows and looked away from him.

.

"It-It was because of you I became a Grandmaster weapon smith."

She said as she turned around and pointed to the Green Dragon scroll behind the counter.

"And now…You will not even let me repay you.

Just the commission from one of the swords I'm making for a lord is enough to cover the cost of the kunais I made for you."

She said as she turned her blood shot eyes back at him.

"They are nearly worthless to anyone but you. I couldn't get twenty thousand each for them even if I melted them down.

Please take them. I'm feeling so guilty right now." She begged him with tears forming at the rims of her eyes again.

.

He turned away from her painful look and said. "I'm sorry Tenten, but think how I feel as well."

He turned to look of the lone window on the west wall of her shop at the dreary overcast sky.

In his eyes was a slightly sad look that was fully of determination.

"I've watched a student that was the complete opposite of what I needed in a student train for fourteen hours a day in most demanding of training just to become what I needed."

.

He closed his eyes and shook his head in gratefulness and quite awe as he remembered. He opened his eyes and stared out the window as he said.

"Words will never express how thankful I am to her. During our training she showed more grit and courage to keep going than Rock Lee.

She learned at a rate that I'm not sure if even Shikamaru could keep up with. And most importantly I never heard her complain….Not even once.

As a master she has humbled me beyond words.

She knew she was ill suited to become my Disciple and yet she made herself suited for it just because that is what I needed.

For all that she has done for me…This is the least I can do for her…" Resolve shinned clearly in his eyes.

.

Tenten looked down at the black leather box on her glass counter.

She knew now that it didn't matter what she said. Naruto wouldn't take the kunais unless he paid for them himself.

She let go of her elbows and shook away the tears in her eyes. She took a long ragged breath and softly said in defeat.

"Fine then…Let's get to work sealing all of them and get it out of the way.

I'll hold the other twelve for you until you can come up with the rest of the money or until I can find another buyer."

.

He smiled weakly and said. "Who is going to want to buy spirit markers already attuned to someone else chakra?

No one that's who. They just melt them down and sell the steel."

She picked up the box and turned around and walked into her forge as he followed her.

"I take it you already have some of her chakra and blood?"

She asked as she set the box down on her workbench and took out one of the kunais.

.

He reached into his overcoat and pulled out a small ornate crystal vial of blood.

He set on in the table and then pulled out a fist sized quartz crystal.

She looked over at the items he had placed on the table and said.

"I'm not surprised you got the blood, but how did you get her to give you so much chakra without telling her what it was for?

That crystal is humming with chakra." She said as she held it in her hand."

.

He smiled at her and said. "I got her to do a chakra training exercise were I had her concentrate her chakra on that crystal for five weeks.

She mastered the lesson and I had her chakra for making her kunais. It was a win, win for both of us."

She rolled her eyes at him and said.

"Why am I not surprised you used a training exercise to get her chakra?… Well let's get started. I'm already behind as is…."

.

* * *

.

Naruto was greeted at the door of the Hyuuga's main house by the butler and was quickly sent inside.

He went through the short hall that led to the main living room of the house.

Nearly the entire Clan was seated there listening quietly to Hanabi, Neji, Hinata and Lord Hyuuga talk.

Hanabi had broken the conversation a moment before Naruto opened the door.

She was already looking over at the door just before he opened it.

"Hello master." She said respectfully and bowed her head. The rest of the Clan besides those he named as friends followed suit.

_"She has that same ability he has where he know where someone is before they show themselves. I see, this must be the power of a Sage."_ Hiashi thought.

Hanabi picked her head up from her standing bow and gave him an annoyed look.

.

"You are two hours late." She said sharply.

He smiled meekly at her and said. "Sorry. Things took a bit long than I thought they would."

She sighed loudly and said. "You are just like Kakashi sensei…never on time."

He chuckled softly and said. "I'm not nearly as bad as he is. Are you ready to go?"

Neji turned to him and said. "You don't want to stay and catch up with everyone?"

He gave him a disappointed look and said. "Yes I do, but we have things we need to take care of first."

.

"Hmm I see. Before you go Naruto I would like to invite you to join in the Hyuuga Clans holiday party on the night of the winter solstice.

I know that you have been holding your own party in recent years, but seeing as you were away training Hanabi, I didn't think you had time to set one up this year.

I've already invited your friends to come as well." Lord Hyuuga said respectfully.

Naruto gave him a smile and said. "Thanks Hiashi. I think we will take you up on that offer."

Hiashi nodded as Hanabi walked over to him and put on her black traveling cloak.

.

"We will see you then."

Naruto said with a wave and then both of them stepped outside just as the first snowflakes of winter lazily floated to the ground.

Hanabi shivered under her cloak and said.

"We are we going? Its freezing out here and I can't wait to get home and take a hot shower."

Naruto smiled over at her as they walked and said. "You'll see."

.

* * *

.

They traveled across the village as the gentle snow turned into a blizzard.

The snowstorm raged as they arrived at a small white house with red trim.

Naruto went to knock as a voice sounded from other side. "Please come in, the door is open Naruto."

Naruto opened the door and held it for Hanabi.

She wrapped her cloak around her tightly as the quickly went inside the dark house.

.

Naruto followed her inside and shut the door. The sounds of the raging gale was muffled but could still be heard.

Sasuke turned on the lights and sat down at the humble table.

Naruto was shaking the snow off of his clothes as he hung Hanabi's traveling cloak up on the hanger behind the door.

"I'm sorry but you will have to wait for the water to boil before I have the tea ready.

I wasn't expecting you today. At least not yet that is." He said as he rested his arms on the table.

.

When Hanabi had finally shaken off the numbness in her limbs from the cold she turned to Naruto and asked curiously.

"Why did we need to weather this storm to see Sasuke?"

Naruto took a set at the other side of the table and said.

"Because I told him I would tell me everything when we got back."

Hanabi carefully eyed the bandages over his eyes and took a see next to Naruto.

"She is very different from the last time we met Naruto. At least she isn't trying to attack me." He said with a soft chuckle.

"Well let's hear the news even though I'm pretty sure I already know what you are about to tell me." Sasuke folded his hands together on the table.

.

Hanabi timidly took a seat next to Naruto. Naruto spoke seriously. "She has completed her Sage training.

I've taught her what I know about healing Ninjutsu. Truth be told, she's better at it than me."

Sasuke nodded his head and said.

"I figured she would do well with healing Ninjutsu…and what of your father's sword. Did she even earn that from you?"

Naruto grinned at him as Hanabi looked down in embarrassment.

"Yes she mastered it just before we left Mount Myoboku to return home."

"I see." He said as he turned to Hanabi. "You certainly are impressive Hyuuga Heiress. Now you really are Naruto's Disciple."

Hanabi blinked blankly at him clearly surprise at his compliment. "Umm thank you." She replied awkwardly.

.

"I felt Konohamaru's chakra this morning as well. How has your apprentice been coming along?" He asked quietly.

Naruto gave him a sour look and said. "Very well actually..."

Sasuke chuckled softly at him. "Are you still sore about losing him to the Monkey Clan?" He asked clearly amused.

Naruto sighed and tilted his head toward the table. "It's not so much that.

It is just they actually got him to do the one thing I never seemed to be able to get through his thick skull.

They got him to start using his head. I guess it was a bit of a hit to my ego. He is totally different now.

He thinks a lot more before he acts. He's nearly nothing like the ninja I trained him to be, yet he is still the same in some ways."

.

Sasuke grinned at him. "I remember Kakashi saying something similar about you when you came back to the village after being trained by master Jiraiya.

One master can't teach everything perfectly. I take it he also obtained the rank of Sage?" He said.

Naruto smiled again at him and said. "You're darn right he did. He is my apprentice after all!"

Both Hanabi and Sasuke laughed.

.

After a long cheerful moment things settled down and got suddenly serious.

Sasuke picked up his hands and started going through some odd hand signed.

Hanabi's eyes went wide and she instinctively snapped her sword out in front of her.

Sasuke continued his hand signs clearly unphased by her drawing her weapon.

_._

_"What of the connection you two share? Has it faded or gotten stronger?"_ He signed to Naruto.

Hanabi blinked blankly at Naruto as he started making hand signs back at him.

_"It has only gotten stronger. I haven't used the Raw Chakra Transfer on her in over six months, yet it still keeps getting stronger. _

_She has even drawn on my chakra a few times when her training was at its most intense." _

_"I see so you two are truly linked even now. To think the connection has developed to that degree. What of the Kyuubi's chakra? Has that had any effect on her?"_

Sasuke signed back to him.

"Hey! I get what's going on here!" Hanabi said in offense.

_._

_"Kyuubi and I have a agreement. She doesn't let her chakra flow into Hanabi." _Naruto signed back.

Sasuke turned back to Hanabi and said.

"You may know nearly as much about Naruto as me, but there are still some things you aren't ready to hear yet."

She scowled at him and then turned her scowl to Naruto.

"You know you aren't supposed to keep secrets from me now that I'm your Disciple…"

She warned him through gritted teeth.

.

Sasuke and Naruto both chuckled. "I guess from the way she just talked to you that you both are still pretending to be dating."

Hanabi's angry scowl instantly faded to a look of pain as she looked away at the floor.

Naruto calmly said. "Yes we are. It's better for both of us this way.

My fan girls don't bother me anymore and she will not get suitors trying to court her into marriage."

Sasuke laughed softly. "I believe you are right.

I doubt anyone would try to take Hanabi from you unless they wanted to get beaten into the ground by her."

Hanabi blushed slightly and refused to look up.

.

* * *

.

It was a bright clear morning in the leaf village. The snow had started to pile up on Naruto's bedroom window as light poured into his bedroom.

Naruto was trying to stay asleep in his singles bed, but the light persisted in waking him up.

Against his will he groggily opened his eyes and peered around his blurry bedroom.

After staring blankly for some time he sat up and something fell off his chest on to his lap.

He looked down and saw a familiar arm. He looked beside his bed and saw Hanabi sleeping in a ball next to his bed and bed stand.

She had a blanket wrapped around her and one of her arms was resting in Naruto's lap.

He looked at her kindly. _"You couldn't stay away huh Hanabi?" _He thought as he ran his fingers through her silky brown hair.

He took a deep breath. _"I'd forgotten that smell. Honey and grass clippings, it must be the shampoo she uses."_ He thought as he watched her sleep.

.

Naruto heard sound of eggs frying from the kitchen and his stomach growled loudly.

Hanabi's stomach returned the growl and Naruto covered his mouth to try and not laugh out loud.

Naruto got out of bed. He was wearing boxer shorts, a yellow tank top and his panda night cap.

He gently shook her shoulder to wake her.

She stirred and lifted her hand out from under the brown wool blanket to rub the sleep out of her eyes.

He softly said. "Why aren't you in your bed? You shouldn't sleep on the floor."

.

She clearly wasn't totally awake and said. "Because I was cold upstairs."

Naruto rolled his eyes at her knowing full well that the 'fluff monster' bed in her room was the warmest in the house.

He walked over to his closet and selected a heavy Sage uniform made for cold weather.

He tossed it on to the bed and took off his top and cap.

Hanabi stood up and wrapped the blanket tighter around her.

He grabbed his white pants and was just stepping into the leg as the door to his bedroom opened.

.

A thin Hyuuga with brown hair pulled up into a bun was standing in the doorway with a cheery smile and said.

"Breakfast is ready…" She stopped in mid sentence as her milky white eyes went wide with shock.

Naruto finished putting on his pants and looked over to her.

He calmly stated. "We will be there shortly Shizan."

.

"Hanabi! What are you doing in Naruto's room while he's getting dressed?" She nearly shouted at her.

She looked over at her and blinked a few times before saying.

"Hmm? What do you mean?" She said clearly not seeing a problem.

"I've seen him in his boxer shorts loads of times. We have been living in a single room hut for eight months."

Shizan face went blank with thought as she eyed Hanabi wrapped in the blanket and then stared Naruto's muscular frame up and down.

_"They are getting dressed together like this is normal…What will Lord Hyuuga think if he finds out about this? _

_They have been living together in such close quarters for so long!"_ She thought blankly as she eyed Naruto's shirtless chest.

_"There is no way Hanabi could keep her hands off of him for long…Of that much I'm certain."_

.

"Hanabi I don't know how you lived with the Toad Clan, but when you are home I expect you to act like a lady.

You are not to be in his room when he is getting dressed." She said sharply.

Naruto rolled his eyes at her as he put on his black long sleeve undershirt.

Hanabi gave her a flat look and sarcastically said. "I'm not the one eyeballing him and blushing Shizan…"

Shizan's eyes widened slight as she realized that she was obviously staring.

She quickly turned her blushing cheeks away and said. "Breakfast is on the table."

She left down the hall swiftly.

.

* * *

.

Naruto, Hanabi and Shizan were eating breakfast a short while later.

Shizan as lecturing Hanabi and Hanabi clearly was tuning her out.

"I can't believe you would sneak into his room and sleep next to him like that. Have you no dignity as a lady?" She said.

Naruto finished his second egg and said.

"Good luck trying to get her to stop that. Even the elders gave up and put our sleeping blankets right next to each other.

The first night we stayed there I was sleeping next to Fukasaku and she was sleeping on the other side of the room next to Shima.

She got up and kicked Fukasaku out of his sleeping area and slept next to me in her sleep.

Shima got a laugh when she saw us the next morning, but Fukasaku wasn't too happy about it."

Shizan stared blankly at Hanabi as she ate.

.

"What are we doing today master?" Hanabi asked him quickly changing the subject.

Naruto shrugged casually and said. "What else, training of course. I thought we would knock of early today so you can go shopping for the holidays."

She casually replied. "I guess that's a good idea. I've already asked Hinata and Neji what they wanted."

Naruto raised a eyebrow at her and carefully asked. "Really and what did they ask for?"

She gave him a flat look and said. "You better not try to steal my idea for their gifts." She warned him.

"Neji asked for a healing herb mixture and Hinata asked for a rare training manual.

I'll get some dried herbs and make Neji's gift. I will see what I can find at the book store for my sister." She said.

Naruto nodded his head silently and then picked up his empty plate. He took it to the kitchen as Hanabi followed him.

.

They headed out the front door a moment later.

It was a clear cold day and there was nearly an inch of snow on the ground from yesterday's storm.

They slowly picked their way over to the Hyuuga training ground. The small fish pool had frozen over and there was snow covering the trees.

Konohamaru was sitting on an open patch of grass that had been cleared of snow. He was sitting crossed legged while meditating.

"Good morning you two." Konohamaru opened his eyes and said.

"Morning Konohamaru. I see you beat us to training again." Hanabi said.

"Hello Konohamaru. What are you working on today?" Naruto asked.

Konohamaru quickly got to his feet and pointed at him.

.

"You know very well what jutsu I want you to teach me!

Don't play dumb with me! I'm a Sage now so teach me the Rasenshuriken!" He said loudly.

Hanabi laughed and said. "There's the old Konohamaru I knew."

Naruto smiled at him and said. "What is your main element?"

"Fire, so what do I do to combine it into the Rasengan?" He asked intently.

"I can't explain that part to well. You just have to keep trying until you've gotten it, but first before you try that you need to learn to throw the Rasengan.

Monkey Sage chakra and Toad Sage chakra is different so you will have to figure out that part on your own as well."

.

Konohamaru face planted and then quickly got to his feel and pointed an angry quivering finger at him.

"WHAT? After all this Sage training you basically told me to figure it out myself!

Kami what was all that training for then?" He yelled angrily.

"To get you ready to try it. You have to figure this out on your own Konohamaru.

My wind released Rasenshuriken is different than your fire released Rasenshuriken is going to be.

You are creating a jutsu here. No one can tell you how to do it because no one has created it yet." Naruto told him empathetically.

"You-You're kidding right? You have to be able to get me some kind of idea!" Konohamaru said in disbelief.

.

Naruto smiled at him and said.

"Well I wouldn't be much of a master if I couldn't.

No one said I wouldn't be helping you, but you will have to learn to throw the Rasengan on your own.

Once you master that I'll be able help you with the jutsu."

Konohamaru eyed him carefully for a long moment.

He spoke to himself out loud with a curious look on his face.

"Throw the Rasengan huh? But how?

It's already insanely hard to form it and the farther away it gets from the user the harder it will to keep the jutsu going."

.

Hanabi smiled and put up the seal of the tiger.

"Multi Shadow clone jutsu!"

Eight clones appeared. Two sat down a meditated and the rest started sparring with each other.

Naruto smiled big as he put up his own seal of the tiger and said.

"Man it is going to feel good to get in some real training after all that time on the road.

Multi Shadow Clone Jut-" Kakashi appeared next to him and caught his forearm.

"Naruto…" Kakashi said carefully.

.

Naruto looked over at him with a awkward look and said. "Ehh. Hey Kakashi sensei, what's a matter?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at him and said. "Did you forget anything this morning?"

Naruto looked up in thought and turned back to him.

"Hmm nope. I've got all my stuff and my two students are here to train with me."

Kakashi let go of his arm and gave him a fake smile as he said. "Well if you're sure about that…"

Naruto look suddenly changed to a cringe. He turned to Hanabi and said. "Quick what time is it?"

.

She checked her watch and said. "It's just after nine-thirty."

Naruto's shoulder slumped and let out a long sign.

"Great Tsunade is probably about ready to kill me for being over a hour late."

Kakashi nodded his head.

"I'll be back later you two. It might not be until after lunch though.

Don't stay out shopping to long Hanabi." He said and then drew one of his kunais.

He disappeared without a noise.

.

Konohamaru was lost on concentration and didn't even notice Kakashi talking to Naruto.

He summoned a clone and preformed the Rasengan.

He held his hand back and threw it. When it was three inches from his head it dissipated.

"Kami! This is going to be tough…Oh hi Kakashi. What brings you out here?"

Kakashi was eyeing him carefully the whole time he tried to throw the jutsu.

Kakashi carefully asked. "Konohamaru…Did you just try to… throw the Rasengan?"

Konohamaru smiled innocently while scratching the back of his head and said. "Yeah I guess I did."

.

"So Naruto is teaching THAT jutsu?" He asked slowly.

Konohamaru said. "Well kind of. He told me I need to learn to throw the Rasengan first…

Say, you helped Naruto create the Rasenshuriken did you?

Can you give me any idea how he learned how to throw it?"

.

Kakashi wore a strained look and held his hands up in front of him.

"I only taught him the basics of elemental jutsu and got him to try infusing his wind element into the Rasengan.

I never saw how he learned to throw it. He learned that by himself during his Sage training."

Konohamaru sighed as he turned back around and tried to throw it again.

_"When Tsunade learns about this she really is going to kill him…_

_I think I'll wait until after the holidays to tell her for Naruto's sake." _He thought with a very strained look.

_._

"Hey Kakashi sensei. I've got a few questions about elemental jutsu." Hanabi said as her clones fought.

Kakashi perked up and wore a curious expression. "What questions would those be?"

Hanabi wore a confused look and said.

"When Naruto taught me medical Ninjutsu I had to use the water element. It took me a while, but I got it.

He also tried to teach me some earth jutsu, but I failed miserably at it.

I don't mean to disrespect him, but I am starting to think that neither of them are my main element."

.

Kakashi was eyeing her very intently as she spoke.

"Well I doubt Naruto had any of these with him when you went away training."

He reached into his pack and pulled out five slips of paper.

"You are lucky I was carrying some today.

I had to make a stop at the academy and test a student this morning."

.

Hanabi gave him a curious look and slowly asked. "What is paper going to do for me?"

"Hmm if it were just normal paper then it would do nothing. These are chakra slips."

He handed her one and she looked at unbelievingly.

"Just run some chakra through it and I'll tell you your main element."

He laid the slip of paper in her open palm and ran her chakra threw it.

.

Kakashi looked down at her hand. "Your main element is…"

He did a few hand signs and preformed the Chidori. "Lightning…The second rarest of the five elements.

The first is wind. This means that you likely lean the farthest away from earth.

It's no wonder you failed at earth. Water is likely your third element maybe even your fourth."

He said as he stared down at the crumpled slip of paper and released his jutsu.

She stared at him blankly for a long moment and then said.

"Wait my main element is Lightning? And what's this about water being my third element?"

.

He looked at her and pulled out a diagram of the five elements that had arrows pointing to what each element was strong too.

"Everyone has a main element that their chakra leans towards.

For you it's lightning." He said as he pointed to the yellow symbol for lightning.

"Lightning is strong verse Earth. This means your chakra likely leans the farthest from Earth.

Most Shinobi tend to go backwards two elements on this chart and that's normally their second element.

For you we go back two elements, we skip over wind and end up a fire on the chart.

Fire is likely your second element. It gets less precise for your third element.

Most of the time you just go back one more element. In your case that is water.

Your fourth element is likely wind, but this is only a example. Truth be told your second element could be wind.

I'm only explaining how people normally progress out from their main element." He explained while point at the diagram.

.

She looked at him hopefully and said. "Wind could be my second element?

I'd really like to have it be wind after seeing what master Naruto can do with it."

Kakashi chuckled softly. "After seeing with he can do with it I wish I had the wind element as well.

But I have to tell you that I believe your second element is fire not wind."

She gave him a curious expression and asked. "Why do you think that?"

.

"Hmm do you remember our first mission together?" He asked her.

She wore a thoughtful expression before saying.

"Yeah the one where you and Naruto had me learn survival training. That seems like such a long time ago."

Kakashi nodded his head and asked her.

.

"I know you were tired at the time and you may not remember it well.

But do you remember when Naruto asked you to make a fire?"

She thought about it and said. "I vaguely remember that."

Kakashi asked her. "Had you ever made a fire that way before?"

"No not really. I had read about how to do it in a book though." She said as she shook her head.

.

"Hanabi did you know that the final test before being sent out into the wilds to live for a week at the academy is to build a fire?" Kakashi said.

She looked over at him and said. "How is that a good test? It's easy to make a fire."

He smiled at her and said. "It takes months for most ninja's to get decent a building a fire with a flint and tender.

You however had a fire going in less than two minutes on your first try.

If your second element is fire then this explains why you find it easy to make a fire."

She gave him a slightly sour expression and said. "You really think my second element is fire?"

He shrugged. "It's just a hunch. Did you have any other questions?" He asked.

She looked at him curiously and asked. "How many elements can you use?"

.

"Four, I'm a master at lightning and I can use earth, fire and water as well.

Only the rarest of the elements is out of my reach, the wind. I'm not known as the copy ninja for nothing."

"Wait if you can use four does that mean the Hokage can use all five?" She asked intently.

Kakashi laughed for a moment and said. "No Tsunade can only use three elements.

Her main element is earth though most people don't know that as she focus her time on medical Ninjutsu.

Her other two are water and lightning. The one she uses the most is water as the human body is made up of mostly water."

.

She got a confused look on her face and asked.

"Wait isn't the Hokage stronger than you?

I mean to be Hokage she has to be the strongest in the village right?"

Kakashi smiled at her kindly. "Not all strength is measured in our elemental jutsu.

Yes she is far stronger than me, but if you are referring strongest in combat then I think you already know who holds that title." He said suggestively.

.

Hanabi thought about it. "Err Gai sensei?" She said clearly just guessing.

Kakashi sweat dropped. _"Gai? Of all the people she could have picked why did she choose my one sided rival?"_ He thought in disbelief.

"Umm no, it's not Gai. Care to try that again?" He said with a strained look.

She thought about it again and suddenly winched a rubbed her forehead.

_"Please tell me she isn't going to say 'His' name next."_ He thought with an even more strained look.

.

"Maybe… Rock Lee?" She said with a confused and reserved look.

Kakashi sweat dropped again and put his head in his hands.

_"Naruto, how did you manage to turn her into a Sage and steal her intelligence away too?"_

He let go of his head and looked at her. "Hanabi…you do know the two people on Tsunade's list of successor's right?"

Her eyes suddenly lit up and she felt very foolish. "Oh!… Sorry, I'm around him all the time that I guess I just forgot he's so powerful."

She said as she looked down at the ground in embarrassment.

After a long uncomfortable moment she asked him.

.

"Hey Kakashi has there ever been anyone that could use all five of the basic elements?"

He looked over at her and said. "Yes I've met someone that could use all five, but he was using a forbidden jutsu to do it."

"Really? I bet he was a very powerful ninja." She said in awe.

He nodded his head and said. "Yes, Kakuzu was very powerful and nearly killed me."

She stared at him blankly. "He nearly killed you? What happened?" She asked intently.

"Me Ino and Choji fought him and were on the losing end barely hold out own against him.

He was about to rip out my heart when Naruto showed up.

He had just perfected the jutsu Konohamaru is trying to learn.

Naruto killed him using his Rasenshuriken." He said.

.

Flashback

* * *

.

It was a cool and cloudless spring morning at Mount Myoboku.

Naruto and Hanabi were standing in an open field with mountain tops in the distance.

Three of the mountains had the tops cut off of them.

Hanabi was beside herself with excitement.

She smiled joyfully at him and said. "I can wait to see this! I've only read about it!"

He smiled back at her and said. "There is a reason for that and it will become obvious after you see it.

Sheesh we finally get here and at first light you remind me of my promise."

.

She bit her lips together innocently. "Sorry master I've been thinking about it for the whole trip here."

He gave her a slight chuckle and said. "I know. I hope you are ready for this. You might want to cover your ears."

She lightly covered her ears while smiling.

Naruto summoned two clones. He and one of the clones summoned the Rasengan in his hand. The third added the wind element.

The more the clone added the wind element the louder it grew.

The sound was defying. It sounded like metal being sheered away at high speed.

.

Naruto held the jutsu over his head and yelled through the screaming sound.

"Here it is! This the wind released: Rasenshuriken! Now I will show you why you have never seen me perform it before!"

He stepped back and hurled the massive amount of spinning chakra with all his might.

It screamed across the plains just above the grass and rose just as it came to the mountains

It hit the center of one of the larger peaks and exploded into giant blue ball if countless tiny attacks.

The ground shook violently as the top of the mountain was obliterated in the span of three heart beats.

When it was over the top of the mountain was cut clean off and the top of the mountain was smoking like a volcano that just erupted.

Hanabi was shocked to her core as she stared blankly at the place where the mountain was a moment again.

_"No one could ever survive a hit from that jutsu…Not even the Hokage…No wonder he never uses it…"_ She thought soullessly.

Naruto looked over at her and said. "Now do you see why I never use this jutsu?"

.

* * *

End of flashback.

.

She blinked at him and few times. "He was really so strong that Naruto had to use his most powerful attack on him?" She asked in disbelief.

Kakashi Eye her curiously and said. "You think that the Rasenshuriken is his most powerful attacks? I hope you know he was sixteen when he created it.

Naruto had only gotten strong over the years."

She stared at him blankly and asked. "He has even stronger jutsu?"

Kakashi nodded his head. "As for your question about someone that could use all five basic elements by themselves without a forbidden jutsu to aid them.

There is one told of in legend. Naruto might have already told you about him."

.

She looked at him curiously. "Who was he?"

"Naruto has told you about his finally battle that ended the Fourth Great Shinobi War right?" He asked her.

She nodded at him.

"Then you know about the ten tailed beast Jubi?" He asked.

She nodded again.

"Did he tell you who it was that sealed the ten tailed beast in himself thousands of years ago?"

.

She struggled with her memories and finally said. "Rikudo right? He was the Moon Sage correct?"

"Yes he was. He possessed the most powerful eye technique, the Rinnegan.

It is said that whoever has the Rinnegan can learn any jutsu after seeing it once no matter the element.

It is said that the first ninja that ever created Ninjutsu had these eyes.

They are likely talking about the Moon Sage Rikudo IF he existed." He said.

.

She scrunched up her face in thought and then asked. "Was Rikudo said to have been a priest?"

Kakashi tilted his head slightly and eyed her very intently. He carefully asked. "Why would you ask that…?"

She held her head trying to remember everything about what she had seen.

"Because…the first time I was in Naruto's bedroom I saw a weird elemental diagram.

At the bottom of it said High Priest Sacki Rikudo something, something Jutsu.

Sorry I couldn't read two of the characters." She said.

Kakashi eyed her in a very reserved manner and asked. "I don't suppose you could explain with the diagram looked like…"

.

"It hurt my head to even look at it, but I think I can write down part of it if you will give me that elemental diagram you have."

Hanabi said as she pointed to the paper in his hand. He looked at his hand and then handed her the paper.

She sat down near the tree were Naruto used to refill her chakra. She took out a book to write on and an ink brush.

She began adding to his diagram. She drew a Yingyang symbol in the center of the five elements.

She drew a tree in between the elements of water and earth.

She then drew arrows from the tree and the wind to the fire element.

She drew a line around the fire to make it look like it was getting bigger.

"Here." She said as she handed it to him.

.

"This is what I remember if it. There was weird combination for all the elements like that. All the ones for lightning were blank though.

The only thing I could understand about it at the time was you could use water and earth to make wood.

You could add wood and wind to fire to make it stronger, at least if I understand it right."

Kakashi looked it over. "Hmm that is exactly what this means, but how could this alone be a jutsu…" He said in thought.

He suddenly smiled at her and said. "I'll let you get back to your training." He held up his hand and poofed in to smoke.

Hanabi said. "Well he made a quick exit…"

Konohamaru hit the ground panting on all fours. "Damn… I forgot how much chakra… the Rasengan takes to use!"

She suddenly looked over at Konohamaru and said. "Maybe you should take a break."

Konohamaru rolled over on his back breathing hard and said. "Maybe you're right."

.

A short while later Konohamaru was sitting next to a tree. Hanabi was sitting while resting her elbow on her knees near him.

Konohamaru suddenly broke the silence.

"I didn't have time to ask you before, but…how are things with you and Naruto?

I mean… I haven't even seen you two holding hands. I hope you guys didn't break up or anything."

Hanabi looked changed to one of pain as the wrapped her arms around her knees a buried he face in them.

"Gaara told me this would be hard. I never expected it would be this hard though." She said with her voice cracking.

"Gaara said?" He asked her.

.

She nodded her head on her knees. "You have no idea how much I want to have a normal relationship with him.

To just say 'I love you' or share a real kiss with him, but it can't happen right now.

Our relationship as master and student is closer than ever…but…"

She stopped clearly fighting with herself not to cry. She took several deep breaths before she continued again.

"But our relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend is so strained…

It's SO difficult." She said, the frustration and pain in her voice shinned through clearly.

.

"He tells me he cares by teaching me and I tell him that I love him by mastering as many jutsu as I can…

I-I just want him to tell me…To show me ho-how he really…feels…, but as long…as he is a Jinchuuriki…"

Eight months of mistakes flooded her mind when she had pushed things too far.

Eight months of Naruto's pained looks came back to her at once.

She saw his pained looks again and again in her mind.

.

In front of her greatest friend and fellow pupil, Hanabi could no longer hold it back her tears.

She sobbed uncontrollably as she gripped her knees tightly with her head buried on top of them.

Konohamaru didn't need Sage chakra to know exactly how she felt and what she was going though her thoughts.

With a look of kindness and understanding her walked over to her and tried to pull one of her arms away from her knees.

She jerked her arm back as she continued to cry.

He forcibly opened her arms and embraced her.

She gripped him tightly as she trembled and tears forced their way out of her shut eyes.

She went from sobbing to wailing like a baby.

.

"I'm so…_so_ sorry Naruto…Your…Nindo is …So Hard…to keep…" She said while crying.

Konohamaru understood her perfectly and ran his hand over her head and down her back with a empathetic look on his face.

"It's ok Hanabi. I understand that others don't see you for who you really are…

They see you as 'The Heiress to the Hyuuga Clan' or 'Demon Fist Hanabi' or even 'Toad Sage Hanabi, Naruto's Disciple'. I'll never see you that way.

I see you as a trusted comrade. I see you as a sixteen year old girl that is madly in love with Naruto…

I see that you will do anything for him even if it means hurting yourself or becoming his Disciple.

So let it all out, if you need a shoulder to cry on then use mine. I'll never judge you…" He said honestly as he griped her tightly.

.

She cried and cried for what seemed like forever to him.

_"Hanabi… If we ever truly fought I don't know who would win, but I have to give you this. _

_I could never bear the burden that you bear for Naruto. Not in a thousand year could I bear the terrible pain you are going though…_

_You are by far the strongest girl I know…Maybe even stronger than Naruto…"_ He thought as he held Hanabi tightly as she cried on his shoulder.

Something strange suddenly happened to Konohamaru.

Something Naruto told him many times would one day happen, but he never fully understood his wise words until this moment.

.

Flashback

* * *

.

Naruto and Konohamaru were training out in a remote field. They were practicing the Shadow Clone jutsu.

Naruto sighed and looked at the ground.

"Hey boss, you don't need to be so down about not being able to bring Sasuke back. I'm mean, he left willingly.

He's a rogue ninja now. Why would you stick your neck out for him?"

Naruto smiled meekly at him and said.

"One day you will have a bond like the one I share with Sasuke.

One day…you will find your true equal in battle and you will understand them fully from the first time you fight them.

It is only then you will have found your true rival."

.

Konohamaru smiled arrogantly as he pointed at Naruto.

"I already have a rival and that's you!" He yelled.

He smiled weakly and said. "It's true we are rivals in our quest to become Hokage, but I'd still beat you in a fight."

"HA you only think you can beat me. Bring it on! I'm the grandson of the Third Hokage!" He yelled childishly as he rubbed the underside of his nose with his finger.

Naruto looked at him curiously and said. "Oh really…Multi Shadow clone jutsu!"

Over two hundred Naruto's appeared. Konohamaru stared around in shook.

"Hey! I didn't know you could summon that many!" He yelled loudly while back peddling nervously.

They encircled him cutting off his escape route.

"Well are you ready 'rival'…?" He said with a sly smile.

Konohamaru wore a blank look as all the Naruto clone charged him.

.

* * *

End of flash back.

.

_"Master…"_ He desperately gripped Hanabi with all his strength. _"I see now that I never saw Moegi or Udon as my equal…I never saw them as my teammates._

_I was always stronger than them. I was always their leader…chasing after you just like everyone else did."_

He thought as he winched his eyes closed in pain and clutched the crying Hyuuga closer to him.

Tears that were not his own formed at the rims of his shut eyes.

_._

_"Is-Is this what you heard for all those years?…Is this the kind of bond you two shares? _

_Did you hear Sasuke's soul screaming from the depths of despair and darkness like the way I hear Hanabi's soul screaming for you now? _

_Is this what he means to truly understand someone else? Is this that it feels like to have a true rival?…I had no idea how powerful it was…_

_I understand why you never gave up on Sasuke now…It's because you couldn't bear hear his soul screaming like the way I hear Hanabi's…"_

Konohamaru felt Hanabi sorrow as only a rival could. He opened his liquid deep brown eyes and helped her shed tears with pride.

Tears rolled down his face in the freezing cold as he finally understood his master teaching about what bonds with a rival really meant…

.


	27. Chapter 27: The Lord of Fire

**Chapter 27: The Lord of Fire**

* * *

Authors notes:

* * *

Reviews/ Questions.

* * *

.

Last Chapter

* * *

.

_"Master…"_ He gripped Hanabi with all his strength. _"I see now that I never saw Moegi or Udon as my equal…I never saw them as my teammates._

_I was always stronger than them. I was always their leader…chasing after you just like everyone else did."_

He thought as he winched his eyes closed in pain and clutched the crying Hyuuga closer to him.

Tears that were not his own formed at the rims of his shut eyes.

_._

_"Is-Is this what you heard for all those years?…Is this the kind of bond you two shared? _

_Did you hear Sasuke's soul screaming from the depths of despair and darkness like the way I hear Hanabi's soul screaming for you now? _

_Is this what he means to truly understand someone else? Is this what it feels like to have a true rival?…I had no idea how powerful it was…_

_I understand why you never gave up on Sasuke now…it's because you couldn't bear hear his soul screaming like the way I hear Hanabi's…"_

Konohamaru felt Hanabi's sorrow as only a rival could. He opened his liquid deep brown eyes and helped her shed tears with pride.

Tears rolled down his face in the freezing cold as he finally understood his master teaching about what bonds with a rival really meant…

.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Lord of Fire and The Wind Dancer

* * *

.

Snow covered the ground on a clear cold day at training ground thirty-six.

Hanabi was sitting on the ground holding on to Konohamaru as he comforted her.

She had finally stopped crying and Konohamaru let go over her and took a step back.

"Do you feel better now?" He said to her honestly and slightly worried.

She picked her head up and looked at him with her red blood shot eyes.

.

"I feel empty now… That's a lot better than I felt before. Thank you Konohamaru for letting me get all that out.

I hope you don't think I'm some weird cry baby though." She told him.

Konohamaru smiled at her slightly and said. "No, far from it Hanabi. I am surprised at how strong you are."

She gave him a slightly embarrassed look and said. "Strong I am? What are you talking about? I just broke down."

Konohamaru said. "You kept that bottled up for eight months…It takes a lot of strength to do that."

He pointed at her clones that were still sparring. "To say nothing of letting all that out and never losing control of your jutsu."

.

She sighed as she leaned back on her hands and looked out at the deep blue sky. "Do you think we will make it Konohamaru?"

He shrugged at her and said. "If anyone can make it with Naruto it's you.

Besides you're the only one in the village that can keep him in line. Not even Tsunade can fully do that.

Who cares if the way you two show affection for each other are different than most relationships?

As long as you two are happy together that's all that matters.

If things get tough and you need someone to talk to you can always talk to me.

As fellow pupils of Naruto we should be there for each other."

.

She smiled honestly at him and said.

"You really are starting to act like one of the wise old Sages from the story books I used to read all the time…

You sound a lot like Naruto."

.

He gave her a casual look and said. "That's because he is my Master and has been since before I would admit it.

I knew long before anyone else that one day he would become one of the most powerful ninja's of his time.

I guess that's why I want to become like him.

He makes mistakes, but always picks himself up and tries again.

He's not perfect and no one ever is.

But when you can accept your failures again and again and keep trying then you can become truly strong and wise over time.

It is only then that you understand what it means to live."

She looked down and shook her head. "Spoken like a true Sage out of a story book." She said.

.

He gave her a weak smile and said.

"Those words _were_ from a wise old Sage…King Enma told me that when I asked how the Monkey Clan saw Naruto."

Hanabi nodded her head at him and then turned and gave him a flat look.

"You know it's not really fair.

I tell you everything about me and Naruto's relationship and you don't tell me anything about your love life." She said sourly.

.

He looked over to her and honestly said. "That's because I don't have a love life.

I was cursed with tainted chakra and wouldn't let myself have those kinds of feeling for a girl.

After you freed me from it I set out to take my Sage training. I haven't had the opportunity to have a love life yet."

.

She eyed him carefully and said. "There must be _someone_ you like…"

He looked away from her shyly and said. "Yeah,…there is someone I've had my eye on, but it probably wouldn't ever workout."

She grinned at him and said. "Come on spill it! I've told you tons of things. It's time to give me something back.

Who knows maybe I know her and could help you out…"

.

He continued to look away from her and said. "I'm not sure I want to talk about it yet."

She sighed in exasperation and said. "If you don't tell me anything how can I help you?"

He thought about it for a long moment.

Hanabi got up and leaned over his shoulders from behind with a fake pouting face.

He sighed loudly as he looked to the ground and said. "You really aren't going to let this go are you?"

She smiled playfully at him and said. "You can't hint at something like that and leave a girl with nothing.

Start talking, you don't have to tell me her name, but at least tell me something about her. Is she really pretty?"

.

He nodded his head. "Yes she is, one might say she's too pretty." He said with his thoughts far away.

Hanabi's eyes narrowed at him as she walked around in front of him. "It's Moegi isn't it? Like master like student." She said.

Konohamaru's expression turned to a blank look of confusion before he laughed loudly for a long moment.

"HAHAhaha…. No, it's defiantly not Moegi. She is like a sister to me, not a girlfriend." He said clearly amused with her guess.

Hanabi rubbed her chin in thought. She thought out loud and said.

"You're trying to become Hokage like Naruto…You said she is really pretty…"

She smiled at him knowingly and confidently said. "It's Sakura isn't it?

It makes sense that you would fall for the Hokage's Disciple because you want to become Hokage yourself one day."

.

Konohamaru's look changed to a look of shock, dread and horror. "NOT-IN-A-MILLION-YEARS-WOULD-I-ASK-HER-OUT!"

Hanabi smile quickly changed to blank shock at the severity of his reaction to her guess.

"Kami I thought you knew me a bit better than that Hanabi…"

He said in disappointment as he hung his head and shoulders.

She gave him a strained look and said. "Well, tell me something else about her…What do you like about her?"

"Hmmm she is from a powerful Clan, but they never expected her to make much of herself.

She also took Naruto's Nindo as her own. I'm sure you know how hard of a Nindo that is to keep." He told her knowingly.

She looked up in thought while talking to herself. "Hmm powerful Clan, took Naruto's Nindo and she is really pretty…"

She shrugged and said. "I don't know anyone like that. I give up who is it?"

.

He gave her a tired look and said. "I thought I didn't have to tell you her name…"

"Aww come on! Don't be like that! I can't help you if I don't know who she is." She said with a sly and worried look.

"Nope, I've given you more than enough information for you to figure it out." He said as he turned back to start training.

She scowled at his back as she got up to start training again.

"You know, I never said I was ready to get into a relationship yet.

Now that we are Sages we will likely get sent out on much harder missions.

My life will be too hectic for awhile. Maybe after everything settles down I'll ask her out."

He said and then summoned a clone.

.

"Pretty girls don't stay single for long Konohamaru. You shouldn't wait too long or someone else might snatch her up before you.

Besides it's the perfect time of year to at least get her a gift and let her know you're thinking about her.

If you tell me who it is I'll get father to invite her to the winter solstice party tomorrow night." She said slyly.

He turned back toward her and said. "Nice try Hanabi, but she's already going to be there."

She gave him a confused look as he turned around, summoned a Rasengan and tried to throw it.

.

* * *

.

Naruto was in a hospital room sitting on a bed with his shirt off.

Tsunade had her face right up to his stomach examining what was left of the seal.

The nine prongs seal had decayed to the point that only three of the prongs were left.

She took a step back from him and said. "How long do you think you have?" She looked away from him in a lost manner.

He shrugged casually and said. "At least a few months."

She sighed as he put his black under shirt back on.

"I'm not going to sugar coat this Naruto…I think you have five months at best…"

.

"Don't be sad mother. That is plenty of time for me to teach Konohamaru and Hanabi the last few things I need to.

I just need you to give us missions after the holidays so they can get experience in real combat and learn to work together as a team."

She looked over at him angrily and hurtfully. "Absolutely not! You aren't leaving the village for any reason!

That seal could break soon and we don't know what will happen. I can't take that risk Naruto." She said resolutely.

"That's why I can't be in the village Tsunade-chan. We don't know what will happen.

I could be a danger to the whole village if it the seal breaks here." He said softly trying to reason with her.

.

She looked at the floor unable to meet his gaze.

"I can't Naruto. You are still the Jinchuuriki of the leaf village. If the worst happens, we will be held responsible…"

He looked at her with kindness in his eyes. "But, could you live with yourself if the worst were to happen in the village."

She shook her head and sighed. She looked over at him with the saddest look he had ever seen on her face and begged him.

"Please….reinforce the seal Naruto…I _know_ you can do it. You have your father's blood limit trait of sealing.

You can do things with simple seals that a master sealer can't do with a S ranked seal."

He looked down and nodded his head before looking at her again.

"Yes I could, but it would only weaken me further when it breaks. I can't take that risk. I have to be at my best." He told her calmly.

.

"Naruto please think rationally about this! Even your father couldn't beat the Nine Tailed Fox!

At least let me mobilize a fighting force to help you if you persist in this path."

She begged him reaching for his arm as he put on his overcoat.

His calm look turned to one of sad pity for her. "Listen to yourself.

My father couldn't beat the Nine Tailed Fox and you want to send Anbu with me when the seal breaks?...

I'm sorry to tell you they would only be walking into their own deaths."

She stopped her reaching for him and pulled her hand back slowly.

"Tell me _Hokage_…Have you ever seen a tailed beast in action?" He asked her while looking her in the eyes.

She grabbed her elbows and looked away. "I've seen the Intel on the damage they can do…"

.

He gave her a slightly sarcastic look and then relaxed and sighed.

"I was in the center of that battle field on the day the Fourth Great Shinobi War ended.

I watched what they could do knowing all the while, that they were just children compared to the one sealed in me…

I'll tell you something that's not in your information on the war.

Do you know how I got through the circle of Tailed Beast that day?"

She looked over at him with a quivering, questioning look.

.

"I came upon Samurai fighting Shukaku, the One Tailed Beast.

They were getting beat badly as Shukaku toyed with them with his strength.

Until Shukaku saw me…He bowed to me as they tried again and again to attack him.

Their attacks couldn't hurt him as he used his sand to prevent anyone from following me.

He let me through not because Madara commanded him.

He let me through because of The Nine Tailed Fox inside of me….All around me was hell on earth that they were creating.

No picture you have seen in a file could come close to making you realize how bad it was.

Even if the Samurai would have followed me, they all would have died.

Only a Jinchuuriki could have survived it. The fight looming on the horizon for me is the same. No one else can help me.

So please just put my mind at ease and help me finish the lessons I need to teach my students before that time comes…" He asked her honestly.

.

* * *

.

It was a clear cold afternoon and the snow was crunching under their feet as Hanabi and Konohamaru arrived at Ichiraku's for lunch.

"Its Tenten isn't it?" Hanabi asked him. He slumped his shoulders and said.

"No, it is not her... I knew you had ulterior motives when you agreed to ramen for lunch so quickly."

Hanabi looked up in thought as she took a seat and said. "Then it must be…Yurika."

Konohamaru took his seat and said. "No, it's not her either. Hey Teuchi two bowls of miso please."

He looked over from his noodle making and said. "Coming up, what do you want today Hanabi?"

She turned to him and said. "I'll just have the special."

"Then how about Huriaki?" She guessed.

He sighed loudly. "Oh come on Hanabi…she is like nine years old!"

She gave him a strained look and said.

"Well I'm running out of people to guess with. How about another hint then? Is she even from this village?"

.

"Yes she is." He said in a tired tone while watching Teuchi make their orders.

Hanabi narrowed her eyes at him and said. "I think I already guessed her and you just didn't tell me…"

He gave her a flat look and said. "Did you forget that I also took Naruto's Nindo as my own? I don't lie either."

She sighed and rolled her eyes and then smiled at Ayame cutting up meat.

"Then maybe she isn't a ninja…maybe someone who can cook well. I know its Ayame."

Konohamaru said. "Nope it's not her…You haven't guessed the Hokage yet…"He gave her a sour look.

.

"Ok then lady..." He cut her off and flatly said. "No…"

She sighed at him in exasperation.

Teuchi said. "What are you trying to guess Hanabi?"

Konohamaru put on a fake smile and whispered over to her.

"If you tell him, I'll tell him everything about you and Naruto…" He warned her.

She gave him a uncomfortable grin and said. "It's just a riddle Teuchi."

"A riddle huh? I used to be pretty good at them. What are your clues?" He asked as he dropped noodles into a boiling pot.

"She took Naruto's Nindo as her own. She is from a powerful Clan that didn't expect much from her and she's a ninja from this village…Oh and she's really pretty."

She added quickly almost as an afterthought.

.

"Hmm took his Nindo…That's no help. His whole fan club took his Nindo." He said while adding spices to the pot.

"She's pretty, from a powerful Clan and they didn't expect much from her…" He said.

Hanabi gave him a questioning look and asked. "Do you know anyone like that Teuchi?"

He divvied out their orders and set bowls out in front of them.

"Yes, I do as a matter of fact. I'd say the answer to the riddle is you Hanabi. You probably ruled yourself out too quickly." He said.

.

She gave him a sarcastic look and said. "I'm an Heiress. My Clan has always expected a lot from me."

"You weren't always the Heiress though." He said as he went back to his cooking.

Hanabi's eyes went wide as she remembered all the times when she was younger and she trained alone while her father trained her sister.

"_But does he know that? He probably does. The Hyuuga Clan's Heiress's and how we became them are public knowledge…"_ She thought as her cheeks turned red.

.

"Ummm.. Konohamaru you-you already know about…I mean you…I've told you…" She stuttered with a shocked expression on her face.

Konohamaru smiled at her and poked her on her forehead. "So what do you want for the winter solstice?"

She fell back in shock and caught herself with both hands on the stool next to her.

She eyed him blankly for a long moment and her eyes narrowed at him as she used her Sage chakra to feel around her.

"Ha ha…very funny." She said with a sarcastic look as she righted herself.

Konohamaru laughed at her and said. "Naruto isn't the only prankster in this village Hanabi."

.

* * *

.

Konohamaru and Hanabi were walking down the busy market street looking at shops and stands.

Last minute shoppers were everywhere buying gifts while moving back and forth in the crowded area.

"So Konohamaru, what are you going to get Naruto for the solstice?" Hanabi asked while she looked at one of the many merchant stands.

He shrugged and said. "The same thing I get him every year. Meal tickets from Ichiraku Ramen."

She gave him a tired look and said. "Meal tickets?" She rolled her eyes at him and thought.

_"That's actually a pretty good idea knowing Naruto. Wish I would have thought of it."_

.

"What are you thinking of getting him?" Konohamaru asked.

Hanabi picked up a watch from a stand and replied. "I was thinking a watch might be a good gift. It's useful and practical."

Konohamaru snickered. "He'll break it in less than a week Hanabi. Don't forget how he trains."

He told her while looking at a jewelry stand next to her.

She gave him a sour expression and said.

"Oh yeah…I forgot. Kami he is hard to buy for. What could he possibly want that I could get him?"

.

Konohamaru gave her a thoughtful look and said. "That's why I always get him meal tickets."

She eyed him for a long moment as he looked over gold necklaces.

Her eyes narrowed at him in a curious manner as she asked. "You never seemed like the jewelry type to me Konohamaru…"

He continued to look at the jewelry stands wares and said. "I'm not, I was just thinking of taking your advice and getting her gift."

Her eyes went wide with a curious shock. "You mean _Her _as in the girl you like? I thought that was all a joke."

He looked over at her and said. "I did take Naruto's Nindo as my own…I can't lie either. I can only bend the truth."

She smiled at him brightly. "You're really going to get her something?" She asked in excited disbelief.

.

He scratched the back of his head while eying the necklaces and said.

"Yeah, but as you said I've never been much of a jewelry person.

I have no idea what she would like. I mean, what's this supposed to be?"

He picked up a braided gold chain with a tiny golden sphere like cage trinket on it that had a blue stone hanging in the center of it.

.

An old lady with her gray hair pulled up in a bun turned to him.

"Oh I made that after an illustration I saw in a book about the Great Sage.

I made it look like the Rasengan jutsu he uses." She said with a smile.

Konohamaru eyed the straight tiny golden bars and thought it looked more like a bird cage.

Hanabi giggled and the merchant woman wore a strained face as she said. "Is there something wrong with my work?"

.

Konohamaru looked over to her and said.

"I'm sorry Miss merchant lady, but this looks nothing like the Rasengan. What picture did you model this after?"

"Umm." She said reservedly as she began digging in a box under table. She came up holding a scroll.

"I used this illustration to make it." She opened it up and thumbed through it until she found the right place.

She set the scroll down on her stand over her items for sale.

On the scroll was a well done picture of Naruto.

In his hand he was holding a white orb that was blue in the very center that had points of light shooting out from it.

"I see now, but that isn't what the Rasengan looks like. That looks more like a bluish sun to me."

He said as he picked his head up and looked at her.

.

"Yes, but I heard all that have seen the Rasengan died from it.

If that's true then only the Great Sage himself knows what it truly looks like." She said mysteriously.

Konohamaru gave her a slight chuckle.

"You out of town merchants sure are superstitious. That isn't true at all.

A lot of people know what the Rasengan looks like in the village." He said.

"Oh…then you have seen his famed jutsu yourself have you? Can you describe it to me?" She asked smartly.

Hanabi tried to cover her smile with her hand as Konohamaru smiled at her. He turned back to the merchant and said.

"I'll make you a deal. I'll show you the Rasengan if you give me my pick of the necklaces on your stand."

.

She gave him a laugh. "You…know the Great Sages famed jutsu?" She eyed him critically in disbelief.

"Hmm…" She grabbed her chin in thought.

"I think you are trying to hood wink me here...

Very well, IF you can show me the Rasengan I'll let you take one necklace for free save for these three."

She said as she pointed at three necklaces on her stand.

One was a very old and outdated gaudy silver necklace with large yellow gem stones set into it.

The next was a thick gold chain with a large ruby on it.

The ruby had a strange design inside the gem stone and the last was a simple, but very heavy looking gold chain.

The last was a heavy looking grey necklace.

.

"I just can't part with these three without getting my money back out of them. They are far too valuable to bet with." She said kindly.

Konohamaru shrugged casually and said. "That's fine."

He turned to Hanabi and said. "Pick a necklace that you like. You'd know what a girl likes better than me."

Hanabi looked over the table for a long time and finally said. "I have a whole jewelry box of this kind of stuff being a Noble and all.

The only one I would have picked is the Ruby necklace she isn't willing to part with. I know what that is and its worth a lot of money.

It's not something I expected to see at a street venders stand."

.

Konohamaru gave her a curious look and said. "How is it worth so much more than the rest of them?"

The vendor smiled at him and said softly so no preying ears could hear.

"Because that is a Dragon's Fire gem on that gold chain.

It's not for sale not because of its value, but because of its curse.

I only display it in hopes that its rightful owner might one day see it and take it off my hands."

Hanabi said. "Ahh now I see. That makes sense why it's on your stand out in open view."

.

Konohamaru gave her a confused look and said.

"I don't get anything you two are saying. Which one of the rest should I pick?"

Hanabi looked over the table again and smiled. She picked up the merchants so called Rasengan and took it off the chain.

She put the golden trinket in his hand and said. "Why not make this one look like the real thing?"

He looked down at the small golden sphere and bounced it up and down in his hand. He gave Hanabi a strained look and said.

.

"I was trying to get a gift for her, not destroy one…

Do you even know how much concentration this jutsu takes?" He sighed and hung his head.

Hanabi gave him a smile and patted him on the back. "It's ok I have faith in you."

He sighed again and picked his head up. He looked intently at the golden charm.

.

He put up this seal of the tiger and said. "Shadow Clone jutsu!"

A clone of himself appeared as many of the shoppers looked over at him.

A long murmur from the crowd around him was emitted as they gathered around him.

A small boy tugged at the merchant woman's pant leg. He had a blank look of awe on his face as he said.

"Grandma do you know who that is?...That's Konohamaru…"

"Hmmm…Who is that? I know you are a huge fan of the Great Sage, but I don't remember you ever saying that name to me Zorikia."

The young boy gave Konohamaru a huge smile as Konohamaru held out his had with the trinket.

His clone's hands started streaking over and over his hand.

A blue whirling orb hummed in his hand a moment later and shined brightly.

.

"The Rasengan." He said as he held it over the table in front of her. She looked at it in blank amazement and she admired it from several angles.

She watched as the golden sphere she made as it was pulled and stretched in a spiral pattern before her eyes.

He closed his eyes as his clone poofed into smoke and then he slowly let go of the jutsu.

The Rasengan faded away and he panted with the tiny golden charm in his hand.

Hanabi looked over what the Rasengan had done to it.

.

The small golden bars of the tiny bird cage like trinket had been twisted into strains of gold so thin that it's looked like a spider spun them out of silk.

The jutsus incredible force had compressed it to half its size, but the gleaming blue gem in the center was still intact.

Hanabi gave him a worried look as said. "Are you ok Konohamaru?"

He took in several sharp breaths while still holding the trinket.

"I think I over did it …using the Rasengan after so much training…" He said while catching his breath.

.

"Wow the stories are nothing compared to seeing the real thing grandma!" A small boy said excitedly.

The merchant looked down at him and then over to Konohamaru still holding out the gold charm.

She smiled at Konohamaru and said.

"Whether it was a real Rasengan or not, I do not know. It made my grandson happy though so the necklace I yours."

.

"Grandma, don't you know who that is? That's Konohamaru Sarutobi.

He's the one that's training under The Great Sage Naruto…" The boy said in awe.

She gave him a curious look and said. "Are you sure?"

The boy nodded. "Yes that's his Disciple Konohamaru. There is no mistaking him."

She turned a smiled at him. "I hope your girlfriend here really likes what you made for her.

My design might have paled to the real thing, but the sapphire is of the highest quality."

.

Hanabi gave her a flat look and she said. "I'm not his girlfriend…"

Konohamaru was very tired when he looked over at the small boy and said.

"You have your facts mixed up. I'm his Apprentice not his Disciple."

The boys eyed lit up. "Does that mean he is still looking for one?" He said hopefully.

He gave the boy a slight laugh and said.

"No, he is not. He already found a great Disciple to follow in his footsteps."

.

The boy looked at the ground in sour disappointment.

"That's too bad. I always hope I could be the one. I bet he is a really strong…"

Konohamaru's hand fell to the table and the gold trinket rolled out of his hand.

Hanabi caught him from falling and pulled one of his arms around her shoulders to support him.

He strained to look at the small boy and said. "Another fact you might want to know…His true Disciple isn't a man…

It's a girl and she's the youngest person to ever achieve the rank of Sage at the age of fifteen."

.

"Really?" The boy asked blankly. "She must have arms the size of barrels and be like seven feet tall!"

Konohamaru giggled for a short moment and said.

"No she doesn't look like that. She is rather short and she's very pretty. She was also the only one that beat me in the Chunin exams."

He looked at him in shock and said. "No way! You got beat up by a girl?

Why didn't you use the Rasengan on her? There's no way you would have lost then!"

He laughed slightly and said. "I did. She was still standing and beat the heck out of me afterwards."

The boy looked at him in blank awe. "Wow, I didn't think any other Genin…least of all a girl, could beat you Konohamaru. His Disciple must be an amazing person.

I hope I get to meet her one day." He said longingly.

Konohamaru looked at the ground and then back to the boy and said. "Yeah… she is amazing…"

Hanabi blushed slightly.

.

* * *

.

Naruto was waiting down stairs for Hanabi in the living room.

_"Kami she is taking forever. I wish she would just wear her Sage uniform to the party like I am. _

_Why do girls have to be so complicated?"_ He thought.

After another long moment he looked at the clock on the wall surrounded by pictures. He rolled his eyes and head up stairs.

.

He stood in front of the dark oak double doors with a lotus carved on them and knocked.

"Hanabi we are going to be late if you take much longer. Shizan left over an hour ago." He said through the door.

"Ergh, then come help me. I can't reach the zipper on this dress!" She yelled back at him.

Naruto wore a strained look as asked. "Umm you're…covered right?"

He heard her take in a long breath and she said. "Of course I am… all but my back anyways."

.

Naruto opened the door and stepped inside. Hanabi was standing in front of a mirror that had been set on top of one of the shorted dressers in the room.

She was wearing a black dress that was tight fitting around her chest and loose and ruffled around her legs.

The back was open as she hadn't been able to reach the zipper at her hip.

She held her hair up and said. "Help zip me up." She pointed at the zipper over her shoulder.

He walked over to her and grabbed the zipper.

He tugged a few times and said. "Umm it's stuck."

She gave him an exasperated sigh and said. "No it's not. Hold the lever of the zipper upright and it will work fine."

"Oh." He said as he pulled the zipper up. "This is why you should have just worn a Sage uniform. It is so much easier to get into."

.

She gave him a sarcastic look as she went over to a box in front of the mirror and pulled out a red colored lipstick. She put it on and pressed her lips together.

"You still have a lot to learn about girls Naruto. We like to get dressed up for special occasions."

She said as she started twisting her long hair into a bun.

She went to put an ornate chop stick through her bun to hold it up when he caught her hand.

"You still have a lot to learn about men too…Most of us prefer a girl to wear their hair down…" He said suggestively.

She bit her lips together innocently and said. "I…didn't know that…" She let go of her hair and it fell around her shoulders.

She smiled as she turned around and asked. "How do I look?"

.

Naruto eyed her for a long moment in confusion. "Is that the same dress you wore when we went on our first date?" He asked curiously.

"Aww you noticed that it looks the same, but it's not. I've grow in certain area's since then.

I couldn't fit into that other dress even if I wanted to.

I borrowed this from Hinata. I always wanted to wear it.

This is the dress she wore on her sixteenth birthday at her coming of age party. My other dress was just a replica."

She said as she picked up her small black purse.

"Do you have everything with you?" She asked as she walked up next to him.

He reached into his outer coat and pulled out two ten inch long scrolls. "Yeah, I sealed everything in here last night."

.

* * *

.

They arrived at the five story Hyuuga main house hold a short time later. Several of the guests were lingering around the door way.

"Hello Sage Naruto and Sage Hanabi." One of them said to them.

Hanabi was shivering from the cold as Naruto greeted the people outside and quickly escorted her inside.

Shikamaru was just inside the entrance wearing his black commander's uniform that had a symbol of his Clan over his heart.

Naruto took off Hanabi's over coat and handed it to the butler.

Hanabi step beside him and linked her arm with Naruto's as she tried to rub the numbness out of her cold limbs.

.

Naruto smile and said.

"Hey Shikamaru. I didn't think you'd make it. How is your son?"

He gave Naruto a tired look and said. "He's annoying; all he does is cry and poop.

Kurenai got her mother to watch him and Asuma for a few hours so we could come.

Why are you so late? Your house is close by."

"Oh, Hanabi took her time getting ready." He said as Hanabi blushed slightly and bit her lips together innocently.

"Where are Kurenai and Choji?" He asked as he looked around the packed living room.

.

Most of the furniture was gone and a full band was playing soft music in the northern corner of the room.

He spotted Lee and Sakura talking at the drink table near the band.

"Choji took her to get a drink. She's still pretty sore from giving birth and he is helping me look after her tonight."

He replied as a very beautiful girl in a white dress came up to greet them.

"Hello sister. Hello Naruto. They are running a little late with the food, but make yourself at home." She said with a smile.

.

"Wow you look nice Hinata. How are Shino and Kiba?"

He asked. Hanabi's eyes went wide in shock when they locked onto the gold necklace she was wearing.

Hinata was wearing a simple gold braided necklace that had a tiny golden sphere with a sapphire in the center of it.

_"Oh Kami! That's who he was talking about!"_ She thought as she smiled at Hinata.

"They are fine. They are around here somewhere. Knowing them they are probably outback.

They never were much for social gatherings." Hinata said as she turned to her sister and leaned over to her ear.

"I see it fits you well Hanabi. I hope he likes it." She told her quietly.

Hanabi grinned shyly and said. "I hope so too."

.

"You thirsty? I'd like to go talk to Sakura and Lee. I'll go get you a drink." Naruto said.

"Sure, I'll go with you though." She said refusing to let go of his arm.

He chuckled softly and told Shikamaru and Hinata. "I'll talk to you both later."

Naruto picked his way through the crowded room and got some punch from the server.

Hanabi got aged grape juice and followed Naruto over to Sakura and Lee.

.

Lee was wearing his ugly green jumpsuit and stuck out like a sore thumb around all the dressed up people in formal wear.

Sakura was wearing a beautiful red silk dress that hugged her frame all the way to her ankles. It was sleeveless and covered her front tightly.

Lee was talking excitedly to Sakura.

"Those squirrels are quite the tricky devils. They ran off with my lunch that day and didn't even leave me a crumb to eat!"

Sakura turned when she noticed them and eyed the two of them.

.

"Well don't you two look good tonight?" She said with a knowing smile at Hanabi.

Lee nodded his head and said. "Yes Hanabi, you are very beautiful tonight. I only wish some of the other guests would stop leering at you."

Lee shot one of the leering guys an angry look and they turned away.

She blushed slightly and said. "Thank you Lee. Isn't Gai sensei with you or are you here with Sakura tonight?"

Lee shot a quick, strained and worried look over at Sakura. "No, no. I came by myself! Gai sensei is home sick with a cold!"

Sakura laughed quietly and said. "If I let Lee take me to this, I'd never have let him leave the house in that uniform."

Lee's shoulders slumped as he said. "Why do you girls always pick on my uniform?"

Sakura and Hanabi laughed.

.

Lee looked over at Naruto with a twinkle in his eye as he moved closer to him and his eyes darted back and forth suspiciously.

"Did you get it?"

Naruto gave him a tired, knowing look and pulled one of his small scrolls.

He laid it out on the floor and said. "Unseal!"

A small pile of random gifts appeared on the floor.

He reached down and grabbed a small red box that was only two inches square and a lead bar that had the word heavy printed on it.

He handed him the lead bar. "Here you are. A enchanted weight bar just like I got you the last two years running."

.

Lee jumped up and down saying. "Yay! My leg weights were getting too light again. I really needed this. Thank you Naruto. You are the best!"

Naruto watched him with a slight smile as Sakura eyed the red box in his hand. She smiled at him and asked. "Is that one for me?"

He turned to her while Lee was still cheering. "No Sakura. This one is also for Lee."

He said and Lee instantly stopped cheering and gave him a curious look.

He inched closer to him and crouched down to inspect the tiny red box that Naruto was holding in his out stretched hand.

"What could it be? He already gave me my weights…"

Lee thought out loud to himself as he rubbed his chin in thought.

.

Naruto pushed his hand closer to him and said. "Open it and find out then."

Sakura and Hanabi watched him intently as he carefully took the box out of his hand by his finger tips like it was a bomb.

He squinted his eyes as he slow lifted the lid. Lee's eyes lit up with shocked joy.

"You found it! You found the last one!" He yelled.

Sakura watched him intently and finally asked. "Found what? What did he get you?"

.

Lee shot her a flat look in thought and closed the lid on the tiny box as he quickly put it away in his pocket.

"No, I do not think I will tell you Sakura-chan. You picked on me for my uniform." He said and stuck his nose up at her.

Sakura put on a charming smile and said. "Oh come on Lee…"

"No, I do not think that will work Sakura." He said resolutely as Sakura shot him a stern look.

Naruto and Hanabi chuckled at her.

.

Naruto picked up a brown grocery bag and a old book. "Here you are Sakura. This is from me and Hanabi."

She took the bag in one hand and inspected the book in her other.

She gave Naruto a knowing look and said.

"I can guess which one of you got the herbs and which one of you got me the book…"

"Hey! Herbs are useful and that's not all that is in that bag!" Naruto said clearly offended.

She rolled her eyes as she set the book on the drink table and opened the bag.

She gave the bag a queer look as she reached inside and pulled out a cup.

.

On the cup was a picture of a cat and it had the words ' I love my cat' written on the bottom of it.

She shook her head back and forth in exasperation. "I knew it…I just knew it… Naruto I don't even have a cat."

Naruto gave her a strained look and said. "Come on Sakura. You wanted a new drinking cup and this one was on sale.

Please don't be mean, it's been a tight year for me." He said the last sentence where only she could hear it.

She looked at him and said. "Thank you Naruto. The herbs will help the hospital."

She turned to Hanabi and smiled truly at her. She walked over and hugged her.

.

"Thank you so much for the book. I've wanted it for years. Where did you ever find a copy of it for sale?"

Hanabi smiled as Sakura let her go. "Open the book to the back cover."

Sakura opened the book and looked.

Written on the back cover were the words 'Property of the Hyuuga Clan's Medical archives. Please return if found'.

Sakura gave her a blank stare of disbelief.

.

Hanabi only smiled bigger at her and said. "This is a gift from the whole Hyuuga Clan to you Sage Sakura.

Father said that the only person that ever understood everything in it was Lady Tsunade.

She read it in her late teens and it's just been gathering dust since then."

Sakura was over whelmed. "I-I don't know what to say…I knew this book was very coveted in the medical field…

I just can't believe the Hyuuga Clan would give it up for me…" She said wide eyed disbelief.

Naruto gave her a curious look and said. "What is in it that makes it so valuable?"

.

Sakura shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"It's a very accurate book on the human circulatory system, but that's not what makes it so valuable.

It is said that in its pages holds a way to perform heart surgery with a sixty percent or better success rate."

Naruto gave her a confused look and said. "Why is that so great?"

Sakura gave him a blank stare of disbelief.

"Naruto…there is only a hand full of medical ninja's alive that would even attempt heart surgery. It's the hardest of all medical procedures.

Even lady Tsunade has only attempted it on the battle field when there was no other option." She said to Naruto.

.

He gave her a curious and sly smirk as he scratched the back of his head in thought.

"A medical book huh…You think you could let me borrow it some time?..."

Sakura gave him a look of horror and said. "Not on your life!"

Lee shook his head as Hanabi laughed.

.

Naruto resealed his pile of presents some time later and continued talking to Sakura and Lee about his time away.

"Hey Naruto!" A large man with greased back brown hair.

Naruto waved at him and said. "Hey Choji."

Choji wiggled his way toward them through the crowd on guest.

He was wearing a formal and very well made red outfit with the Akimichi Clan symbol on his left shoulder.

Over it he wore a green sash that had lots of military medals on it.

The sash was sectioned off into lines and had the names of his ancestors and what medals they had earned during their time as a ninja.

The last name on the green sash was his fathers, Choza Akimichi, and it had the six medals he had won during the third and fourth great ninja war.

Naruto eyed him up and down.

.

Choji walked right up to Hanabi and put his hands together.

He bowed slightly and respectfully said. "Hello Heiress Hanabi of the Hyuuga Clan."

Hanabi unhooked her arm from Naruto's and put her hands together and bowed to him. "Hello Choji Heir to the Akimichi Clan."

Choji never broke his bow, but raised his head slightly to look her in the eyes. "How is the weather?"

She looked at him still in her bow and thoughtfully said. "Too cold for the dress I wore here."

Naruto wore a very confused look as his eyes darted back and forth several time between the two of them.

"Hey why are you two suddenly getting all formal and stuff?" He asked intently.

Hanabi and Choji both came out of their bow. Hanabi gave him a tired and slightly annoyed look.

.

"Master this is how the Heirs of the four great ninja Clans of the village greet each other at formal events." She said with annoyance in her voice.

"We are required to greet each other with a bow and then exchange casually conversation."

Naruto eyed Choji in confusion and then turned back to Hanabi with pointing at Choji. "You mean to tell me Choji is a Noble?"

She shook her head at him in disbelief.

"You mean you didn't know he was a Noble? How long have you known each other?" She asked while eyeing him carefully.

.

Naruto looked up in thought. "Nope, he never said anything about it to me. I've known him since I was ten though.

I know he loves BBQ and you better not take the last piece of food on the table if you know what's good for you." He said.

Hanabi sighed loudly as Choji told him. "Technically you're a Noble too Naruto…, even more so than Hanabi and I."

He shot him a confused look as he pointed at himself in disbelief and said. "Me a Noble? How so?"

Choji raised one of his eye brows curiously and said.

"You do know that you are the last known living descendant of your mother and your father's Clan right?

That technically makes you the head of both clans and makes you a Noble."

.

Naruto eyed him in a reserved manner and said. "No one ever greeted me in that weird way though."

"That's because no one ever taught you how to be a Noble." Choji said knowingly.

Sakura smiled at him and said.

"It's ok Naruto, just stay the way you are. We don't need you acting like a Noble anyway. Most people wouldn't believe it was you if you did."

"Has your father been well Choji?" Hanabi asked him.

"Yes he has been fine, but his parrot died last week though." He said.

Hanabi gave him a sad look and said. "Squarkers died?"

"Yes, he was over forty years old." He said.

.

"Squarkers? How do you know the name of his father's parrot?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Mr. Akimichi used to baby sit me sometimes when I was younger.

I used to play at Choji's house when no one from my Clan could watch me." Hanabi said.

"So…you two have known each other for a long time?" He asked.

Choji nodded his head. "Yes. I even used to help her build sandcastles in our back yard and play ninja with her. Even back then she was a little serious."

Naruto scratched the back of his head and said. "Man I didn't know that at all."

.

* * *

.

A short time later everyone was called to the table for dinner.

Fine porcelain plates with a gold leaf design on them and gleaming sliver ware was place in front of each guest.

Naruto was seated near the head of the table next to Hanabi.

Across from him was Tsunade wearing her formal Hokage uniform.

Lord Hyuuga entered the room from a side door wearing his normal white uniform and raised his hand for silence.

The noise from everyone talking died down.

.

He slowly put his hand down and said.

"I'd like to welcome you all to our winter solstice party. We will be serving the food shortly.

But before that I'd like you all to know that a very special guest will be joining us tonight.

He rarely has time to visit our village so please be on your best behavior tonight.

Also remember those of you on the council that there is to be no political negotiations at the celebration."

.

The double doors next to the back of the room opened loudly in the silent room and Hiashi bowed his head.

A mountain of a man stepped into the room. He was just over seven feet tall dressed in the finest of crimson red robes.

A large belt with a gold buckle was around his waist. Around his neck hung a heavy golden crest on a thick chain.

On his left ring finger was a crest ring big enough for most people to wear as a bracelet.

His red hair and beard were neatly combed and he had a big red scare over his left eye.

Lord Hyuuga presented his hand toward the giant man and said. "I'd like you all to welcome-"

.

"Red Scar? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked in shock as he pointed at him.

The big man smiled at him as everyone else looked wide eyed at Naruto for his outburst.

Shikamaru whispered quietly to Naruto from down the table. "Naruto you idiot! Don't you know who that is?"

Naruto dropped his pointing hand and with a confused look at Shikamaru he said.

"Of course I know who that is. It's Red Scar the ship captain.

He's a fleet commander of the high seas. He is the one that gave me the wood to make the sheath for this."

Naruto reached behind him and unhooked Raijin out from under his overcoat and held it out in front of him.

Shikamaru sighed.

.

Neji cleared his throat and said. "Naruto…weapons are forbidden at the celebration..."

Sakura's forehead vein was bulging and she yelled at Naruto.

"Naruto did your training fry your brain? Just shut up already! He isn't whoever you think he is!"

Naruto gave her a flat look and said. "There is no way he could fool my chakra sensatory perception."

Red Scar walked over to the head of the table where a much larger chair that could support his massive weight had been placed for him.

.

"Greetings Great Sage Naruto and to everyone else." He took his seat as he looked over at everyone with a grand smile.

The Hyuuga lord with a very awkward and strained look took his seat next to Tsunade.

"Wait…Red how do you know I'm a Sage? And why are you here at a ninja celebration? I thought civilians weren't allowed inside the village like this."

He asked with a questioning look. Red Scar let loose a great bellow of a laugh for a long moment.

When he finally stopped laughing he turned to the Hokage and said. "It looks like you won our little wager."

.

Red Scar turned to Naruto and said. "It is true, I am a civilian Sage Naruto, but then again it's a civilian that rules the country."

"Naruto you're making a spectacle and you obviously don't know who you are talking to.

This is the ruler of our nation, The Lord of Fire Harika Noemia." Hiashi said in a quiet stern voice as he crouched over the table at him.

"Uhhh? I thought the Lord of Fire was a old man?" Naruto said with a confused look.

Harika smiled and said. "My grandfather stepped down three years ago Sage Naruto. I have been the ruler of the country ever since."

Naruto gave him a more confused look and said. "Then why the deception?"

.

He gave him a knowing look and said.

"If you were the ruler of the nation and you wanted to really see what was going on in a village, would you announce your presence before coming?

Think about it carefully Naruto. If something devious was going on, then the ones doing it would take steps to hide their actions while I was visiting.

If they didn't even know I was in their village then they wouldn't even suspect they were being watched.

Just because I'm a civilian doesn't mean I can't think like a ninja when I need to."

.

Tsunade was giggling softly in her seat as the Lord of Fire spoke again.

"Come now Sage Naruto, didn't you find it odd that every time I was in the bar that I always found a way to join Lady Tsunade? I was always there with her long after you left.

I hope you know that ninja's aren't allowed in there. What better place could there be for me to speak to the Hokage unnoticed?" He said.

Naruto squinted at him and said. "I didn't find it odd because she clobbered you that one time. I figured you knew better after that.

Man I should have left a clone with you guys. I feel pretty dumb now." Naruto crossed his arms.

Harika laughed and said. "Me too. I bet Tsunade you'd eventually recognize me." He took out a small pouch and pulled out three gold coins.

He handed them to Tsunade. "Here you are you swindler!"

"I warned you before you made the bet with me." She smiled as she took the coins and put them away.

.

The servers were already setting out the steaming food when Harika said.

"Dear me, I'm forgetting my manners. I'm sorry for rambling Lord Hyuuga."

The Lord of Fire presented his hand out to him to give him the floor.

Hiashi nodded and stood up.

"Today we give thanks for another year gone by.

We give thanks for the bountiful feast the land has provided us this evening.

We also remember those of us that didn't make it and thank them for their sacrifices on this day.

There is also one person I'd like to thank someone personally on behalf of my Clan in this evening's prayer.

Even though he is ill suited to the rules of the Noble clans and managed to make even the Lord of Fire to forget his manner…"

.

He turned to Naruto and said. "On behalf of the village, thank you for giving the village two more Sages.

On behalf of the Hyuuga Clan, thank you for training our Heiress and giving us our first Sage."

Naruto smiled slightly and nodded his head.

Hiashi turned back to everyone and said.

"May we all live another year or die a ninja's death in battle with our enemies!"

Everyone cheer loudly and then started to dig in to the food.

.

* * *

.

Naruto true to his political idiocy went right back to calling the ruler of the nation by his nickname in short order.

"Red, how did you get to be the Lord of Fire? I mean you don't seem like the type to be doing all this bowing and formal name greeting."

Naruto asked while cutting a steak on his plate.

Red Scar threw back his head and gave him a short laugh.

"You are right there Naruto. Truth be told I never wanted to become the Lord of Fire. I was much like you were in your younger years.

I was free and wanted to live my life away from all the political drivel of the Royal family. My father died when I was young because of foul play.

My uncle Rakin took me in and found me to be a unruly teen to deal with.

He constantly tried to drag me into the political arena even though he knew I hated it.

.

Rakin was a very strict man and commanded our naval fleet under my grandfather's guidance.

As you know the ninjas are our hidden army on land, but we still have a open Navy that is mainly used for shipping. In times of war they too are called to fight.

Twenty-four years ago my uncle brought me with him to the war room. I was a skinny little boy of only fourteen years when this happened.

He wanted me to see and learn from how they planned out their defenses and trade routes.

Of all the things he tried to teach me, the only one that I would put the vaguest of effort into was naval strategy.

There wasn't much political arguing for hours in it. That's the only reason I took a liking to it.

During the meeting they planned out a ship formation where one ship acted as bait while the cargo ships sailed out and away from it.

.

I spoke out to his aid that was formulating the plan and told him that the Shinzar line formation was far safer and didn't needlessly put people's lives in danger.

The Shinzar line formation is basically where a fighting ship heads the group and another one covers the rear of the formation.

My uncle actually smiled at me and complemented my strategy.

His aid Zalika warned me that speaking out in front of those of higher rank was dangerous and I could get challenged for such an offense.

Zalika was a sickly looking man in his late teens. I foolishly berated him into challenging me.

The only other thing that my uncle praised me for was my talent using the Royal families Crimson Flame.

Zalika was only half Royal blood and his abilities were far weaker than my own." He said.

.

"Umm what is this Crimson Flame thingy you are talking about?" Naruto asked with a confused look on his face.

Hanabi shot him a sour look as Red Scar gave him a curious one while leaning back in his chair.

He raised a eyebrow at him and said. "You really haven't heard of it Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head and said. "No, what is it?"

"Well, you would call it the Royal family's blood limit trait, but it's our jutsu even though we aren't ninja. Here I'll show you." The giant man held out his open hand.

Naruto's eyes went wide as he gave Hiashi a strained look. He quickly shook his open hands in front of himself trying to warn Red Scar.

"No No, don't do any jutsu at the table! Lord Hiashi will kick you out of the house. Trust me I know!"

.

Hiashi calmly set down his knife and fork by his plate and looked over at Naruto. He folded his hands together and calmly said.

"Naruto…that rule only applies to you. Everyone else has enough common sense to know not to use any dangerous jutsu in the house."

Almost everyone that heard the Hyuuga Lord laughed openly, even the Lord of Fire.

Naruto mumbled sourly to himself. "Why only me…."

.

Once Red calmed his bellowing roar of laughter he turned to Hiashi and asked politely.

"Can I please have your permission to show everyone my Crimson Flame honorable Hyuuga lord?"

Hiashi bowed slightly and respectfully said.

"Of course milord, I to would like to see the famed jutsu of the Royal family if you would be so kind to give us a demonstration."

.

"Thank you." He said formally. He closed his eyes in concentration as a beautiful ruby flame appeared in his hand.

The light from it casted a red glow throughout the room that engulfed even the yellow lamps that should have been able to out shine it.

The ruby flame flickered slowly from side to side. Many in the room openly awed at its beautiful light.

Naruto eyed the flame intently in his hand. "I can do that too, but the color isn't that Royal red color."

.

The Lord of Fire raised a curious eye brow at him and said. "Oh really? Is it a blue flame?"

Naruto shook his head as he closed his eyes in concentration and put up the half tiger seal in front of his face.

He said. "No…anyone with enough chakra could summon a blue flame. Mine is a different color all together."

Naruto mind expanded as he became one with everything for miles around him. The thin dark lines around his eyes expanded and encompassed his eyes.

The only thing keeping Hiashi from protesting was Hanabi's genuine smile at Naruto.

Naruto held his hand out near Harika's as a brilliant golden flame appeared in his hand.

He opened his eyes as the neon golden flame in his hand lit the red room up and turned it orange as his light mixed with the Lord of Fires light.

"This chakra is yellow." He said as he held it out in front of himself.

The Lord of Fire stared in wonder at his chakra. "Golden chakra…"

He shook his head and released his flame.

.

The quiet room suddenly filled up with several people whispering to each other.

_"Golden chakra…its light was so warm and full of life. Even his father couldn't summon a flame like that…"_ Harika thought in quiet shock.

Naruto caught Hiashi's dangerous shocked look and released his Sage chakra flame before quickly saying.

"Err so what happened next?"

.

"Oh right…where was I? Ahh yes, I picked a fight with Zalika. I went to the Noble's fighting arena quite confident that I would be able to win.

However when I entered the arena it wasn't Zalika waiting for me, it was my uncle.

You see when I berated his aid I insulted my Rakin's honor. He is the one that took the field that day to face me not Zalika.

My easy victory quickly turned into a stark horror. My uncle was vastly more powerful than I was.

I was so scared that I couldn't even fight back. He beat me down again and again.

When I kept refusing to fight him he used his powerful Crimson Flame on me.

He left me with this scar." He traced the jagged lines of the scar that ran down his forehead and through his left eye.

.

"He then told me I wasn't worthy of serving in the Royal family if I wouldn't even fight back and banished me from the Royal line.

I was commanded to serve two years in the naval fleet as my sentence. I hated him for awhile for this, but now I respect him for it.

I fell deeply in love during my time serving as a second lieutenant on the ship I was stationed on." He said with a whimsical look on his face.

Hanabi said in surprise. "You fell in love with a woman?"

Red Scar nodded his head and said. "Yes I did, but not exactly how you phrased it.

I fell in love with the mistress that is the sea. She is the most beautiful and most dangerous of all mistresses.

She can be the most placid blue one moment and a deadly storm that could tear you a sunder the next.

.

Ultimately my uncle gave me the scar on my face, but he also gave me what I had always wanted.

He gave me my freedom and I found it on the open seas.

A day with the wind at my back and the spray of the sea on my face was always my greatest joy.

I served my two years at sea and even willing took on an extra year.

After three years at sea I scraped together my earnings and bought a small schooner vessel of my own.

I started delivering goods to local villages and quickly earned a reliable reputation.

.

Within a year I had six schooners in my fleet and I sold four of them to buy my first sea going ship.

The Crimson Wave Cutter, the first time I heard her name I knew she was destined to be mine.

She is still in my fleet today as one of my fastest scout ships.

I went to deliver goods to a small village in the southern coast of the Land of Fire some time later and something happened.

We off loaded our cargo as always and I headed to a house of ill repute.

I always had a weakness for women in my younger years. I am not proud of this fact, but it is true.

I paid for my company for the night and waited for her in a dank, small room with children's toys littering the floor.

I found this slightly odd, but paid it no mind at the time.

.

I was mortified when my company for the night wasn't a woman at all, but a small girl no more than eight years old.

Her eyes were lifeless from the abuse that her slavers had put her through.

It took me over an hour to break though the wall she had built around her mind to get her to even talk to me of her own free will.

She told me how the place she live in used to be a orphanage run by kind holy people and how they had been brutally kill by the slavers.

She told me ever horrid detail of her life for the last two years and the abuse she has suffered.

My first mate burst through the door as I was holding the crying child. He told me of his own encounter with a young child.

I let go of her and told my first mate to take her to the ship.

.

She clung to me and I told her that the horrors she endured under the slavers where nothing compare to what I was about to do to them.

The Crimson Flame burned brightly in me. I turned every one of the slavers I could find into ash that day.

I only left a skinny teenage boy of fourteen years old that was acting as the host and the head slaver alive.

I interrogated the head slaver and questioned him how the local authorities could turn a blind eye to that obvious transgression to the law.

He told me though his bloodied mouth that they had to turn a blind eye to it because someone in the Royal family set up the business.

I scoffed at his obvious lie until he reached into his pocket and gave me a Royal crest ring like the one I'm wearing.

A name was etched into the ring…It was Zalika's ring.

.

Before the slaver died from the beating I gave him he told me that there were other houses like this one that had been set up throughout the Land of Fire.

I turned to the teenage boy who was terrified out of his mind. I questioned him about these other slave houses.

He knew nothing, but he did confirm Zalika was there when everything started and that he was the only boy they left alive.

The others were of no used to them and were put to the sword.

Over the next few days I found a group of monks and turned the orphanage over to them.

I set out to find these other slave house soon afterwards and took the teenage boy known as Yarin with me.

Over the next year my fleet grew as did my fame and infamy.

Some saw me as The Crimson Flame hero and others saw me as a rogue vigilante.

.

After word reached Zalika that I was shutting down his slave houses he put out a bounty on my head. I had to stick to the high seas for some time.

I had to be careful when I did dock and make sure to only trade with people I knew were friendly to me.

Word reached me of another slave house that had recently been set up and my fleet of ships headed there.

I took fifty of my best men and entered the village.

We had become a skilled and efficient fighting force when shutting down these slave houses.

When we reached this one there was no one there and we were suddenly surrounded by thugs.

It was all a trap set up by Zalika. He showed himself and mocked me for my rogue justice.

.

He told me I still didn't understand the big picture, that I was still a naive boy.

I told him that at least I wasn't a master mind slaver that preyed on children for coins.

He openly laughed at me and told me I still didn't even understand the basic structure of the Royal family.

He told me something I had suspected, but didn't want to believe.

He told me he was just following orders…My uncle's orders.

.

He told me that the Third Great Ninja war couldn't be found on my honorable ideals.

That some evils were necessary to raise funds for the war.

He was about to give the order for his men to attack me when kunais rained down from the sky. Two ninja appeared in between us and the thugs."

He stopped for a moment to take a drink.

Naruto curiously asked. "Who were these ninja's?"

.

The giant man smiled as he pointed his arm down the table.

"One of them is sitting at this table, Kakashi, he was about thirteen at the time. The other was the famous war hero the Yellow Flash, Minato.

They were traveling back to the leaf village and heard the disturbance. They came to find out what was going on.

One of my men stated that two ninja made little difference and that they would willingly fight to the death rather than being taken captive.

I told my men that whatever they did they were not to attack the two ninja's.

I told them that if they attacked the yellow haired man we would all die.

I was a powerfully built man of over six feet tall and in the prime of my youth, but I knew I stood no chance against season war hero veteran like Minato.

.

Zalika grinned and told Minato that I was the infamous Crimson criminal and told him a number of my crimes that I had committed while saving the children from the slavers.

I told him of what I did and that I had proof the Zalika was slaving out children for profit.

Zalika ordered Minato to take me captive as a member of the Royal family.

Minato told him that he had no authority to order him to do anything.

That he had over stepped his bounds and only the Hokage could give him an order.

Not even the Lord of Fire himself was allowed to give a ninja a order save to the Hokage himself.

.

He told Zalika and myself that we both were under arrest as a arrow flew over Zalika's head and stuck into the ground near him.

Yarin showed up with the rest of my crew. We outnumbered them two to one now and he told them that no one was arresting me while he was there.

Yarin had shown me such loyalty that he became my second in command even at the age of fifteen. I halted him and told him I would go willingly.

My crew members disapproved and I told Yarin that he was in command until I returned.

Yarin ordered the men to round up the thugs and then handed over command to another.

He told me that if I was going to turn myself in and try to get Zalika convicted in the Royal court that he would be there to testify as a witness.

Minato agreed to take us, but Zalika tried to resist.

.

He was easily knocked out by Kakashi and my men turned the thugs over to the local authorities.

My crew returned to the ships with heavy hearts as I was taken back to the leaf village in chains.

I was presented before the Third Hokage and recounted my tale.

I showed him my proof and he thought for a day on the matter before summoning me again from my jail cell.

He told me that for my crimes I should be put to death under the laws of the land.

That it was not my right to take the law into my own hands and kill those thugs even if it was to save children from the slavers.

He, however, told me that he would not call for my execution. He felt I was in the right yet far too brutal in my methods.

.

He told me my accusation against the Royal family out stripped his bounds as Hokage and that I would have to go before them.

We were escorted to the Royal court under Anbu guard. It was there I presented my evidence to the Royal family in the presence of the Lord of Fire.

I charged my uncle and Zalika with the crime of slavery and cruelty to children.

I didn't realize how much of a monster my uncle really was until that moment.

I had always respected him greatly.

He didn't even deny my charges. He told the court that he was doing the children a favor.

That without his doing they would have starved or be a burden on the country when it was already at war.

.

He said that the money collected from the slave houses did not go into his own pocket, but helped further the war fund.

I was outraged and told him that using children as common goods wasn't right no matter the reason.

My grandfather, the Lord of Fire called a break for deliberations. They returned a few hours later and he read the verdict.

He said that Zalika would be charged with the crime of slavery.

He told the court that my criminal record would be wiped clean in exchange for my uncle's name never being revealed in the crimes.

I was even more outraged and yelled to my grandfather, 'if you don't convict him for his crimes you are placing him above the law. How does that make you any better than him?'

He sighed at me and told me, 'What would you have me do? We are at war and his skills in the naval fleet are unparalleled.

To lose those skills when we were at war would be a great blow to the nation'.

I simmered in my anger at what was transpiring before my eyes.

.

I told him to reinstate my Royal heritage and that we would settle this matter as Royals…with a battle of the Crimson Flame.

I challenged my uncle before the Royal court. He openly laughed at me and said he didn't need to waste his time with trash like me.

The Lord of Fire thought for a long moment and asked me, 'So there is no way you will keep silent on this matter…I see'

He named me as a member of the Royal family again and told my uncle that we would fight to the death. The loser would be blamed for the crimes.

Another dirty political move, but if it had to be that way, I would accepted it.

My uncle shot me an angry scowl and then he grinned at me. He told me I still didn't stand a chance of surviving.

We took the field and started fighting. I still wasn't a match for my uncle.

.

He toyed with me while explaining that I didn't see the big picture. That some evils were necessary for the greater good of the country.

He beat me down again and again. He would always let me stand again before starting in on me with his words and his fiery fist.

I told him I would never accept something so horrible as being for the 'greater good'.

The Crimson Flame poured out of me and set the field around me ablaze.

I turn my flames on my uncle with conviction and told him, 'No… this is for the greater good'.

His body turned to ash before my eyes.

.

I thought I would feel righteous yet I did not. I saw that my uncle was right when he called me a heartless butcher.

I was no different than him. I placed myself above the law to do what I felt was right. I felt empty, hollow and disgusted with myself.

I felt that I had become the thing I was trying to stop…A monster. My grandfather came down to the field as my uncles ashes blew into the wind.

He told me he had heard of my naval skills and wanted me to take over my uncle's place as high commander of the naval fleet.

I hung my head and refused him. I told him that someone with so much blood on his hands doesn't deserve such a grand title.

I told him I never was much for politics and that I would return to my merchant fleet.

.

He told me that he was sad to see me go, but if a life of the open sea was calling me then there was nothing he could do to stop me.

He wished me luck and I left a free man.

I sailed all around the world trading goods and growing my fleet until just over three years ago my grandfather summoned back to the Royal halls.

I entered his Royal audience hall and saw him for the first time in fifteen years. He was thin and weak. His age was wearing on him.

I walked up to him and bowed. I asked why he had summoned me and he told me his time was near.

He needed someone to take over as the Lord of Fire and he had chosen me.

.

I told him that I never wanted to become the Lord of Fire and that surely another member of the Royal family was better suited for it.

He told me they were all too corrupt from politics. That even though they could run the county they felt nothing for its people.

He said they treated them like pieces on a shogi board. They are just means to an end to them.

He told me that none of them had the right mind set to become the Lord of Fire.

He said that the people do not served the Lord of Fire, but that the Lord of Fire serves them.

He said that he knew I was destined to be his successor the day he saw my Crimson Flame when I fought my uncle.

.

My grandfather told me my flame was brighter than even his fathers.

I replied to him that I wasn't qualified for the job. He replied that ruling a nation is much like running a fleet of ships.

The ships were like the villages, captains were like their leaders and their sailors were like their people.

He told me I already had the makings of a great ruler and I cared about the country's people.

That I didn't plot to kill the other members of the Royal family or expose them in order to gain rulership.

He said that I understood rulership for what it was.

A heavy burden that could only be carried by the strong and that it would wreak havoc in the hands of the power hungry.

.

I told him I could never become a great ruler like him.

He told me he saw his rule as a failure and that all great leaders always would see themselves as failures in the end.

He told me how he had lived through two wars under his rule and that politics had run amuck.

It was the way all great leaders thought. Our ambitions always out strip our rein.

I helped his frail body over to the window and he pointed down at the streets below.

He said that if he was such a great leader then why were there people starving on his door steps.

I knew of the problem he spoke of.

.

If you feed the poor they will keep coming back expecting you to feed them again.

Their numbers will only increase as more people will seek to live off the generosity of others.

If things continued the poor would eat the generous into poverty.

It's a lesson I learned long ago in the Royal courts. He turned to me and told me to kneel.

When I did he took the Royal crest he was wearing around his neck and placed around my own.

He told me that I was the fifth Lord of Fire whether I wanted to be or not.

I was free to hand off my title at any time.

.

He told me that it was far better to make sure slave houses never popped up in the first place than it was to stamp them out when corruption had already taken hold.

It took me a few days for me to come to grips with it, but I accepted the title of the Lord of Fire.

It has been hard to lead the country and I don't get to go out on the high seas much anymore, but I am content with my life.

I hope to one day find my own successor and return to my mistress that is the sea." He finished his tale.

.

Naruto asked. "Wait, what happened to Zalika? Was he killed for his crimes?"

The large man shook his head. "No, he was only following orders. He is still serves the naval merchant fleet as second in command under Yarin."

Hanabi gave him a confused and shocked look and said.

"Isn't that a strained relationship? I mean he did help enslave Yarin if I followed the story right."

He nodded his head. "That is true he did, but truth is stranger than fiction, Yarin forgave him long ago. You can't hold a grudge forever. They work well together.

They are the reason why the trade routes at sea are so safe and efficient around the Land of Fire." He said.

.

Tsunade gave him a knowing look and said.

"He takes full advantage of those routes. He always takes the long way here when he is able to leave the Royal house."

He gave her a strained look and said.

"Come now Lady Tsunade, must you say that? I'm always cooped up in that castle presiding over new laws and budgets.

Is it so wrong for me to take a little detour on my way here to hear your reports?"

.

She gave him a sarcastic look and said.

"Two weeks late is hardly what I'd call a 'Little detour'. Your council sends me messages franticly every time you're late getting back.

Speaking of which…did you tell them you were leaving this time? It seems strange that you would visit us during the winter solstice.

The Royal family always makes a big deal about its celebration."

He wore a very strained look and said.

"Yes…I mean…well sort of.

I left a message on the high councilor's desk under a stack of paper work we was supposed to do. He _should_ have found it by now…"

.

The Hokage sighed and rolled her eyes. She put her head in her hands and then looked down the table. "Kakashi…"

He dropped his head and said. "I'll get right down to the Anbu messaging center and let them know."

She pointed at him sternly and said in a warning manner. "You owe me for this. I want two cases of the Royal sake as payment."

He smiled at her and said. "Of course. I'll head down to the Taki's and get it for you before I leave."

Hanabi nodded her head and said. "That explains why you like that sake so much."

"Yes, he keeps Taki's stocked with it for me. If he didn't I'd turn his overly large butt in to his council every time he is late getting here." She replied.

"A fair trade if there ever was one." He said with a smile.

.

* * *

.

Everyone finished dinner and returned to the large living room area. Hiashi stood in front of the band and called for silence.

"We will be starting the evening's formal dance soon to ring in the solstice at midnight.

Please take this time to finish exchanging gifts and store them away before we start.

Everyone started moving around and exchanging gifts.

.

Naruto unsealed both of his scrolls and started hand out the gifts he had gotten everyone.

He gave Shikamaru two decorated sets of shogi pieces.

Kiba and Shino eventually found their way over to him.

"Hey Naruto." Kiba said with a wave.

Naruto picked up a small vial of yellow liquid and quickly handed it to him.

.

"Here and don't ever ask me to get that disgusting stuff again. I have no clue why you would want something so gross!"

He smiled and got right up to his ear. "I wanted it because it's an aphrodisiac in Inuzuka Clan…" He whispered musically to him.

Naruto wore a disgusted look on his face and took a step back holding his nose.

"I don't care what it is. Just keep it away from me!" He protested.

"Thanks Naruto you're the best." He said with a laugh and turned to store it way.

Naruto dug through his pile of stuff and handed Shino a small cylinder six inches high.

.

Shino took the gift and eyed it strangely. "Why did you get me fish food?"

Naruto gave him a confused look and took the cylinder back. He eyed for intently for a moment.

"Aww Kami. I grabbed the wrong one. This is for my fish. I got you beetle food. I'll have to give it to you later.

You know you're always one of the hardest people to buy for Shino." He said loudly.

A dark cloud appeared over Shino's head as he mumbled to himself. "He remembered everyone else's gift, yet not mine…why?"

He turned and gloomily walked away as Naruto sighed. "Great…not again."

.

He spotted Hinata and Neji exchanging gifts and waved them over.

"Hello Naruto. I see you are still handing out your gifts." She said.

"Yeah, hold on I'll find yours." He said as he grabbed a book and handed it to her.

She took the book and looked at it. "Tactical advantages of the First Hokage." She read the title out loud.

He smiled and said. "I hope you haven't read that one."

She shook her head and said. "No I haven't read this one. Thank you Naruto-kun. I have to find father to give him my gift. I will talk to you again soon."

He reached down and picked up another book and handed it to Neji.

.

He respectfully took the book with a bow.

"Thank you for retrieving my father's diary from the archives Naruto." He said.

"Any time. Let me know if there are any other books from the Hyuuga section you want to borrow." He said.

"Thank you I will." He said with a nod.

Choji found him next as he picked up a stack of food tickets and handed them to him.

"I hope you like them." He said with a smile.

"I always do." He said with a big smile.

Naruto look suddenly became serious as he pulled out a small box from his pocket and hand it to Choji.

Choji nodded his head and said. "I'll make sure she gets it."

.

"Thanks Choji. I've been trying to stay on the other side of the room from her.

Congrats on finally getting a date with her though." He said with a knowing smile.

Choji blushed slightly and said. "I'm only her escort tonight. I am still helping Shikamaru with Kurenai and all."

Naruto smiled knowingly at him and said. "Suuure you are."

Tsunade walked up with Sai and eyed his shrinking pile of gifts.

"I see my gift…" She said as she gazed that a large bottle.

"Yeah, I can't compete with Red's two cases, but here is one bottle of the sake you like." He said as he handed it to him.

She took the bottle and gave him a hug. "Thank you Naruto."

.

He let her go and said. "Now don't go getting hammered tonight."

She gave him a flat look and said. "One bottle is hardly enough to get me drunk Naruto… By the way what gift did Naruto get you Hanabi?"

Hanabi looked blankly as she did something very un-lady like.

She crouched slightly and reached up her dress. She un-hooked a weapon and presented in front of her.

She said calmly. "He gave me The Flying Thunder God of course."

The Hokage shook her head in exasperation.

"Why am I not surprised you'd be carrying it on you while wearing that dress when your Naruto's student."

Sai chuckled softly.

.

"Oh right. Here Sai I got the last one they had in stock. I hope you like it." He said as he picked up a clear box that had a paint set inside.

He took the box and said. "Thank you. I was starting to run low."

Naruto only had two gifts left to give out. One was in a black leather case and the other was in a midsized brown box.

Tenten found her way over to him. She was dressed in a formal pink kimono.

"Man I haven't seen you all night Tenten. Were you working that late at your shop?" He said as he handed her the brown box.

She smiled knowingly at him and said. "I know you haven't seen me all night. I planned it that way."

"Huh you planned it? What do you mean?" He looked around in confusion as all of his friends surrounded him.

Hinata grabbed a hold of Hanabi and moved her behind Naruto where she couldn't see.

.

Tenten smiled even bigger and said. "It's time we give you your gifts. You need to open that black case first though."

He looked at her in utter confusion as he picked up the black case.

"But that would ruin the surprise." He said is a disappointed manner while clutching the case.

Lee and Neji walked up beside her. Neji stepped forward and pulled out a cobalt blue kunai.

"This is from all of team Gai." He said as he held it out in front of him.

Naruto blinked at him blankly. "Wait…Tenten…You guys didn't…" He said in disbelief.

.

Neji smiled proudly and walked up to him.

He opened the case in his arms and placed the kunai in the fourth indention next to the other three.

Hanabi struggled slightly as Hinata held her still. "I can't see Hinata." She complained.

She smiled at her sister and said. "That's the idea. You'll see soon enough."

She shot her sister an angry scowl, but did not move.

.

Choji, Kurenai, Shikamaru and Choza came before him next.

Shikamaru wore a slightly annoyed look as he stepped forward.

"You know Naruto, you're a real pain in the ass. Now it's going to take me another mission before I can buy a house."

He said as he pulled out a cobalt blue kunai from his sleeve and held it by his finger tips with the blade pointing up in front of his face.

He held his other hand up with his pointer finger less than a inch from his thumb.

"I was _THIS_ close to becoming the man of the house and not having Kurenai call me a lazy loafer at her house.

This is from Team Asuma even Choji's dad pitched in for it." He said as he placed it in the fifth slot.

.

Kiba Shino and Hinata came before him next. Naruto was already speechless from shock.

Hinata smiled and came forward as she pulled out a kunai.

"This one is from us Naruto-kun. We hope you like it." She said as she placed it in the sixth slot.

.

Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon and Ebisu can forward next.

"Wait not you guys too?" Naruto said is disbelief.

Ebisu pushed his glasses up. "You don't think we were going to let the older squads out do us do you?"

He said as he came forward and filled the seventh slot.

"Thank you for teaching us Naruto." Moegi said with a smile.

Udon nodded his head in agreement. "Yes thank you for guiding us."

.

They stepped away as Konohamaru came forward.

"Master I'm kinda leery about giving you this. I have a feeling it will be used on me often." He said worriedly as many in the room laughed.

He placed his kunai in the eighth slot and walked back.

Kakashi was the next to come forward.

He eyed him carefully and said. "You always were a stubborn student.

I know you wanted to buy these by yourself, but consider it one sensei helping the next generation's sensei."

He placed his kunai in the ninth slot.

.

Sakura stepped forward and smiled evilly at him.

She pulled out a blue kunai and walked up to him.

"This is from me. It's your gift AND my rent for the next two years. So remember that Naruto."

Naruto managed a quiet laugh as several others joined him.

"Thank you Sakura." He said as she placed it in the tenth slot.

.

Lord Hyuuga and the entire Hyuuga Clan were the next ones to present themselves before the Sage.

Hiashi stepped forward and pulled out two kunais.

"Sage Naruto, I felt that this was a very strange gift to get you when I know what you are going to do with it.

Tenten however insisted this is what you would want. On behalf of the Hyuuga Clan we give you these.

Call it our thanks for training Hanabi as well as our winter solstice gift to you."

He walked up with a kunai in each hand and placed them in the eleventh and twelfth slots.

Naruto bowed his head in thanks to the entire Hyuuga Clan.

.

Tsunade handed her official Hokage hat to Hiashi and stepped up to him.

"I can still remember when you were a snot nose Genin and now you rival even legends from long ago.

You have helped this village so much and Tenten had to let us all know when you needed our help.

Kakashi is right you are stubborn." She said as she pulled out two kunais from her robes.

"On behalf of me and the entire leaf village I present you with this." She said as she placed one of the kunais in the thirteenth slot.

She held the other in front of her and said. "You owe Razorwing, our fastest messenger hawk some serious treats for this one.

On behalf of Kazekage Gaara and the village Hidden in the Sand I present you with this." She placed the kunai in the fourteenth slot.

Only the last slot in the case remained.

"Thank you mother…" He said in disbelief that this was happening.

.

"Thank you to everyone that did this for me…" He said as he looked around to everyone smiling at him

Hanabi was very annoyed and told Hinata through gritted teeth.

"How much longer am I supposed to be kept in the dark? I should have looked when you went up there."

She smiled at her and said. "I know you hate being kept in the dark, but there is only one more."

.

He smiled slightly at Tenten and said. "This was a dirty trick Tenten, but thank you, now I only have the last one to buy."

Tenten smiled at him and said. "You were almost right Naruto. I only got the last one sold ten minutes ago."

Naruto gave her a confused look and said.

"Uh? Who would have bought it? All my friends have already given me their gifts…Even ones that weren't even here."

The Lord of Fire stepped up beside Tenten and put his massive hand on her shoulder.

.

"I was going to give you something else, but your entrepreneurial friend here told me about something else you might want."

He walked up to him and held out the last kunai in the set.

"You never did take a momentary reward for ending The Fourth Great Shinobi war.

The Royal family was always looking for just such a chance to reward you for that.

On behalf of the Royal family, the Five Great Ninja nations and even the Samurai lords I have been given the honor of presenting you with the last one."

He said as he placed the last on in the case and closed it.

Naruto was over whelmed and humbled as he stared that the black case in his hands.

"Thank you…thank you everyone." He said very honestly.

.

Hinata let Hanabi go. Hanabi was trying to hide her annoyance as she returned to her place at Naruto's side.

"Master…why was I not allowed to see what they were putting in the box?"

She said with a hint of warning in her voice as everyone smiled at her.

Naruto sighed and turned to her. In his eyes it was clear that he was still trying to take everything in.

He looked at her with a humble look and said. "Because what they gave me, isn't for me. It's for you…"

Hanabi gave in a confused look as he held the case up in front of her.

.

"I wanted to get them for you on my own as more than just a winter solstice gift. I wanted to get them for you because you became my Disciple.

I wanted them to be a gift from Master to Disciple.

I could only afford three of them at the time and wanted Tenten to hold the rest until I could buy them.

Tenten over there had other plans it seems and told all my friends about them.

Now this is a gift not only from me, but from everyone. I know you will use them well." He said kindly.

.

She was slightly confused as she opened the case. In side were fifteen gleaming cobalt blue kunais with runes on them.

Her eyes went wide and she slowly dragged her fingers across them is disbelief. She blinked blankly at them and asked.

"Are these what I think they are Master?"

Naruto nodded his head and said. "Yes they are kunai spirit markers. This is your set and unlike the Flying Thunder God, only you can use these."

She fought back her tears and closed the box with her head held down. She handed the box to Hinata and embraced Naruto with all her strength.

"Thank you master…I don't know what else to say but… thank you." She said shakily as she buried her face in his chest.

Everyone clapped for her as Kakashi snapped a picture of them.

.

* * *

.

Hiashi and Tsunade stood in the front of the room before the band as he said.

"It seems the gift giving part of the celebration ran slightly longer than expected.

It is only six minutes until midnight and the close of the celebration. Please take your dance partner hand for the celebratory dance."

He said as he took Lady Tsunade's hand and placed his other on her hip.

He said quietly to her. "I can't believe the Lord of Fire didn't take my advice and ask you to dance."

.

She smiled dangerously at him and said. "You are the host Hiashi and the only single man of stature near my own here.

Don't complain or I'll drag you out to drink white light gold again."

He swallowed hard with a strained expression on his face and said. "Yes Hokage-sama."

.

Choji partnered up with Ino and Shikamaru took Kurenai's hand with a sour look on his face.

"Great now she's gonna harp on me about my bad dancing…" He said to Choji.

Choji laughed quietly.

Tenten saw Lee go over and sit down gloomily. She looked at him and felt his pain.

Tenten went over to Sakura as several guys were trying to ask her to dance and whispered in her ear.

"Hiashi has been keeping a much closer eye on me and Neji. I think he suspects that we are dating.

Go ask Neji to dance and I'll ask Lee so he doesn't feel left out."

Sakura smiled at her.

.

None of the girls dared to approach Naruto as Hanabi clung tightly to him. She would give anyone that got close to them the evil eye.

Hanabi watched Konohamaru nervously looking over to the corner where the largest gathering of single guys were.

They were all trying to get a dance with Hinata.

She refused them all and as the crowd around her thinned out Konohamaru looked over at Hanabi.

She gave him a very stern look and pointed sharply at Hinata.

He hung his head and approached her.

.

"Sorry Konohamaru I'm not really in a dancing mood." She said in a tired tone.

The other guys drooling over her seemed to already turn her off to the idea.

Konohamaru scratched the back of his head nervously and said.

"Ahh I see… Well did-did you at least like the necklace I got for you? I noticed you are wearing it."

She looked over at him in surprise and said. "You got me this necklace? Why didn't you give it to me yourself then?"

.

"Umm I partly made it with the Rasengan and I'm…not really that good with girls." He admitted nervously as he wrung his hands.

"I wanted to give it to you, but I got cold feet and asked your butler to give it to you instead." He said.

She smiled shyly at him as he said. "Do you mind if I sit next to you…I mean since you don't feel like dancing?"

Hinata bit her lips together innocently and said. "I have a better idea."

She took his hand and stood up. "I'd prefer to dance with you instead Sage Konohamaru."

"Re-Really?" He stuttered in shock.

.

Sakura's jaw almost hit the floor when she saw Hinata get up to dance with Konohamaru.

She was so stunned she almost ran into Neji on the other side of the room.

He gave her a curious and slightly flat look. "Was there something you needed?" He asked carefully.

Sakura thought fast and smiled slyly at him.

"It seems all the Sages are dancing with Hyuuga's tonight. I didn't want to be left out." She said suggestively with a coy look.

He looked over at Tenten taking the floor with Lee and smiled.

He presented his hand to her and said. "Very well then."

She took his hand and whisper to him. "Don't worry Tenten sent me."

"I already knew that." He replied softly as he grabbed her hip and her right hand.

.

Hiashi nodded to the band to start the music and the lights were turned down low.

A slow dance tune was played as Hiashi and Lady Tsunade started everyone off.

Choji showed that he really was a Noble and danced with Ino with easy and grace despite his size.

Konohamaru was sweating bullets as Hinata was trying to lead them in dancing awkwardly.

Shikamaru had the 'kill me and get it over with' look on his face, but Kurenai still managed to enjoy herself.

Neji and Sakura easily proved to be the best on the floor as Neji showed her he wasn't only a perfectionist in battle.

.

Easily the worst dancer on the floor was none other than Rock Lee.

His movements were too jerky, nervous and awkward to follow.

Tenten yelped twice in the first few moments and he had to lead her over to a chair so she could rest her hurt foot.

Naruto obviously had never danced before and only wrapped his arms around Hanabi and swayed slightly side to side while turning in a circle.

Hanabi certainly knew how to dance, but wasn't intent on showing him.

She had both her hands and her face lying on his chest with her eyes closed enjoying the moment.

.

Neji stole a quick word as the spun Sakura around. "That's not a very Noble way to dance Hanabi." He said knowingly.

She never even opened her eyes and said.

"Who are you to tell the future Hyuuga Clan head and the future Sixth Hokage what is Noble?"

He smiled as Sakura smiled at him and said. "I think she's got you there."

Naruto closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the moment of holding Hanabi.

As the song wore on Hanabi felt like she was dancing on a cloud, but never opened her eyes thinking she would wake up and it would have all been a dream.

They were so encompassed with each other and the moment that they never noticed most of the rest of the couples had stopped dancing.

.

Most of the people in the room were watching Naruto and Hanabi dancing ten feet off the ground as the wind spun them ever so slight.

Neji was still holding Sakura's hand as they both leaned up against the far wall watching the couple.

Sakura watched the sweet looks on both their faces for a touching moment.

She turned to Neji and said slightly sarcastically with a smile. "Here I thought you would stay out there."

He looked over at her and said. "I learned to dance with expert timing because I'm a Noble and it is expected of me.

I also learned when someone of greater skill is near you that you should leave the floor to give them room.

I can hardly compare to the Master of Wind." He watched them quietly.

.

"You know, I always thought of them as a odd couple." She said as she watched them in wonder.

Neji's eyes never left the slow spinning couple in the middle of the room dancing on air.

"That's funny. I always thought they were the perfect couple…" He said honestly.

The Lord of Fire nodded his head in agreement from beside them as he looked down at the Hokage scroll in his hand.

_"Even though I really wanted to give this to Great Sage tonight…I think tonight has been memorable enough for him… _

_I'll leave it with the Hokage and let her to give it him when she feels it is the right time."_ He thought.

.

The last lingering note of the song rang out as Hanabi and Naruto lightly touch down on the floor.

Hanabi clutched at his sides and softly said. "Please…don't stop. If you do I'll wake up and it will all have been a dream…"


	28. Chapter 28: A Deadly Mission

**Chapter 28: A Truly Deadly Mission**

* * *

Authors notes:

* * *

.

I hope you all didn't think I had abandoned this story...I already promised you all that I would complete it even if it was another three hundred thousand words.

Truth be told parts of this story that have yet to be written play through my head every day. I couldn't leave this story unfinished even if I wanted too...

That an my muse will not leave me alone about it.

.

Sorry I haven't posted a chapter in awhile. I've been working on this one for some time now.

Me and my Muse haven't planed out ever little detail of the story yet.

I have key plot points that happen in the story and sometime there are huge blanks in between them on how the plot gets from one point to another.

This was one of those chapters. I knew it had to happened, but I had to think out every detail myself to link the plot points I have together.

This is one of the reasons it took me so long to post this chapter. That and the rest of the story is so complex that I had trouble figuring out exactly how I was going to tell it.

I still haven't totally nailed down how I'm going to structure the rest of the story, but I've narrowed it down to three different ways.

I'm still deciding on which way will be best tell the rest of this story.

I hope to not be taking another five months in between chapters again though as this is one and the next chapter are the last of them that haven't been nearly total plan out.

I really wanted to get this chapter out on Christmas eve as a thank you present to all the fans of this story, but sadly it took me much longer to complete it.

I still haven't gone over this chapter as much as I'd like to check for grammar mistakes, but seeing as how the cannon is starting to catch up to my story in some ways...

( Like Gaara speech about Naruto being quite similar to the one in my story.) I felt that even in its imperfect form that I needed to post this next chapter.

.

Questions/reviews:

* * *

.

I really don't have the time to go through five months worth of reviews and pick some to answer at this time,

but there is one that I remember that was posted just after the last chapter came out that I'd like to answer.

I can't remember it word for word but it said something to the effect of.

.

"I noticed the story of Red Scar and a character from Avatar are pretty similar. Did Avatar inspire you to write it that way?"

Well some time ago I was at the movie store and say a movie called "Avatar". My sister said it was a really good movie so I thought,

"What the heck. I'll rent it...one of my readers asked me if I was inspired by it to write Red Scar's story..."

.

I watched the whole three hour tale of a bunch of blue fairly like thingy's and was scratching my head afterword wondering why I had gotten a review like that.

Much later I rented a movie called "The Last Air Bender." I saw a character named (Sorry if it is misspelled) Zukia having a background very similar to Red Scar in some aspects.

I remembered the review and decided to google the movie...only to find out there was a anime by its name not called "The Last Air Bender" , but "Avatar: The Last Air Bender."

I watched the first few episodes online, ( and the rest of them for that matter...Kinda got hooked on them :) and finally understood why I had gotten that kind of question in a review.

Honestly all I can tell you is "Great minds think alike."

.

Last Chapter

* * *

.

"You know, I always thought of them as an odd couple." She said as she watched them in wonder.

Neji's eyes never left the slowly spinning couple in the middle of the room dancing on air.

"That's funny. I always thought they were the perfect couple…" He said honestly.

The Lord of Fire nodded his head in agreement from beside them as he looked down at the Hokage scroll in his hand.

_"Even though I really wanted to give this to Great Sage tonight…I think tonight has been memorable enough for him… _

_I'll leave it with the Hokage and let her give it him when she feels it is the right time."_ He thought.

.

The last lingering note of the song rang out as Hanabi and Naruto lightly touch down on the floor.

Hanabi clutched at his sides and softly said. "Please…don't stop. If you do I'll wake up and it will all have been a dream…"

.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Truly Deadly Mission.

* * *

.

Naruto was in his kitchen making tea late at night. He poured the tea into two small cups and set it on a tray.

He silently went up stairs and knocked on Sakura's door.

"Come in." She said as he opened the door.

Naruto walked into her room holding the tray of steaming tea.

Sakura was sitting at her desk reading the book Hanabi had given her for the winter solstice.

Next to her desk was a pile of gifts she had received from the celebration earlier that night.

She was wearing a thick red nightgown and turned to Naruto when he entered.

"Hey Sakura, I thought you might want some tea." He said with a hint of tiredness in his voice.

.

She looked over to him and stretched. She looked over at her clock and rubbed her eyes.

"Wow it's already three in the morning. I'm glad tomorrow is my day off." She said as Naruto came over to her and she took one of the cups.

"How is Hanabi?" She asked as she took a sip of tea.

Naruto took the other cup and set the tray on her desk.

"She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow." He said as he took a seat on her bed near the desk.

.

"How about you, can't sleep?" He asked her quietly.

She shook her head at him with a slight smile. "No, not really, so much has happened tonight. It was a very memorable night, especially for you two.

You two looked _so_ sweet dancing together. I know I wasn't the only one in the room that was a bit envious of you guys." She said as she looked over at him knowingly.

Naruto nodded his head with his thoughts far away as he held his cup with both hands in his lap and looked at the floor.

"Yeah…I guess so…" He said quietly.

.

Sakura gave him a concerned look and said. "What's on your mind? You have never come to my bedroom this late at night."

He nodded his head and sighed. He turned to her and reached into his overcoat. He pulled out a small white box and handed it to her.

She took it and gave him a confused look as she set her book down.

"What is this?" She asked.

.

He shrugged. "It's the real gift I got you. I didn't want to give it to you in front of Hanabi just encase she took it the wrong way." He said as he stared off into the wall.

She looked at it in slight confusion before she opened the small box. Inside it was a gold bracelet with a single tear drop pearl on it.

She looked over to him in surprise and said. "This looks just like the one you gave to Lady Tsunade…"

He gave her a weak smile and said. "Yeah, I guess it does."

.

Sakura gave him a kind look as she slowly set the small box on her desk.

"Naruto…what's wrong?" She said softly. He shook his head to clear his thought.

"I've just got a lot on my mind Sakura-chan. I've got some things to take care of and…I'm running out of time." He admitted sadly as he stared into his tea.

Sakura flinched and looked away. "Naruto…don't think I don't know what you are talking about…

Sasuke told me everything after I got back from my Sage training." She said worriedly.

.

"Then you know what I mean when I tell you that I went out and did chakra training tonight?" He asked without looking at her.

She turned to him, but couldn't look him in the eyes. "Yes…you fought the Nine Tailed Fox…What happened?" She asked.

He sighed and then admitted. "She handed me my butt again and in record time. I used to be able to last six hours and tonight she beat me in less than fifteen minutes.

I just feel like…I've stumbled backwards when my time is already growing short…" He said with a lost look on his face.

.

She set her tea down and returned her look to his eyes.

"Naruto…you are the child of destiny and you already save the world from ruin. It's been peaceful for almost four years now.

You shouldn't worry so much. You always pull through in the end." She said empathetically.

He shook his head at the floor and said with sad resolution.

"No Sakura, that prophecy has yet to unfold. This is the calm before the storm…"

"Naruto! Please stop talking like that, it's so unlike you! You already saved the world, you didn't destroy it." She said desperately.

.

Naruto looked at her and unhenged his eyes. They went from deep brown to red with cat slit pupils in the span of a heart beat.

He held up his hand and summoned a red flame of charka that radiated hate, anger and pride.

He stared at brilliant red chakra flame dancing in his hand for a long moment.

Sakura turned away with tears in her eyes as he said in a lost manner.

.

"Have I? Have I really Sakura-chan? The Nine Tailed Fox is as scornful as ever and the body of Jubi the ten tailed beast is still sealed within the moon.

Even if the Fox was sealed away forever…Each year it is said the moon gets closer to us. One day it will come crashing into the world and destroy everything."

Sakura gave him a stunned look of shock and said.

.

"You-You can't really mean after you defeat the Nine Tailed Fox you intend to go to the moon and fight what is left of the ten tailed beast?

Naruto that is just crazy! No one could do that!"

He released his chakra flame and his eyes shifted back. Naruto set his tea on her desk and pulled his legs up as wrapped his arms around his knees.

"I know….That's what I keep telling myself…" He said in a lost manner.

Sakura stood up and walked over to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder as he looked at the wall of her bedroom.

"Naruto, you don't need to put the problems of the whole world on your shoulders…No one person can do everything, not even you…" She said softly.

He put his head on his knees and soullessly said. "I don't have a choice Sakura…This is all up to me…and I'm just not sure if I can do it anymore…"

.

Sakura remembered all the times Naruto had helped her. When she was too weak Naruto had always helped her.

Again and again her memories showed her the times he rush head long into battle to protect her.

Conviction shined in her eyes.

"Naruto, if you're worried about the fighting Kyuubi then I will help you… Hanabi and Konohamaru will be there for you as well.

He shook his head on his knees and said. "No…you can't help me, neither can they…I'll be standing in the Foxes chakra…You know what that chakra does to a person…"

She winced and turned away. She vividly remembered how extensive the damage to him was when he fought Orochimaru and four tails came out.

"Hanabi and Konohamaru aren't the _only_ ones that became a Sage for you…

Don't tell me I can't help you! I'm not going to let it be like all those times before were you did everything by yourself!

I'm strong too now!" She nearly yelled to him.

.

Naruto picked up his head and looked over at her with a sad, meek expression.

"I know you're strong Sakura-chan, but I will not put the people I care about most in danger.

I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you got killed because of me. This is something I have to deal with on my own.

That's what it means to be a Jinchuuriki in the end. It means to be alone…" He said sadly.

.

Sakura wanted to refute him, but after a long moment of thought she knew he was right even though she didn't want to admit it.

"What about the lightning element? Sasuke told me you were trying to learn it for some jutsu of Rikudo the moon Sage." She said quietly.

Naruto shook his head and said. "It's no good. Even after so much training I can't use the lightning element no matter how hard I try."

Sakura grabbed her arms and looked down. "There has to be something else you could use…"

Naruto nodded his head solemnly and said. "There is…but I wouldn't survive either. I believe I can win in the end…I'm just not sure if I'll make it back..."

Sakura teared up again and said. "Naruto…you can't really mean that…"

.

* * *

.

The next morning Naruto, Hanabi and Konohamaru were training at training ground thirty-six.

Snow blanketed the ground and hung thick on the branches of the trees.

Naruto had hundreds of clones out training all over the grounds.

Konohamaru had cleared away the snow on the ground in a fifty feet area so that he and Hanabi could spar.

Hanabi was having a hard time adjusting to Konohamaru's new agile fighting style and hadn't managed to land a single effective blow on him.

He ducked and weaved at the most awkward angles avoiding her ever strike.

"Grrr I hate your new fighting style Konohamaru…You might even be harder to fight than Rock Lee."

She said in frustration as she looked at him with her Byakugan while in her fighting pose.

.

Konohamaru chuckled at her knowingly as he relaxed his pose slightly. "Well that's the way of the monkey for you…"

Hanabi surged forward and landed a hard open palm strike in the center of his chest.

Konohamaru crumpled to the ground as he struggled to breathe.

"Konohamaru…you really shouldn't drop your guard like that when you're fighting Hanabi…" Naruto said in a warning voice as he looked up from the scroll he was reading.

Konohamaru took several sharp breaths and he got to his knees and threw his head back as he took in a deep breath.

He sarcastically said. "Thanks for the advice _master_…"

.

Naruto rolled his eyes at him and said. "Why don't you two call it for the day? It's already after eleven o'clock anyway.

Hanabi is going to be training with Sakura for the rest of the day and you still need to show me what all you have learned from the Monkey Clan."

Konohamaru rose slowly to his feet and said to Hanabi.

"Don't be too proud of your lucky shot you landed on me. I'll make sure you don't land another one on me tomorrow."

Hanabi laughed as she smiled at him. "There is no such thing as a lucky shot Konohamaru…We are ninja's not samurai's.

You should be weary of losing your focus. I will say however that you have gotten much better at dodging, but you didn't even try to hit me.

Why? Are you scared I might break?" She said with obvious amusement.

.

He shook his head and said. "No, I know better than that. I was using the match to test my agility."

Hanabi chuckled softly and said. "You know the more I fight you, the better I'll get at hitting you.

If you keep only going for defense then you'll just end up as my punching bag."

Konohamaru laughed and said. "Yeah I know. That was just for today. Tomorrow I'll fight back and you might even be surprised at how much I've improved."

Hanabi smiled back and then turned to Naruto.

"I'm going to stop by the Hyuuga compound and a few other places to set some kunai markers. I'll meet Sakura-chan for lunch afterwards."

.

She turned back to Konohamaru and said. "Oh and Konohamaru…" In the blink of an eye she snatched a kunai from her holster and hurled at Konohamaru's face.

Konohamaru didn't even try to dodge it and caught it less than an inch from it piercing his right eye.

Hanabi smiled at him and softly said. "Catch…"

He chuckled unknowingly and said. "Hey…What was that for?"

.

"You're still pretty dense Konohamaru. You might want to look at the kunai a bit more closely." Naruto said with obvious amusement in his voice.

Konohamaru flipped the kunai over in his hand. It was cobalt blue with brighter blue runes on it.

He blinked a few time in realization. "Wait…your giving this to me?" He said in blank shock.

She smiled at him and said. "Yes. This way if you ever need my help I'll be able to get to you."

"But-but I thought you were only supposed to give these out to the most important people to you?

I mean…are you really sure? You only have like five of these to give out." He said in disbelief as he stared at the kunai.

She nodded her head a few times and said. "Yes I am sure Konohamaru. Of all the kunai spirit markers I have to give out, I'm the most sure about that one."

He scratched the back of his head in thought. "I thought for sure you'd give them all out to members of your clan…Thank you Hanabi-chan." He said honestly.

Hanabi waved at Naruto and then leaped away.

.

The real Naruto stood up from the tree he was sitting next to and rolled the scroll up that he was reading.

He tucked it away in his pouch and dispelled all his clones with a loud pop.

Konohamaru gave him a questioning look and then asked.

"Hey, I thought we were going to spar. That's why I didn't use any chakra when I fought Hanabi."

Naruto tossed him a knowing grin as he started walking toward the street. "We are, but you know we can't use any high ranking jutsu at this training ground."

Konohamaru quicken his pace to catch up to him and asked carefully. "So where are we going then?"

Naruto tilted his head to the side and looked up in thought. "To a more _secure _training ground."

Konohamaru's eyes lit up with excitement and he raised his fist over his head with a cheer.

"Yeah! Woohoo, I'm finally going to get to see the Hokage training ground!"

.

Naruto laughed softly before saying. "Well that's not totally untrue…"

Konohamaru slowly lowered his hand as his smile faded to a curious look. "What do you mean?" He asked intently.

"We aren't going to the current Hokage training ground. We are going to the previous Hokage training ground."

He said as his feet crunched through the two inches of snow on the ground.

.

"Wait….there is more than one Hokage training ground?" He asked.

Naruto nodded his head and said. "Yes there was three total, but one has been destroyed. Even I don't know how it happened but I suspect it was the Fourth Hokage that was to blame for it.

We are going to the Second Hokage training ground. It's were the Third Hokage, your grandfather, trained after the Fourth Hokage died."

He blinked a few times in shock and then shook his head. "Wait…What's it like?"

Naruto gave him a knowing smile and said. "It takes quite a few ninja's to run that training ground. We call it H-two. You'll see what it's like shortly."

.

Naruto led him almost a hours walk out of the village into the middle of the woods.

The trees and vines were so thick in the area that he was sometimes force to crawl under them.

After getting through a particularly dense area they came into a small open clearing at the base of a huge tree at least six feet in diameter

There was no snow in the clearing and it was dimmer than the rest of the woods as the large branches of the tree cast a cold shadow over the area.

Yamato was standing next to the tree trunk with his back leaning on the tree. He peered up at them and said. "You're twenty minutes late."

.

He stood forward and faced the tree. He made a hand sign and said. "Secret jutsu of opening!"

The trunk of the tree seemed to grow apart for a long moment until a doorway was revealed.

He waved them forward and said. "The Hokage is late as well. You Sages just can't ever seem to show up on time."

They stepped into a five feet circular area inside the trunk of the tree and the opening closed behind them.

Konohamaru was looking around in confusing just before the ground under then lurched and started moving down.

He nearly lost his balance as he grabbed onto the wall for support.

.

"I shouldn't have to tell you this Konohamaru, but you can't ever talk to anyone about this training ground." Yamato warned him sternly.

Konohamaru gave him a slightly offended look and said. "Hey I'm not stupid, even I know that much!"

They went down for what seem like forever until the floor finally stopped at a small opening. They stepped out into a wide hallway that was lit from the ceiling.

The hallway went straight for fifty feet and then it gently sloped down.

They walked for another ten minutes until they came to the end of the hall.

At the end of the hall was a giant twenty-foot tall and wide heavy steel vault door with two Anbu guards standing in front of it.

On the front of the giant door was a huge seal that read barrier. To the left on the giant door were two normal doors right next to each other.

.

"There isn't really much to explain here. The door to our left is the control room that will be maintained by six Anbu."

Yamato said while pointing his open hand at the closest door to the left giant steel door.

"There will be five Anbu using their chakra and jutsu to control every aspect of the training ground.

The last Anbu is the observer that takes a record of the jutsu and sparring matches that are held here."

He turned to the giant steel door and pointed at it with his open hand.

"As you might have guessed already this is the entrance to the training grounds."

Konohamaru eyed the remaining normal looking door curiously and asked as he pointed at it. "What's behind that door then?"

.

Yamato eyes suddenly shifted back and forth eerily as he inched closer to the door. He ominously said.

"What is behind this door…is a closely guarded secret of the Anbu.

It is guarded night and day year around and only those in the highest level of the Anbu know of it."

He walked over to the door and placed his hand on the door knob.

He turned his head slowly and gave Konohamaru an evil and dreading look.

Konohamaru back peddled to the far wall and pressed his back against it in uncomfortable fear as he eyed the door with a foreboding look.

"Something of unspeakable horror lives behind this door…" He said with wide eyes as he turned the knob and the door creaked slowly open.

Konohamaru started sweating profusely as the door opened. Nothing could be seen inside the pitch black room besides the darkness.

"ITS…." He said with intensity in his eyes.

"IT'S…!" Yamato said as he reached his arm just inside the door with a look of horror on his face.

.

Konohamaru shielded his face with his arm like some terrible demon was about to come out of the door and devour him whole in fear.

Yamato flipped the light switch to the room as Tsunade said in a tired tone from behind them. "The bathroom…"

"Ahhh!….wait. What?" Konohamaru suddenly opened his eyes and threw his arm down from shielding his face.

He looked intently inside the small room. Inside the small room was a white toilet and a sink and nothing else.

Konohamaru's look changed to one of offence. "What the HELL! What was with all the build up and doom and gloom crap Yamato?" He yelled at him as he threw his arms down.

Yamato held his pointer finger up wisely with a smile and said. "Personal hygiene after using the restroom is serious businesses Konohamaru.

There is only one bathroom down here and to use it poorly means to infect others with your germs and stench.

Please remember to give a courtesy flush when going number two and always wash your hands."

.

Konohamaru clinched his teeth and fist in anger at the joke Yamato had played on him for a long moment and the finally relaxed.

His arms feel limply to his sides as he shook his head. "Fine…whatever."

He said as he headed for the giant steel door and the two Anbu opened it for him quickly.

He walked inside without another word.

"Hmm he has much better control over his temper I see." He said as Tsunade walked over to Naruto.

"Remember this isn't like the other training ground. Don't get too serious in there." She warned him.

He gave her a slightly smile and said. "I know mother…I know."

.

* * *

.

Two days later.

Naruto and Hanabi had already eaten breakfast and were walking up the door of his estate.

There was still snow on the ground and it was still very cold outside yet the sun shined brightly in the morning chill.

Naruto and Hanabi were dressed in heavy sage uniforms as they went through the entrance.

Naruto opened the dungeon like door for her and they both went out.

"Hanabi." He said.

She gave him a curious look. "Yes Master?" She asked him questioningly.

.

"I've got a few things to take care of this morning. Please go to the training grounds without me." He said.

Her eyes narrowed at him as she walked right up to him and curiously said. "What kind of things?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at her and said. "I'll be back in time for lunch."

Hanabi scowled at him and said. "You still didn't answer the question Naruto…" She warned him.

He smiled at her as he leaped away.

She snarled at his back in annoyance as he left.

.

Hanabi arrived at training ground thirty-six a few minutes later were Konohamaru was already practicing throwing the Rasengan.

He no longer wore his long scarf ninja outfit. His new Sage outfit was a dark green and had the symbol of the Monkey Clan in red over his heart.

On the back it had a much larger Monkey Clan's symbol covering his back. He wore black pants and sandals with it.

Konohamaru turned to her when she entered the training area and said. "Morning…Where is Naruto?"

.

Hanabi gave him a slightly annoyed look and said. "He said he'd be here after lunch. Is there any progress with your training?"

Konohamaru sighed and said. "No…This is ridiculously hard. I was hoping Naruto would be here to help me today."

Hanabi put up the seal of the tiger and summoned six shadow clones. They fanned out and started sparring with each other.

"Yeah, I know. He's supposed to help me get used to using the Yellow Flash jutsu with my new kunais as well." She said sourly.

.

There was an awkward silence between them for a moment before Hanabi asked. "Have you talked to Hinata since the party?"

He looked down in disappointment and said. "No, I tried to invite her to lunch the following day, but she had already been sent out on a mission."

She smiled knowingly at him and said. "When is she supposed to be back?"

"Umm, early today if things went well on their mission. It was just a standard protection mission." He said shyly.

.

"Of all the people in the village I never imagined that you'd be the type that would go for Hinata, especially after all the things Naruto must have told you about her." She said.

He gave her a embarrassed look and then shrugged. "So, she is a little insecure. That still doesn't mean she that doesn't have any good qualities."

Hanabi laughed slightly at his shyness and said. "How did things go after you two danced? You looked really stiff out there with her."

"I'm surprised you even noticed us as glued to Naruto as you were." He told her knowingly.

Hanabi smiled at him as he said. "I was pretty nervous after we danced and could hardly talk to her. I hope I didn't make a bad impression."

Hanabi looked up in thought and then teasingly said. "Umm I don't know….your dancing was pretty horrible…"

.

He shot her a flat, worried look and said. "Come on, don't pick on me right now. I never did that to you…"

Hanabi laughed again and said. "It's nice to know that Naruto and I aren't the only ones with problems. Are you going to invite her out on a date when she gets back?"

He looked down and sighed. "I-I don't know. I mean she might not be too tired after her mission and all."

Hanabi gave him a sour look and said. "Stop being a chicken. You'll never get on good terms with her if you back away like that. Just ask her out to eat when you see her again."

He gave her a worried look and said. "I'll try, but it's kind of hard for me to be myself around her. I'm always so nervous." He wrung his hands.

She giggled and tried to cover it with her hand. "You know Hinata should be the shy one.

You are the grandson of the Third Hokage and you are only one of five people in the village with the rank of Sage.

You should have more confidence in yourself." She told him compassionately.

.

Konohamaru looked up at her in thought and said. "Yeah maybe you're right… Hey if she says anything about me could you let me know?"

She gave him a evil grin and said. "What's it worth to you?"

Konohamaru stared at her in blank shock just before she busted up laughing.

"I was kidding Konohamaru! Of course I'll tell you if she asks about you. I can't believe you thought I was serious."

Konohamaru relaxed and then he gave her an annoyed look that faded away quickly.

"I guess I deserved that for the prank I pulled on you when we were out shopping."

She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment and then said. "Actually I had forgotten about that."

Konohamaru just shook his head in his hands and said. "You're just like Naruto…A prankster until the very end."

Hanabi smiled in agreement just as one of her clones landed a straight strike at the center on the other clones chest popping it.

.

She looked over as it dissipated and then turned back to him with a casual look before saying. "Looks like that's my queue to get back to training."

She stood up to go spar with her free clone as Konohamaru went back to his own training.

Konohamaru summoned the Rasengan and threw it. It got just over five feet from his hand and then dissipated with a small gust of wind.

He was just getting set to try it again when Hanabi suddenly started looking around intently.

.

"Huh? What is it Hanabi?" He asked curiously and seriously.

She eyed a cluster of tree a hundred feet to the north of them and said.

"Someone is heading toward us. I'm not sure who it is but they are pretty close to us.

My chakra sensory skills aren't as good as Naruto's so I'm not sure who it is but one thing is for sure.

It is definitely not a member of the Hyuuga Clan." She and her clones jumped into a nearby tree to conceal themselves as Konohamaru jumped onto another tree branch.

They waited silently for many long tense moments until they heard the crunch of snow and then a dragging sound slowly over and over again.

They watched as the sound slowly grew louder and louder.

.

A man with ash black hair and a red mark on each of his cheeks appeared near the north end of the training ground.

He looked terribly exhausted and he was clutching a wound on his stomach as he had his arm on the trunk of a tree for support.

There was a kunai embedded in his left shoulder and a freely bleeding gash on his right leg.

They faintly heard him say. "I-I could…have sworn I heard voices…" He winced as he tried to move forward dragging his hurt leg.

He only made it another two steps before collapsing face first into the snow. A gust of wind howled as they finally recognized him.

"It's Kiba Hanabi!" Konohamaru said as he jumped down and started heading over to him.

Hanabi dispelled her clones and followed him before saying. "I know and he is hurt." She looked at him with concern.

.

They quickly reached him and Konohamaru went to turn him over. "Stop Konohamaru. Let me do it. I am a trained medic now."

Konohamaru stepped to the side worriedly as Hanabi carefully turned Kiba to his side as to not force the kunai in his shoulder any deeper in.

He was breathing in shallow breaths and his eyes didn't seem to be focusing on anything. His face was dirty and his clothes were ripped up like he had been in a serious battle.

"Kiba can you hear me?" She said loudly as she began healing the gash in his leg. He looked up at her and reached out to touch her face with his trembling hand.

Konohamaru looked at him in disbelief and said. "Who could have done this to Kiba?"

"Hinata?..." He said and then suddenly coughed loudly a few times as a spurt of blood came out of each of his nostrils.

"How did you escape…?" He said trying to focus his vision on her.

.

"It's not Hinata Kiba. It is me, Hanabi. How did this happen and what's going on with my sister?" She said calmly as she moved to heal his face.

Konohamaru look changed to blank horror.

Kiba spoke in a raspy pained voice. "We- ergh!" He clutched his chest in pain for a long moment until Hanabi healing took effect and he breathed a bit easier.

"We were almost home when we got attacked by two men. One of them was tall with spiky brown hair and the other was a smaller skinny blond guy.

They had set up an ambush for us. Traps went off as we neared the village. Shino got hit with a gas trap that knocked him out…not even his bugs weren't moving.

I never even smelled them…before they were already on us. I got to close to a paper bomb trap and ended up like this."

.

Konohamaru looked at him frantically. "What about Hinata!"

He coughed up blood and said. "They attacked me first and I couldn't stand up to them.

They got me but they were taking care not to seriously hurt Hinata…I think they plan to take her captive. Please help her… I'm begging you."

Hanabi gave Konohamaru a worried look.

"We need to get him to someone more medically trained than me. We can't just leave him… he's too badly injured."

Angered resolve set into his eyes. "Don't worry we won't have too. Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He summoned a clone and helped Kiba to his feet.

"Take him to the Hyuuga compound and tell them to notify the Anbu about what's happened." The clone put Kiba on his back and headed off.

Konohamaru turned around and said. "We have to hurry. Maybe we can catch them before they get to far away." He leaped away.

.

Hanabi worriedly said. "Good thinking sending him to the Hyuuga compound as its closer than the hospital, but how will you find Shino and Hinata?"

Konohamaru kept looking at the ground as he leaped through the trees. "Kiba left us a trail of blood." He said as Hanabi looked down.

There were drops of blood and his odd step and drag marks in the snow.

Konohamaru flipped and moved through the trees with all the speed and grace of a real monkey.

He was moving so fast in fact that even Hanabi was having trouble keeping up with him.

It didn't take them long to get to the end of the trail and Konohamaru gave her the signal to stop as he landed on a tree limb.

.

They entered a small clearing were several traps had already been set off. There were the scorch marks of a paper bomb trap on a nearby tree.

A small broken vial was lying on the ground near another tree. He surveyed the area for a moment.

"There's the gas trap Kiba was talking about, but I don't see Shino…Hanabi can you sense anyone near here?" He asked with worry in his voice.

Hanabi closed her eyes and reached out in all directions with her chakra. She suddenly opened her eyes and said.

.

"Yes, there is someone just on the other side of that tree near the broken bottle." Konohamaru went to jump down into the area and Hanabi caught him by the arm.

"Konohamaru, you can't just blindly go wandering around down there. There are likely more traps set up to cover their retreat." She said seriously.

"Grr we can't just sit around up here all day! Hinata and Shino are in trouble!" He said frustratedly.

"I know, I'm worried about them too." She told him empathetically.

"Byakugan!" Her temples bulged as she looked around the area. Traps were everywhere.

"There are a lot of traps still out there. There are paper bomb traps all over the middle of the trees. Follow me, I'll lead us down to the person behind the tree."

She said as she carefully picked a path over to the tree by the broken vial. They flanked the tree and came around its trunk with kunais drawn.

Shino was slumped up against the back of the tree.

.

"He looks uninjured." She said as she kneeled down and turned her ear toward his mouth.

Konohamaru turned around and picked the broken vial.

"He is breathing. He may have just been knocked out." She placed her hand on his chest and started pouring healing chakra into him.

Konohamaru walked back over to her and sniffed the vial and then wrinkled his nose up in disgust.

"I don't know what was in this thing but its smells awful!" He said.

She took the vial with her free hand and smelled it for herself. "It's Raniklin oil…It's a powerfully sedative."

She said as Shino's bugs started crawling up his neck toward his face.

Konohamaru looked around angrily and said. "Why would they take Hinata of all people?"

Hanabi flinched slightly and said. "I'd like to tell you for ransom, but it's highly unlikely they took her for that reason…

They probably took her because they want her eyes…They are after the Hyuuga Clans Byakugan." She looked down sadly.

"What? What do you mean?" He asked worriedly.

.

"This isn't the first time something like this has happened Konohamaru. She was almost taken when she was five too.

We have to take steps to protect the Byakugan. There are many that would try to steal it from us…" She said quietly.

He looked at her in blank shock. "You mean they are going to cut out her eyes and use them themselves?"

"It's very likely that is what they are…" She said as Shino stirred and groaned. He opened his eyes a looked at Hanabi for a confused moment.

His eyes suddenly flew open and he asked. "Where are Kiba and Hinata? Are they ok?"

.  
"Konohamaru's clone took Kiba to get treatment and we just got here and found you. What can you tell us about the ones that took Hinata?"

He leaned forward and grabbed his aching head. "The taller one is a Taijutsu user that also uses the earth element.

The short skinny guy is a trap maker and I didn't get to see any of his jutsu. I couldn't fight after they set off that gas trap and Kiba was totally out classed by the larger guy.

They took Hinata and headed north…" He said as he tried to stand.

.

Hanabi grabbed his shoulder and said. "No, you should stay down for awhile Shino."

She looked over at him as he righted himself and said.

"I'm the one in charge of this mission…it's my job to get her back to the village safe and sound.

Do not worry my bugs are already freeing me from their drugs effects."

Konohamaru looked at him and said. "Shino I know this is your squad but you're only going to slow us down if you come. We have to hurry…"

Shino adjusted his sunglasses. "Indeed _We_ do…" He said suggestively.

Hanabi turned to Konohamaru and gave him a concerned look. "Konohamaru-"

"Fine! But if you fall behind we are leaving you." He said in agitation. "Hanabi can you track them using your Byakugan?"

"I'll try." She said as she activated her Byakugan and looked around for a moment.

.

"That will not be necessary. I've got a beetle planted on Hinata. My bugs will lead us there." Shino said.

Hanabi turned to Konohamaru and said. "It is no good they must be out of range, but they went north of here.

There are a few traps up ahead but they shouldn't be hard to avoid. Shino are you sure about coming with us? You really should go to the hospital for treatment."

Konohamaru scampered up a tree and started flipping though the air at a swift speed.

Shino turned to look at her for a moment then leaped into the trees follow him.

Hanabi sighed and followed.

Shino was obviously straining to keep up with them and even almost fell twice.

He was starting to breathe heavily after twenty minutes he suddenly said.

.

"They are near. My male beetles are getting antsy."

"Yes, I see the bigger guy now. He has Hinata slung over his shoulder. He has her bound and gagged, but I don't see the other guy anywhere.

This could be a trap." She said.

Konohamaru had determination in his eyes as he said. "Then I'll spring their trap and get them first!"

He started moving much faster through the trees leaving Hanabi and Shino behind.

"He's an idiot… we should stick together and attack as a group." Shino said and then sighed.

Hanabi kept pace with Shino as she worriedly watched Konohamaru fade away into the distance.

.

Konohamaru was moving through the trees at a blinding speed until he caught sight of the large muscular man wearing all black with Hinata on his shoulder.

He was bounding through the tree as Konohamaru was quickly gaining on him.

He leaped at the man in black and was less than ten feet away when the man pulled out two kunai and threw them out to either of his sides.

Konohamaru's eyes went wide as he suddenly saw why.

The kunais both hit trees and in the center of them on a wire was a smoking paper bomb that Konohamaru was just about to fly into.

_._

_"SHIT!"_ He thought as he forced his entire body to relax. _"Move with the blow just like Raichi taught me to…" _

His back was just over the bomb when it exploded violently. His body moved with the blast contorting at seemingly impossible angles.

He was thrown up through the trees and it took him a brief second to right his body. He grabbed a tree limb with his upward momentum and flipped completely over it.

He rocketed down toward a man in black in a flying jump kick that shattered the branch he was about to land on.

Konohamaru landed on his feet in the woods and the other man landed near him. The larger ninja set Hinata by a tree and turned back to Konohamaru.

"Well, it seems you didn't take the hint… No matter, I guess I have time to play with you for a bit.

The dog breath guy and the bug hive man didn't even give me a decent workout." He said in a deep voice as he stretched out his arm and cracked his neck.

.

He had spiky brown hair, dull green eyes and a scar running down the left side of his neck from his ear to his collar bone.

Konohamaru gritted his teeth in anger and yelled. "You're not going anywhere! You better hand over Hinata if you know what's good for you!"

The big man laughed. "You weak little leaf ninja are all the same. You talk big but you never have anything to back it up.

Everyone in the other ninja nations knows the leaf is the weakest now. You've all gotten fat by sitting on your laurels."

Killing intent poured out of Konohamaru and he pointed a hateful finger at the ninja.

.

"You! What possible purpose could you have for kidnapping Hinata?" He said as he threw his arm out to his side.

The ninja gave him a causal shrug with his hands up and said. "What can I say? Hyuuga eyes are worth a lot of money and we already have a buyer for hers…"

He reached down and grabbed onto Hinata's limp face from under her jaw as he looked at her. He turned back to look at Konohamaru with a lustful smile and said.

"The rest of her is quite nice too…I'm sure what's left of her will sell nicely at the slave market after we transplant her eyes. Well after we have our fun with her first that is."

.

Konohamaru's eyes went from anger to rage. "You're…Never gonna LAY A HAND ON HER!"

He went through several hand signs in the blink of an eye and yelled. "SUMMONING JUTSU!"

A bow staff with golden tips on each end poofed into the air in front of him. He snatched it out of the air as he charged the large man.

"RAHHH!" He yelled as the ninja in black held up a single hand sign. "Mud Wall Jutsu."

Konohamaru swung his bow staff over his head and brought it down at the man's head just as a wall of mud formed around him.

He hit the shield with a loud smack that sent mud in all directions.

He was just bracing himself to pull his staff back and hit the shield again when it suddenly reformed and harden around his staff in the blink of an eye.

The brown mud turned into gray rock.

.

"HAHA you call that a move? I don't know who taught you to be a ninja but you will have to be a lot more subtle if you ever want to hit me!"

Konohamaru struggled for a split second to free his staff before a massive fist broke through the rock wall and hit him in the head.

He was sent flying a hundred feet in the other direction leaving a cloud of dust behind him as he crashed through the woods.

.

He picked himself up and charged back towards the man. The man was just about to pick the unconscious Hyuuga when Konohamaru burst through the under growth.

"I told you you're not going anywhere!" He yelled at him just as Hanabi and Shino landed near him. Hanabi landed on his right side and Shino landed just behind them.

"Oh reinforcements I see, but your chances of survival just dropped to zero…" He said and then threw his head back and laughed a few times.

Konohamaru gritted his teeth and scowled as he drew a kunai. "Quick get down!" Hanabi yelled as she tackled him to the side just as a blade went over his head from behind.

They skidded on the ground as Hanabi righted herself and slid the last few paces backwards on her feet while drawing one of her kunais.

.

Konohamaru looked up from the ground on his rear and said. "Hey what's the big idea Hanabi?"

She was standing over him protectively as he glanced at Shino. He was holding a wicked looking short sword that had a blade that looked more like a saw.

"What? Shino…what are you doing?" Konohamaru said in shocked disbelief.

Shino laughed sadistically at him. "That's not Shino Konohamaru!" Hanabi yelled.

Konohamaru quickly got to his feet and looked at Shino in shock.

The large ninja laughed and said. "I told you your chances of survival just went down to zero. You aren't the only one that just had reinforcements arrive…Wait…"

He suddenly stopped in mid sentence as his eyes went wide while staring at Hanabi.

.

"Dao is that who I think it is?" He said as his curious look suddenly turned into a evil grin of lust.

"Yes I believe it is…" He said in a sneering voice. "My, my if it isn't Hanabi Hyuuga…If memory serves me right her eyes are worth ten times as much as her sisters…"

The would-be Shino poofed and a short man with shoulder length blond hair and sulking blue eyes appeared.

He wore a blue ninja outfit and had two kunai holsters on his left leg.

"Yes I believe your right…and she's even more attractive than her sister…We could probably get twice as much for her body as well Zarain."

Dao said and then threw his head back and laughed manically. He took two steps to the side to flank them.

Konohamaru put his back to Hanabi's as his hateful eyes bored into Zarain's. Hanabi scowled at Dao and said.

.

"You'll never lay a hand on me and I'll make you pay for ever touching my sister!"

She grabbed four cobalt blue kunais from each of her leg holsters and threw them up in the air.

They rained down on the area harmlessly. The short blond man laughed at her.

"You see Zarain! I told you the leaf village was weak. Their ninja don't even know how to throw a kunai!"

Hanabi drew the Flying Thunder God sword as resolve set in to Konohamaru's eyes and he put up the seal of the tiger. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Konohamaru yelled and just as they poofed onto the field Hanabi disappeared. She reappeared behind Dao instantly and stabbed him through the heart.

He eyed the part of the mirror shined blade with bright blue runes on it that was sticking through his chest and grinned.

He poofed into smoke and Hanabi sword was sticking through a log. Hanabi's face quickly turned into one of shock.

_._

_"There is no way he had time to get off a substitution jutsu! I'm moving through time space...That could only mean…!"_ She thought as her eyes went wide and she pulled her sword free.

She quickly turned around and braced her sword. Dao's wicked, jagged sword clashed with hers just before it could split her in two from behind.

They were locked in a power struggle as Dao smiled at her mockingly. "Aww I hope you didn't think you were the only one that could use time/space Ninjutsu…"

.

All the while five of the seven clones Konohamaru summoned charged Zarain with kunais in each hand as they yelled loudly. "RAAAAGH!"

Zarain smiled and put up a earth seal. "Earth Wall Jutsu!" He said just as all the clones threw there kunais at him.

A wall of earth raised out of the ground in front of him as the kunais clanged off of it. The clones stopped for a second fifteen feet from the wall as they heard.

"Mud Bog Jutsu!" The Konohamaru's wore a look of shock as the ground turned into mud and they sank up to their knees in it. "Hardening Jutsu!"

Zarain yelled from behind the earth wall and the mud turned into gray rock trapping Konohamaru's clones.

The clones struggled to get free, but couldn't move. "Stone Spike Jutsu!"

Zarain yelled and a spike of earth shot out of the ground in front of each of the clones hitting them in the chest. They poofed into smoke as Zarain looked over the earth wall at him and said.

"I guess dog breath and bug boy were some of the better ninjas in the village if you're an example of one of the leaf's average ones…"

Konohamaru angrily yelled. "I'll show you whose average!" He dissipated into smoke.

.

"Hmm?" Dao said as he looked around. Konohamaru and two of his clones were diving down at him head first from the tree behind him.

One clone formed the Rasengan in his hand and the other went through several earth hand signed.

"Monkey Clan Art: Razor Leaf Jutsu!" The clone yelled as thousands of leaves fell off of the trees and became hard as steel.

They shot down and threatened to encompass him in there deadly gale.

.

"Earth Barrier Jutsu." Dao said as he made a hand sign.

The broken earth wall surrounded him and Hinata in a sphere as well as part of the tree she was near.

The razor sharp leaves whirled around the earth sphere barrier and then the suddenly they all shot straight for it. They buried themselves over an inch into the rock but no farther.

_"Good, he finally can't see me."_ Konohamaru thought as his clone dissipated in to smoke.

"Let's see you try to stop this one! RASENGAN!" He yelled as he rocketed down from the tree tops with the whirling ball of brilliant blue energy at blinding speed.

He hit the barrier with an ear shattering crack as the high speed jutsu cut into the sphere sending dust and chunks of gray rock in all directions.

.

The large man watched the jutsu pop through his shield. Konohamaru's arm was buried up to his shoulder.

He grinned to himself as he said. "An impressive jutsu, but you are still out of reach."

_"Concentrate…keep the jutsu going…."_ He thought through gritted teeth as he moved the jutsu to his finger tips.

Dao held up a hand sign and said. "Earth Explosion Jutsu!"

The barrier suddenly cracked all over and then exploded violently.

Konohamaru was sent flying with all the rest of the debris.

He managed to grab a tree branch in flight and swing himself behind the trunk of a tree as deadly jagged rock projectiles slammed into the other side.

.

Hanabi and Zarain had been disappearing and reappearing all over the place. Zarain would disappear and reappear behind Hanabi then slash at her.

Only for her to disappear just before being killed and then reappearing behind Zarain to attack him.

_"I…I can't keep going…"_ She thought as she panted hard while moving through time/space.

_"I'm running out of chakra too quickly….If I stop…He'll take my head off…But if I keep going at this rate…_

_I'll kill myself through chakra exhaustion… If only something would distract him…" _

The ear shattering explosion of the earth barrier was just enough to get Zarain to look in that direction as Hanabi came out of time space and jumped again back into it.

She reappeared on the other side of a nearby tree. She hit the ground with each breath of air burning in her lungs as rocks shot through the air at incredible speeds.

One of them hit a large branch near her and cut it free from the tree without ever stopping.

Branches and leaves rained down on the forest floor from the destructive jutsu as she struggled to sit up and brace her back on the tree trunk.

.

Konohamaru landed near her. She was sweaty and didn't even have the strength to hold her head up right. He was clearly worried at seeing her so worn out.

He kneeled in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders as she gasped for air. "Hanabi are you ok?" He asked with concern in his voice.

She took in several more breaths before finally finding her voice. "Yes… I can't keep this up though…and…that blond freak isn't even breathing hard…"

"Catch your breath for a few seconds Hanabi. After that we can come up with a plan of attack." Hanabi took only as long as she dared to regain her composure.

.

"Do you have any ideas?" He asked her when her breathing started to slow. "Yes…We have to take out that blond man first.

I don't know who he is, but I've never even seen Naruto jump that many times through time/space that quickly. He is the more deadly of the two right now."

He looked down in frustration and then turned back to her and asked. "But how? You two were moving so fast I couldn't even see you."

Hanabi stood up but was still leaning on the trunk of the tree and said. "We need to separate him from that sword. That is obviously his spirit marker.

If we can get it away from him we may stand a chance of beating him. Then we can double up on the Earth user ninja."

.

Konohamaru nodded. "I guess that means I'm the bait." He said while pointing at himself with a smile.

Hanabi's eyes went wide with horror. "Absolutely not! I would never use you as bai-"

He cut her off by raising his hand. "Hanabi…this isn't the time to be worrying over my safety.

Think about it. This is the only way I can help you take that guy down…"

.

Hanabi face contorted in pain and frustration as she looked away from him.

She clearly wanted to refute him, but knew he was right. She let out a long sigh and hung her head.

"Please…Just promise me you're not going to die out there…" She said in defeat.

He smiled at her and said. "What could go wrong? I've got Toad Sage Hanabi watching my back."

She gave him a weak look and then jumped into the shattered trees.

.

It only took them a few leaps before they could see the battle field again.

They both stopped on tree branches to survey the area. The area inside the earth barrier jutsu seemed to be the only place not affected by the blast.

The earth was dug out around the sphere from the blast and several of the trees near it were shredded and topped.

The large earth jutsu user had the blond mans limp body slung over his shoulder as he walked back over to the knocked out Hinata.

Her back was still resting on the stump of the shattered tree.

.

"Great going little brother… For all your speed and bragging about how you can jump through time/space and you couldn't even avoid the rocks from my jutsu…"

He said in disgust as he set the man down on the ground near Hinata and looked him over. Zarain had a small head wound behind his right ear that was slowly bleeding.

Dao looked at his brother sourly and said to him. "If I have to lug you all the way home while carrying that girl too you _will_ pay."

.

Konohamaru looked over at Hanabi and quietly said. "This is good news for us. The blond guy is out of it. You think you can get the other guy with the yellow flash?"

Hanabi shook her head and whispered back. "No, I'd likely kill myself if I used it again.

I'm still very low on chakra…but if you can keep him distracted for about thirty seconds I can pop my clone at the training ground that is already meditating in Sage mode."

Konohamaru gave her an offended confused look and said. "Wait, why didn't you do that in the first place?"

She scowled at him and whispered forcefully. "I was kind of busy trying not to get my head cut off!"

Konohamaru eyes suddenly brightened and then he smiled knowingly. "I've got an even better idea…"

.

He pulled out a cobalt blue kunai and said.

"This is the reason he gave them to us." He drew some of his chakra into the blade as Hanabi gave him a flat sour look.

"Don't tell me this is the first time in the fight you thought you'd use that?...They aren't working. I think the blond man did something to the area that messed with them."

She hissed at him. Konohamaru gave her a shocked look and loudly said. "No way! I thought they…"

The large man turned around suddenly from looking his brother over and threw a kunai with an exploding tag on it in the direction of Konohamaru's voice.

It hit the tree beside him with a dull thud noise as the tag smoked. Hanabi's eyes went wide and she jumped away deeper into the forest.

.

Konohamaru could only jump towards the clearing to avoid the blast and flipped over to land on his feet facing Dao as it exploded.

Konohamaru crouched in a fighting pose as he stared him down. _"Ok Hanabi…Your thirty seconds starts now!"_ He thought.

Dao gave him a tired look and said. "I hope you didn't think I forgot about you…you little monkey cockroach."

.

"You can knock me down, but I'll always get back up. Now that your partner is out of it we can start back were we left off." He said as put up the seal of the tiger.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He yelled and twenty of him appeared on the field when the smoke cleared.

"Hmph. You really are stupid. You can come at me with a hundred clones and the results will still be the same." Dao said as he got into Taijutsu form.

"I see your not using you'r…" Konohamaru started to say before Dao rushed him with blinding speed.

Dao covered the distant between them in the blink of an eye and slammed a fist through one of Konohamaru's clones and into the ground with such force it popped two of his other clones.

Rocks were sent flying from the impact and Konohamaru and his clones all jumped back.

Dao slowly pulled his hand out of the four foot large crater he created and got back into form.

Konohamaru wore a strained expression on his face as he thought. _"So much for dragging out the conversation to stall for time…"_

.

He and his clones surrounded Dao and started attacking. Dao saw though his every plan of attack and was popping his clones in rapid succession with blindingly fast strikes.

Konohamaru only had two clones left and thought. _"Damn he fights a lot like Rock Lee. There's no way I can even get a shot in on him. I'll have to put some distance between us…"_

Dao rushed him again and took out his last two remaining clones with a single roundhouse kick while Konohamaru jumped back into the trees and said. "Shadow clone Jutsu!"

Twenty more Konohamaru's filled the trees.

"The trees will not hide you." Dao said as he rushed a tree. All the Konohamaru's threw shurikens at him. He weaved between them and continued his assault.

He managed to pop three more clones before one caught him in the face with a smoke bomb.

Dao coughed and shielded his face with his arm as he leaped back out of the smoke screen.

He looked over at the tree clouded in bluish gray smoke as two more smoke bombs went off and doubled the size of the smoke screen.

.

_"Grr this would be so much easier if I didn't have to conserve my chakra… What's taking her so long?" _

Konohamaru thought as he formed his clones up for a tactical line charging attack.

Dao slowly took his arm away from his face and smirked. He formed two hand signs and then held his open palm over his head.

"I told you your clones were no use against me. Earth Style: Earth Fissure Jutsu!"

He yelled as he slammed his hand to the ground and a twenty foot wide crack in the earth snaked its way from his feet and raced into Konohamaru's smoke screen.

The sounds of clones popping and trees crashing to the ground echoed in the forest.

.

Dao stood up from his crouched position and dusted himself off. "That should have squashed that little annoying cockroach…"

He said in annoyance as he turned back to Zarain and started to walk over to him.

The smoke screen was just starting to clear and toppled trees could be seen as he heard the sound of whirling energy getting louder and louder.

He snapped back around only to see a fully formed Rasengan burst out of the bluish-gray smoke screen heading right for him as high speed.

Dao's eyes went wide in surprise a second before impact.

.

Hanabi was mediating at the base of a tree a few hundred yards away.

_"Ok keep calm. Konohamaru can handle himself for awhile. I've got nothing to worry about…"_ She thought to herself.

_"Reach out in all directions and sense my Sage clone just like Naruto taught me." _Hanabi concentrated as she reached out and stilled her mind for many long moments.

Her mind reached far away and she saw her clone mediating on a tree branch at the Hyuuga training ground. She felt its peaceful presence as she reached for it.

Her clone dissipated and filled her with its powerful Sage chakra.

The dark lines around her eyes grew out into sharp points that went from the base of her jaw to the top of her forehead and then crossed at the very top.

She could feel and sense everything for miles around her.

_._

_"I can feel six chakra signatures in the area…One of them is Konohamaru, also I can feel Hinata, Shino and Kiba nearby… Wait how is Kiba nearby? _

_He was too injured to fight…But his chakra levels feel like they are normal…What's going on?"_ She thought in confusion while still mediating with her eyes closed.

_"The last two chakras have to be that of the two that attacked us…but wait…I know those chakras!"_ She thought as she opened her eyes with an annoyed look on her face.

"I'm going to get you for this…" She said under her breath soaked with venom.

She raced through the trees until she came to the outskirts of the clearing they were fighting in moments before.

.

She braced her back on a tree trunk and looked over to where Konohamaru was fighting Dao.

There was smoke covering the trees to her left and Dao was snapping back around as a Rasengan came flying out of the smoke at him.

Dao's eyes went wide and then he sided stepped to get out of the way of the whirling blue ball of energy as he started doing hand signs.

It arched slightly and tracked his movement and he was force to leap backward at the last second. The Rasengan was just about to hit him as he landed and then it disappeared.

Dao looked down at his chest in stunned surprise and then smiled over at the smoke cloud.

.

"Impressive that you could throw that much condensed chakra so far, but what good is it if you can't even hit me with it…" Dao said before getting cut off by Konohamaru.

"Multi Demon Wind Shuriken!" He yelled as fifteen giant shuriken shot up out of the rapidly fading smoke and then went right for Dao.

The large man jumped back again and again as one after another of the shurikens buried its self into the earth right where he had been a split second before.

He had been pushed back over a hundred feet as the last one hit the earth a foot away from his feet. He quickly regained his fighting form and was breathing heaver than before.

"He's full of surprises…that's for sure." Dao muttered to himself as he scanned the area for Konohamaru.

.

The smoke cloud cleared and all he could see was toppled broken trees in the earth fissure he had made. He looked around intently for a long moment.

He scanned the area searching for him and suddenly the shuriken at his feet poofed. Konohamaru appeared at point blank range and started attacking with a blinding series of punches.

Dao barely got his guard up to defend himself before the first strike.

He deflected the blow with his forearm as all but one of the rest of the shuriken spoofed into Konohamaru's as well and charged him.

The large man was having trouble keeping up with avoiding and blocking all of the strikes and was being forced back.

He was moving at incredible speed ducking, weaving and blocking the blows.

"Let's see you cast a jutsu when you can't make a hand sign! I'm gonna pulverize you for _EVER_ touching Hinata!" He yelled while pressing his attack.

.

The Shuriken that was nearest the knocked out Hinata poofed and Konohamaru quickly heaved her on to his back.

_"I've got to get her out of her fast! There isn't much chakra left in my clones…They will only last a few more seconds!" _

He thought wildly as he started to run back to the village with her on his back as fast as he could.

He only made it a few steps before Hanabi appeared in front of him with a very 'put out' look on her face.

"Drop her…" She said in a commanding voice in full Taijutsu form only ten feet in front of him.

"Hanbi! What are you doing?" He whispered to her loudly. "My clones are almost out of chakra! We have to get Hinata outa here fast!"

.

She looked angrily at her slumped over sister on his back and yelled. "I said drop her! That is not who you think it is Konohamaru!"

Konohamaru confused look changed to one of shocked surprise as the seemingly passed out Hinata put a kunai to his throat.

She kicked the back of his knees and grappled his arms out behind him with one hand. He fell to his knees unable to move as she pressed the kunai harder on his neck.

Hinata smiled and spoke in a high female voice that was not her own. "Hehehe…The juggler vein…It's always such a gusher." She moved the kunai over to the side of his neck.

Hanabi scowled at her and said. "Cut the crap! I know who you are. What _POSSIBLE_ reason could you have for doing this to us!"

Konohamaru was utterly perplexed and nervously said. "Wait what? You know this girl? Who is she?"

She tossed Konohamaru an annoyed look and bluntly said. "Shut up Konohamaru!"

.

She turned her angry gaze back to the would-be Hinata and said through gritted teeth.

"I'm going to beat you for this… Just wait until I get you home!"

Hanabi said like she was talking down to a child that was misbehaving and charged Hinata with blinding speed.

Konohamaru cringed while closing his eyes.

_"Hanabi no don't! This psycho is gonna slit my throat before she lets go of me if you attack her!"_ He thought in a panic.

.

He was suddenly let go and fell on to all fours panting.

He was trying to figure out what was happening as Hanabi and the imposter clashed in high speed combat that sent out reverberations like thunder that shook the tree leaves.

The clones fighting Dao popped as Konohamaru looked over at him. He expected Dao to come after him as he struggled to his feet.

Dao however wasn't even looking in his direction. The large ninja in black was just standing there watching Hanabi and Hinata clash at high speed as they darted through the trees.

Konohamaru's look changed to confusion as he caught a glimpse of Dao's right eye.

_"What the…! The Sharingan! What the hell is this guy doing with the Sharingan?"_ He thought in disbelieving shock and confusion.

_"Wait a minute…that guy had the Sharingan in his right eye… and Hanabi said 'wait until I get you home' huh?"_ He thought intently and then suddenly him look went blank.

_"Then…Then that means that this Hinata is…!"_ He thought in disbelief with wide eyes.

.

* * *

.

Shino, Kiba, Akamaru, and Hinata were slowly walking back to the village on the main road.

Kiba, Akamaru and Hinata were walking side by side as Shino walked in front of them.

Kiba put his hands behind his head as he lazily strolled forward. "Man the last mission was such a bore. Nothing happened at all."

Hinata looked away shyly and said. "I'd prefer the missions I lead to go smoothly."

Kiba gave her a sour look and said. "A mission going smoothly is fine, but if nothing happens then we are just bored to tears for days.

Come on, you had to want something to happen. You know something that was exciting to get your heart pumping." He said as he clinched his fist in front of himself.

Shino suddenly stopped and turned his head over his shoulder.

.

"I prefer quiet missions as well Kiba. There is less risk and it is easy money for the village." He said without emotion.

"I think your time in the Anbu has made you expect too much from each mission." He said and then turned around to keep walking.

Kiba rolled his eyes at the back of Shino's head as Akamaru nudged Hinata hand. She absentmindedly patted him a few times as they walked.

Kiba turned his sour look over at Hinata's. His look changed to a knowing one as he eyed the golden sphere like necklace she was wearing.

"Or maybe you have enough excitement in your life already Hinata…" He said suggestively to her.

.

She sighed loudly and gave him a tired look like she was expecting him to say something perverted again.

"What could you possibly mean?" She said already regretting that she was even asking him.

He gave her a knowing smile and said. "I'm talking about Konohamaru…"

She immediately blushed and looked down. "I-I haven't spoken…to him since…the party …at the Hyuuga manor…" She said nervously as she pointed her pointer fingers together.

He gave her a big smile and said. "I see…So you do like him. I never thought you'd go for guy so much younger than you." She looked away in embarrassment.

He threw his head back to laugh just as the sound of a far off explosion echoed in the distance.

They all stopped and their faces become serious as Kiba sniffed the air.

.

Shino looked to Kiba as he said. "It's no good, they're up wind. I can't smell 'em."

Hinata activated her Byakugan and looked in the direction that the sound came from.

"It's out of my range as well Shino." She said.

Shino slowly turned in looked in the direction of the explosion for a long moment.

"Hmm it's certainly didn't come from one of the training grounds. There aren't any this far north of the village…" He said calmly.

Kiba face suddenly turned into a big smile and said. "That means we have found some action! Akamaru!"

He turned to his dog and it barked twice in agreement as the both leaped into the trees.

.

Hinata sighed. "He has only gotten more brash since joining the Anbu…" She said in exasperation.

Shino looked over at her with his hand casually in his pockets and said.

"True…,but you shouldn't be looking to me to take over leading just because something new happens."

She winces slightly and the sadly said. "I'm sorry. It's just a force of habit."

He nodded at her and said. "So what are we going to do leader?"

She sighed heavily as she slumped her shoulders.

"We were almost home too." She said as she looked at the ground in disappointment. She picked up her head and said.

"We can't just let him go alone. Kami only know what he would do."

He nodded respectfully and leaped into the trees to follow Kiba.

She rolled her eyes and followed.

.

Shino and Hinata were leaping through the trees right next to each other and Kiba was eighty yards ahead of them.

"Come on you two slow pokes! We are almost there-" He started to say but was cut off by a new sound hitting in rapid succession that made him stop in his tracks on a tree branch.

Shino and Hinata landed to either side of him. Kiba's look was intensely serious as he looked ahead through the tree covered forest.

"I-I haven't heard a sound like that since…" He started to say.

"Since Hanabi fought Konohamaru as the Chunin exams…" Shino stated calmly.

"That is incredibly high level Taijutsu combat Kiba. If you went rushing blindly into it we would likely be retrieving your corpse in pieces." Hinata warned him sternly.

Kiba grabbed his hair with both hands and yelled in disappointment.

"Damn! Here I thought I was finally going to get some action and it's likely that it's just Konohamaru and Hanabi sparring!"

He looked forward and crouched to his knees with a sour look on his face. Akamaru gave him an empathetic whine.

Shino looked at Hinata waiting to see what she decided to do as their leader.

.

She thought about it for a moment as the sounds of thunder rang again and again. Wood splintering in the distance rang out as she looked to them and said.

"We should go investigate this. It is too close to the village and not at one of the training ground. It could be a real combat situation."

Kiba rolled his eyes and said. "Yes leader…" He leaped ahead with Akamaru as Shino and Hinata followed.

They moved at high speed through the trees until Kiba looked over his shoulder in mid flight and asked. "Hinata you see anything yet?"

She hit the branch of a tree and bound off if it as she said. "Yes I see one of them up ahead…it's Konohamaru and there's a large man that I don't recognize near him."

Kiba sighed and said. "I knew it…it's just them sparring…" He said sourly.

"I don't think so. There's way too much destruction to the area around them for it to be a normal sparring match.

There are also two others, but they are moving so fast that I can't tell who they are."

She said as the sound of thunder hitting in rapid succession rang out again even louder.

.

They quickly came to the clearing of broken trees and a earth fissure with topped trees in it.

Konohamaru and Dao were both watching the fight play out as two ninja clashed at high speed.

They landed in a tree on the parameter of the fighting area and watched for moment.

"Hinata can you tell who they are?" Shino asked.

"No they are still moving too fast." She said while scanning the area as Kiba sniffed the air and then smiled as he turned to them.

"I know who the other two are…" He said as a tree limb near then suddenly exploded from a high speed impact that sent splinters in all directions.

Kiba smile faded instant as he quickly stepped in front of Hinata to shield her as Shino instantly leaped to a branch behind a tree trunk.

"Look out!" He yelled to Hinata as he braced himself for onslaught of the splinters of wood.

They got within two feet of him and clatter off of the air like an invisible wall was around him.

.

A very loud crack, like thunder, that hit and Hanabi and the would be Hinata could finally be seen.

Hanabi face showed a very annoyed look as her arm was buried up to her forearm in a tree trunk from the power of her strike.

She had her other arm straight out behind her for balance in the lunge type attack.

The would-be Hinata was nearly bent over backward to avoid the powerfully strike, but her head was still point forward and touching the lips of Hanabi like they were kissing.

The real Hinata blushed in annoyance and clinched her fist in front of her at them.

Kiba looked over at her with a knowing perverted smile as Shino's cheeks turn a slight shade of pink as he cleared his throat loudly.

.

Hanabi angrily pulled her arm free and then grabbed the back of fake Hinata by the hair as she pulled her into a powerfully and bone popping kiss.

The fake Hinata gave her a look of utter shock and surprise. Hanabi yanked their lips apart with a loud pop and threw her to the side.

She rolled twice on the ground and landed on her rear before poofing into smoke.

.

"What reason could you possibly have for doing this Naruto? I thought my sister really _WAS_ taken! Do you know how worried I was?"

She yelled at him angrily as the smoke cleared and Naruto was on the ground coughing for air.

He took in several sharp breaths trying to get his breath that she had stolen from him. Kiba shot Hinata a perverted smile.

"I was-" He started to say from his prone position before Hinata clinched her fist tighter and her knuckles cracked.

.

"If you two are going to do something kinky out in the woods then don't transform into me while you are doing it!" She yelled angrily at Naruto.

She turned her anger on Konohamaru and he shirked away from her.

"And you! How could you be part of this! You're the Hokage's grandson for crying out loud!"

She yelled and then stormed away in disgust.

Kiba clapped loudly with a boyish smile and said. "Hey can we see more of that sister on sister action?"

Shino immediately bow and forced Kiba to bow with his hand on his head and said. "We are sorry Hanabi. We did not realize this was a training exercise.

We only came to make sure the village wasn't being attacked. Again I'm sorry for my squad's behavior." He grabbed the slightly annoy Kiba and leaped away.

Konohamaru just hung his head is dismay.

.

Hanabi's look changed to a blank look as the large ninja in black poofed into Kakashi.

Naruto hung his head and said. "Why does it always turn out this way…?"

Hanabi back peddled a few steps in shock and said. "Wait…a training exercise?"

Konohamaru hung his head and said in dismay. "Great…she probably hates me now…" He slumped his shoulders and looked at the ground.

.

Kakashi eyed both of them carefully and said. "Yes a training exercise…"

"But-but why?" She said in disbelief.

Naruto stood up and look at her sadly. "Because Tsunade will not send us on any missions because of me..."

His hand instinctively covered his stomach before he looked up and began again.

"So I made a fake mission for you two to get some experience fighting together in a real combat situation.

I asked Kakashi to help me a few days ago. He is the one that planed all this out. I've never been good at this sort of thing…"

Konohamaru sighed. "You're better at deception than I thought Naruto…I really thought Hinata was in trouble…Now it's me in trouble with Hinata."

Hanabi nodded respectfully in agreement and said. "I never would have thought you were capable of saying those kinds of things about me and Hinata."

He gave them a weak smile and said. "It wasn't easy for me, but I had to make you think it was all real. Otherwise it would have been pointless."

.

"Naruto practiced this fake mission with me for the last two days for you two. You both fought seriously until Hanabi figured out that Hinata was actually Naruto.

When the illusion of the mission was revealed and she attacked him without fear of being hurt or killed. She knew Naruto wouldn't try to kill her.

It was then that the training exercise failed." Kakashi said.

Konohamaru looked off in a lost manner and said to himself. "How am I going to explain all this to Hinata…?"

Kakashi eyed him sternly and said. "You should keep you mind focused on that task at hand Konohamaru."

Konohamaru stood up a bit straighter, but it was still plain to see he was worried about his situation with Hinata.

.

Kakashi said. "Let's go over what you did right and what you did wrong during this mission. Firstly you hid when Naruto's Kiba clone came onto the training field.

You were carefully here, you did this part right. But after you saw him hurt you immediately went to help him without even trying to confirm his identity."

He turned at looked at Hanabi and said. "Hanabi… what does Kiba smell like?"

.

She blinked blankly at him a few times trying to process his odd question. She thought about it for a moment and then said.

"Umm well…He doesn't have a strong smell but he kind of smells like…" She awkwardly thought of how to phrase it nicely.

"Like a wild animal…"Kakashi finished it for her."But what did Naruto's clone Kiba smell like."

Hanabi shyly looked down in shame and said. "He smelled like sweat and the soap Naruto uses to wash his uniforms…"

"Hmm and Kiba was bleeding yet did you smell any blood?" He asked her carefully.

She looked even lower and admitted. "Umm no, I didn't, now that I think about it…"

Konohamaru's look suddenly changed to confusion before he asked.

"Hey why aren't you asking me these questions? Why are you picking on Hanabi? I was there too."

Kakashi looked over at him and asked.

"Don't you remember learning in the academy why one girl is almost always put in every squad Konohamaru?"

.

He gave him a blank look and then he clearly guessed. "Umm because they don't resort to fighting as fast as a guy?"

Kakashi sighed and then said. "Sometimes that is true, but there are times when women will resort to violence much quicker than men, but that is not what I'm talking about."

Konohamaru gave him a strained smile as he scratched the back of him head innocently. "I guess I probably skipped that day of class then…"

Kakashi sighed again as Naruto just shook him head in disappointment.

Hanabi wore a confused look as well as Kakashi pointed his open hand at them and said.

.

"Then let's have a little demonstration to show you one of the many reasons…Konohamaru, go smell Hanabi and tell me what she smells like right now."

Konohamaru gave him a perplexed look for a moment and then carefully walked over to Hanabi.

She seemed a bit nervous as he leaned his head over and smelled her hair.

He took another two sniffs to be sure as Hanabi blushed slightly and then turned back to Kakashi.

"Umm she smells faintly of a flowery shampoo I guess…" He said in thought.

Kakashi nodded and turned to Hanabi. "Hanabi what does Konohamaru smell like right now?"

.

Unlike Konohamaru that got right up to her to smell her she took a step back and covered her nose.

"Umm I don't mean to be rude Konohamaru, but you smell like…

well body odor, sweat and slightly of lavender, also I don't think you changed socks this morning because you reek of foot odor… You also smell like fear and worry."

She said in a reserved manner.

Konohamaru looked down in embarrassment and said. "Sorry, I kind of ran out of socks this morning and I worked up quite a sweat fighting…"

.

"Don't you see? There are differences in men and women Konohamaru. You got right up to her to smell her and only had a vague idea of what she smelled like.

She on the other hand was three feet away from you and not only smelled your scent, but also smelled the chemicals your body released under stress." He said wisely.

Konohamaru gave him a confused look.

Konohamaru turned and gave Hanabi an awkward look as Kakashi shook his head. "No Konohamaru, the Hyuuga Clan doesn't have a super sense of smell."

Konohamaru looked at him blankly and Kakashi's shoulder slumped.

.

He thought for a moment while rubbing his chin on how to explain it to him.

His look suddenly brightened as he pointed his finger up and smiled. "Well Konohamaru have you noticed that women always smell better that men?" He asked.

Konohamaru thought about it for a moment and then finally said. "You know I never noticed it before, but now that you mention it… yeah they do…Why is that Kakashi sensei?"

Kakashi smiled as he pointed to his nose. "That is simple…It is because they have a much stronger sense of smell than us."

He looked at Kakashi in mild surprise and said. "Really? Is that is true?"

.

"Of course it is, haven't you been listening? This is one of the many differences between men and women.

They have different things they are better at than men and also have a different way of looking at a problem.

The reason one female is put in almost every squad is to create diversity in the way each member of the squad thinks.

Let's take your squad for example." He said while pointing at him.

"You are a combat type. You are physically the strongest in your squad.

You have more Ninjutsu and Taijutsu than Moegi and Udon because you train a lot more than them.

.

When faced with a conflict you are quick to engage the opposition in head on battle instead of thinking out a strategy.

Moegi on the other hand isn't really a combat type. She has always been more of a support type of person.

She thinks of how best to help you and adjust her tactics to suit the situation depending on how you react.

Now Udon, on the other hand, is a thinking and strategy type of ninja.

He will think carefully about a situation weighing the risk and reward of an action before deciding what to do.

Truth be told just from the facts…Udon would probably make a better squad leader than you because he uses his head a lot more." Kakashi said knowingly.

.

Konohamaru looked at him in offense and said. "Hey I've always been the leader of our group! I've gotten us through loads of mission!"

Kakashi sighed deeply and said. "Even after all this time you still don't understand your squad…Very well then I'll explain it to you.

Let's take the mission you had in the Land of Waves four years ago where you were supposed to observe a group of people's activities and report back.

On your way there you all spotted a group of highway men harassing a merchant for passage money.

You told your squad that you all had to help him yet you were on a mission that required the utmost stealth and secrecy.

Udon told you in so many words that this was not your problem and Moegi agreed.

You felt that they were being cowardly and boldly jumped down into the clearing.

You announced your presence loudly and told them to leave the merchant alone.

.

Moegi didn't like it, but she did what she does best and jumped down to assist you.

Udon on the other hand could have come up with a good strategy for attack if you hadn't hastily jumped out, throwing his strongest skill out the window.

So he nervously goes down to help the both of you even though he is not a combat type of fighter.

You and Moegi mopped the floor with them while Udon barely helped."

.

"So what, we won and besides that was years ago." Konohamaru said slightly annoyed as he crossed his arms.

Kakashi eyed him carefully and said. "Did you ever stop to think how Udon felt when you did that time and again?"

He gave him a confused look.

"Did you ever think that maybe he felt ousted and worthless to the mission when you always choose that path that made you shine the most?"

Kakashi said and Konohamaru looked down in shame. "I-I get where you're coming from, but I've changed a lot since then…"

Kakashi eyed him sternly and said. "Have you really?..."

.

Konohamaru looked over at him questioningly and said.

"Yes I have. Even though I didn't always think things through we never got seriously hurt and completed most of our missions."

"I feel you are wrong here Konohamaru. You haven't changed…it was Moegi and Udon that changed.

You never took their advice to heart and always did things like a combat Ninjutsu user. They in turn decided to become more like you to complement your style.

Moegi learned healing Ninjutsu from Sakura to heal you back up after doing something brash.

Udon ultimately found a very competent master to teach him how to be a Ninjutsu user and still be a strategy type ninja.

He was so competent that he hasn't taken on any students in decades until Konohamaru. No one was ever good enough for him."

Konohamaru rolled his eyes and said. "Yeah I know…Red Dog or whatever his name is."

Kakashi shook his head at him in exasperation and said. "Red claw…His name is Red _Claw_.

You would do well to remember that…Tell me, do you even know what his master looks like?"

.

Konohamaru gave him an odd questioning look and said. "No, not really, but what would that matter?"

"Hmm. well then what do you think he might look like?" Kakashi asked carefully.

Konohamaru looked up in thought for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders.

"I'd guess he'd kind of look like you, a man nearing his forties and a capable ninja."

Kakashi said. "And if I told you that he was a ninety year old man that could hardly get from his house to a nearby dock to going fishing ever day without a cane?"

.

"Wait what?" Konohamaru said in shock. "What could an old man like that teach Udon? Why would he ever choose a master like that!"

Kakashi nodded his head slightly and said. "That's just how I thought you'd react. I've already told you Udon thinks carefully before making a decision.

Where you see a old feeble man, Udon sees a wealth of knowledge that you would have over looked."

Konohamaru was slightly outraged and said. "Oh come on! How could Udon pick a decrepit old man as his master!

There is more to being a master than just a wealth of knowledge!"

Naruto looked over at him honestly and said. "I'm afraid you are wrong Konohamaru. That is all there is to being a master…"

Konohamaru looked over at him in stunned blank manner.

.

Kakashi cleared his throat loudly and said. "Yes that is true. I doubt you will understand that until you have students of your own.

But to get back on topic, let me tell you a little about that 'decrepit old man', as you so called him. Hmm…were to start…

Ahh yes, how about the fact that he beat the fourth Hokage in both of their sparring matches…" Blank looks of shock came over Naruto, Hanabi and Konohamaru.

Kakashi smiled to himself. "Yes I thought that might get your attention…Not only that, he was appointed to the head of the Anbu Black Ops at the age of seventeen.

In fact it was under the order of the second Hokage that Red Claw made the Anbu. He is the orders patriarch…The first leader of the Anbu."

Their blank looks turned to utter shock.

.

Kakashi smiled knowingly and said. "That is not all. Udon is his second student…he had only one other student of sorts."

Konohamaru shook him head to clear away his daze and asked. "Who? If this guy was such a big wig then who else did he teach?

He must be a famous ninja if Red Claw is as powerfully as you said."

Kakashi nodded his head in agreement as he said. "Yes, he was a very famous ninja and you all have heard his name many times…"

Konohamaru impatiens got the best of him as he intently asked. "Then who was this student?"

Kakashi looked over at him seriously and said. "The only other person to become the leader of the Anbu Black Ops in his teens...Itachi Uchiha…"

.

Konohamaru looked at him soullessly and said. "Itachi? I thought his master was his father…"

"No, his father was at best his sensei not his true master. He trained under Red Claw mostly unnoticed to even him until he was thirteen while he was in the Anbu.

Red Claw then told him that he had all the leadership and cunning needed to be a great leader.

He promoted him to the head of the Anbu Black Ops and announced his retirement.

The council gave him a bit of trouble, but with a record like his they couldn't refute his words.

They agreed to promote a boy barely into his teens to the highest rank of the Anbu."

.

Konohamaru blink at him blankly for a long moment and then said. "Wow I never knew he was training under a guy like that…"

Kakashi nodded to himself and then returned his gaze to him as he said.

"I know. You never thought to ask Udon about his master.

Even if you did Udon probably wouldn't have told you much because he knew you'd react the same way you did when I told you…

I told you that you haven't changed; it was Moegi and Udon that changed.

They didn't have a choice as you never used them for the strengths they already had.

You used them for the strengths you had.

Sure you'd use the things they were good at if you weren't in combat…Like when Udon figured out most of the first part of the second task of the Chunin exams.

What happened after you came to the field to protect that scroll from me and three other Anbu?"

Konohamaru lowered his head.

.

"Instead of letting Udon formulate a plan that used all three of your individual strengths to your advantage, you literally picked them up and dragged them away as fast as you could.

You were yelling and screaming the whole way. Even when you did throw us off with the Shadow Clone Jutsu we easily found you again.

How many smoke bombs and paper bombs were you carrying? Yet you didn't even try to use them as a distraction once.

You didn't even return to the right training ground where you got the scroll.

Instead you ran fourteen kilometers back to where you got the first scroll when all you had to do was head back eight-hundred meters to the training ground where you got the second scroll.

Even on this mission, even after you received Sage training from the Monkey Clan, you disregarded your teammate's opinions.

.

Elder Raichi told me he had taught you to use your head and yet when things became dire you reverted back to your old ways.

You just headed blindly after your target without regard for Shino and Hanabi. You didn't even try to work with them and took several jutsus head on.

This is not very smart nor is it the way of the ninja." He told him sternly as Konohamaru continued to look down in shame.

"It was only when you saw Hanabi struggling that you decided to use teamwork. You should have used it from the start…

The actual plan was to have Naruto's Shino clone help you, but you disregarded him. So your ally became your foe instead.

You lost your cool when Hanabi kept hers. She had a lot more to lose than you…It was her sister that had been kidnapped after all."

He turned to Hanabi and asked. "Why didn't you try harder to get Konohamaru to work with you?"

.

She looked over at him and said. "Because I have fought with him and from that fight I have come to understand him.

I too was worried for my sister, but he was far more worried. You think we do not use teamwork yet you failed to understand how much faith we have in one another.

Part of teamwork is knowing how a person will react to any given situation and having faith in them.

You didn't give us much time at the start to working together as you separated us quickly.

The first time he could come to me so we could work together he did.

He took on the more dangerous task of being bait while giving me time to enter Sage Mode.

I feel we worked quite well together." She said as her Sage marks receded into thin dark lines around her eyes.

She swooned slightly and took a step back to catch herself.

.

Konohamaru picked his head up and asked Kakashi in a lost manner. "Hey…why did you pass us at the Chunin exams if you felt we failed?"

Kakashi looked over at him solemnly and then turned and looked up to the clouds.

"Well…about that. You may not have returned to the right place, but you did return to were you had gotten one of the scrolls with four highly trained Anbu on you the whole time.

You carried both your teammates and their gear for miles and miles with us hot on your heels. You protected them the entire way.

That is a vital skill to have as a leader…To always bring your squad back in one piece.

While we were discussing the outcome of your results you angrily asked for the next scroll even though Moegi and Udon could hardly stand.

You were determined that the second task couldn't be over yet. It had to be harder and have more parts.

You expected more tasks because you felt that becoming a Chunin couldn't be that easy.

You were willing to carry your squad all day if you had to too succeed. Still, I felt you failed and was going to flunk you."

Konohamaru looked at him sadly with a lost expression and asked. "So what was it that made you decide to pass us…?"

.

Kakashi turned his gaze on to him and said. "It was because of Naruto that I passed you…"

He gave him a curious look and said. "Because of Naruto?"

"Yes, while I was deciding I looked at Naruto. I felt you had fail, yet when I looked at him I saw how proud he was of you in his eyes.

You were becoming the ninja he trained you to be. I remembered how my master, The Fourth Hokage, talked about Jiraiya.

He told me about how he always talked about guts and never giving up." He sighed as he shook his head at the ground and honestly said.

.

"Sensei Minato always said he wanted to be just like Jiraiya, but he told me he could never be that brave.

That he could never have the kind of unwavering faith in himself like his master did.

He always spoke of him in reverence like a person he wanted to become like and yet he knew no matter how hard he tried he'd never surpass his master.

He told me that he always wanted more time to plan out an attack, but real combat never gave him all the time he wanted.

.

Sensei Minato grew in a different way than master Jiraiya. He found a much different path than his master and forged ahead largely on his own.

He thought a lot more about a task and didn't always approach a problem head on.

He had the strength to take most tasks head on but choose not to. This is one of the many reasons he was chosen as the Fourth Hokage.

Master Jiraiya ultimately made Naruto his Disciple and he even said that he understood his teachings more than Sensei Minato did.

I see many of Jiraiya teachings in you…and some of his faults as well." He gave Konohamaru and knowing look before speaking again.

"He passed his teaching down to Naruto and Naruto in turn passed them down to you.

I passed you because Naruto felt you passed and who am I to fail you when your master felt that you didn't fail.

I learned to have faith in Naruto over the years. After all, Naruto turned out to be a great ninja.

I'm sure he has a plan for you as well, but you really do need to break yourself of one of his worst habits."

.

Konohamaru gave him a questioning look and Kakashi said.

"Don't try to do everything by yourself and rush head on into a fight.

That's why you're on a team after all. Remember to use all of your teammates strengths not just your own."

Konohamaru gave him an understanding look and nodded.

"Yeah…I guess I do need to work on my teamwork a bit more. Maybe I'll let Udon lead the next mission and see how it turns out."

"I think that's a very good idea Konohamaru." Kakashi said. "But first you two need to go back to the training ground so we can do this lesson again."

Konohamaru face faulted as Hanabi looked changed to on that could only mean 'you got to be kidding me'.

Konohamaru scrambled to his feet and said. "Aww come on! No way! I'm already beat as it is!"

Naruto gave Kakashi a reserved look as he went over to the exhausted Hanabi and put her arm around his shoulders for support.

.

"Come on Kakashi sensei, you know they can't do this exercise again. Konohamaru is too tired and Hanabi is out of chakra.

What possible reason could you have for suggesting that?"Naruto asked casually.

Two rivers of tears streamed down his pouting face as he pointed to the camera in his hand.

"But-But I didn't get a picture of Hanabi kissing your Hinata clone. I already missed getting the one when you kissed Tsunade too…" He said in utter disappointment.

Hanabi blushed deeply as Naruto sweat dropped and fell over.

.

* * *

.

A short while later they were all walking back to the training ground.

Hanabi was so tired that Naruto had to lend her his shoulder for support while Kakashi and Konohamaru walked beside him.

When they were almost back to the training ground Naruto broke the silence.

"Hey Kakashi." Kakashi looked over at him curiously. "You said that Red Claw beat the Fourth Hokage in both their sparring matches.

What reason did they have for sparring in the first place? Wasn't Red Claw already pretty old by then?"

.

Kakashi turn back to looking ahead of him as they walked and said. "Well it's kind of an odd story truth be told. Where to begin hmm?" He scratched his chin in thought.

"Well I guess the first time was because Jiraiya was bragging about him and Red Claw over heard him and decided to test his student.

Red Claw was dressed as a fisherman and Minato never did know he was sparring with one of the most elite ninja's in the village.

Minato was only fourteen at the time and was already used to being called prodigy and genius.

.

It wasn't much of a sparring match. Minato lost to the leader of the Anbu within a few seconds as you might have guessed.

I think Red Claw did it just to shut Jiraiya up. He was known to gloat about his favorite student a lot back then or so they say.

The other time wasn't much of a sparring match either.

I know you all have this larger than life way of looking at the Fourth Hokage, but he was still human.

Not everything he did was so prefect and grand with lofty ideals behind his actions. He made mistakes as well.

.

He was down about a mission he had led that went wrong. No one died mind you, but he felt that he failed in some way.

He was about twenty years old and went out with Jiraiya for a few drinks.

Jiraiya got hammered and passed out. Minato only had a few drinks and was very drunk.

He didn't have much of a tolerance for drinking.

He was so drunk that he thought he was back on the battle field and launched his kunais out in the middle of the main street.

He began time/space jump all over the place attacking random things like they were enemies.

.

The villagers saw the hero of the village at his lowest and quickly ran from his drunken fighting of his hallucinations.

With Jiraiya passed out and unable to calm him the Anbu were sent in to handle the situation. Red Claw himself came with two other Anbu guards.

He watched Minato carefully blinking all over the place attacking and wreaking destruction all over the place.

He then took a few steps forward and dodged a swiping attack from Minato.

He reared his fist back just as Minato appeared in front of him and landed a heavy blow to his stomach." He said smartly.

.

Konohamaru was intently staring at him and said. "And?"

Kakashi smiled as he held his pointer finger up smartly. "And he threw up all over himself. He passed out and spent the night in jail.

Minato told me that the Third Hokage yelled at him and Jiraiya for hours the next morning."

.

Naruto laughed slightly.

"I just can't picture the Fourth Hokage staggering around drunk doing something like that. Is that really true?" He asked slightly skeptical.

Kakashi nodded his head and said. "Yes, it's all true. Minato told me the story himself."

They stopped at the center of the training ground and Naruto put Hanabi on the ground and started healing her.

An Anbu guard appeared in front of Kakashi and made a few hand signs and then vanished.

Kakashi's expressions turned to a curious one as Naruto asked. "What is it?"

The Guard whispered something to him.

"It seems I have some things I have to take care of. I will leave you all here." He said and then held up a hand sign and vanished into smoke.

Konohamaru looked over a Naruto healing Hanabi and said. "What's next for training?"

Naruto smiled slightly and said. "I was thinking we would take it easy until after lunch."

.

.

It was a clear cold night with a full moon hanging low in the starry sky as Kakashi was waved into the Hokage's office.

Tsunade's look was serious and slightly dire.

Kakashi eyed her carefully and asked.

.

"What is it that you needed? You know this is the time when I do my own paper work that is heavily mounting up since this morning."

She looked down and took a deep breath. She slowly opened the top drawer and pulled out two bound scrolls.

One was black and the other was royal red with a violet lightning bolt seal on it.

Kakashi's eyes widen slightly awhile looking at them.

.

"An S ranked mission scroll from the Land of Lightning? What could be so important that they would send us an S ranked mission scroll?"

She stood up and held the scrolls out as Kakashi walked up to her and took them from her. He started reading the black scroll intently.

It was intel on four highly trained and highly awarded Anbu Ninjas. Their teamwork and effectiveness in working together was second to none.

Each of them had over twenty years experience fighting and doing missions with their comrades.

Their success rate for missions was so high that Kakashi didn't think that even the Anbu of the leaf had a squad up to their stats.

Kakashi looked over at her as he tucked the black scroll away.

.

"Hmmm I wish I had such a capable Anbu squad in my ranks, but why would the Land of Lightning ever let anyone outside their land see this roster.

It even has their jutsu and how they use them together in it. There is no way they would willingly let us see these without good reason."

He commented carefully as Tsunade sat down a solemnly.

He opened the red scroll with the Raikage's broken seal on it and read.

.

_"Dear Hokage._

_I am writing you to ask for you assistance with a situation that has become dire to my nations stability._

_My high council has voiced its opinion strongly to avoid any outside help on this matter, but the risk has become far too great for me to heed their words any longer._

_You may be wondering why I sent you documents that are so secret that they should be locked away in our archives and never have seen the light of day for fifty years._

_It's because you will need them if you accept this mission._

_._

_Two months ago Roland, the head of our Anbu Black Ops, stepped down and nominated another to succeed him. _

_Me and my High council were wary of who he nominated as he lacked experience. _

_Roland assured us he was up to the task and even offered to stay in the Anbu in his old squad under this new mans command._

_We reluctantly agreed to it and at first everything was fine. The Anbu success rate in missions even rose under our new Anbu leader._

_Roland's squad sent out constantly on missions and never failed to complete their mission. _

_We thought everything was going well, but what Roland was actually doing was whipping his old squad back into shape for another reason._

_Three days ago our main archive was broken into and all the guards on duty were killed. The intruders stole village secrets vital to our village._

_The manner and efficient way that they went through the Archive suggested that at least one of them had been there before._

_The way the guards were killed is consistent with our own Anbu techniques._

_._

_Roland's squad had just been sent out on a mission when we found out about this. _

_Since the evidence clearly pointed to one of our own doing this, I sent an Anbu squad to recall them._

_After a day they didn't return and I sent out the four best squads I had to go after them. Only one member made it back and he was heavily injured._

_He told us that they had found the first squad we sent out murdered and their bodies hastily hidden. _

_They continued to follow Roland's squad until they were ambushed by them._

_He told us everything happened so fast that he was the only one that managed to escape and reveal Roland's treachery._

_His squad is heading west and we believe he is heading to the Land of Earth to sell our secrets. _

_We already have strained relations with the Land of Earth and if they get their hands on the scrolls Roland took we will likely end up going to war with them._

_I humbly ask…Nay I beg you. Please send the Great Sage Naruto Uzumaki on this mission! _

_He already ended The Fourth Great Ninja War. Surely he can stop this one as well! _

_._

_The mission is simple as the four man squad as already proven to be above capture. They are to be killed on sight and the scrolls returned to me personally._

_Roland has likely crossed our western border by the time you get this so you must make haste._

_I know I am asking a lot from the Leaf and I know the help of the Hero of The five Nation will not come cheaply._

_I am prepared to offer you ten million yen now and another four million by the winter solstice next year. _

_I would offer more, but it's all our yearly budget can allow and even more so. _

_Please help us avoid destabilizing the Five Ninja Nations and advert a war._

_Darui Talica, Fifth Raikage of the Land of Lightning."_

.

Kakashi calmly looked up from the scroll and skeptically asked.

"Do you really think that are serious offering this amount of money for this mission? I mean this could be a fake mission scroll."

Tsunade looked down and sighed. "Fake mission scrolls aren't delivered with the Raikage's personal Anbu guards and they don't come with this."

She said as she turned her chair sideways and used her leg to move a heavy chest out into view with the sounds of metal on wood as it slid.

She flipped the iron lock open and lifted the lid. It the large chest was full of shiny gold.

"You really think they intend to pay that much for our help?" He asked.

Tsunade gave him an annoyed look and said. "Well I haven't had anyone count it yet, but it looked pretty close to ten million yen to me!"

.

Tsunade looked down and signed in indecision. "The village could really use the money, but this could hurt the Land of Lightning offering so much to us.

His guards told me that it didn't have to be Naruto to complete the mission to get the payment so long as it's done, but they felt he was the best suited for it."

She said as she looked down and slumped her shoulders.

Kakashi pulled out the black scroll and went over the information again and again.

"Hmm. I couldn't hope to send a squad on this mission that I could even give a fifty percent chance of success with the data they have given.

It is not that they are all super powerful ninja's…It is how they work together that makes them so deadly.

They have gone beyond even needing to use a secret hand sign language to communicate.

If it wasn't such sensitive information pertaining to an S ranked mission I'd have these document posted at the academy to show everyone just how important teamwork is.

They are a shining example of that if nothing else." He said as he eyed the documents.

.

Tsunade picked her head up and asked him with a tired tone. "Can you make a team for this mission without Naruto?"

Kakashi thought about it and said. "Not with even close to a team with a better than half chance of successes rate.

If I had all of my best ninja here the ideal group to send would be either Naruto by himself or Naruto, Might Gai, myself and you or Sakura as a medical ninja.

Since they are so far away the squad would need great stamina just to reach them in time.

Hence the reason I suggested this type of group, but Gai and Lee are already out on the mission I was gave this morning.

.

It is a mission to stop a large group bandits that have set up base at our southern border. I sent Anbu Squads nine and twelve as well. So Sai isn't around either.

The Anbu are spread too thin at the moment to take on this mission.

If the Land of Lightning really is willing to pay this much for the mission then there must really be a serious chance for war because of it.

War between the Land of Earth and The Land of Lightning will destabilize all five of the Ninja Nation.

After they have battled it out and both sides are severely weakened they both will become very tempting targets for the other three nations.

Too tempting in fact, even we would have to weigh the risk of the other two nations attacking them and unbalancing the power that has already kept us at peace for so long.

Even if this mission paid nothing we would still have to take it on for the sake of the five nations." He said with an understanding look.

.

Tsunade grabbed her elbows and looked away. "Of the ninja we have available who would you send?" She said already know the answerer.

Kakashi looked at her for a long moment and then said.

"I'd have to recommend Naruto of course. He is the only one that has fought a group with this caliber of teamwork and not only survived but won…"

Tsunade nodded to the floor sadly and said quietly.

"I know…when he fought his uncle …Nagato Uzumaki…And he didn't even know he was the only other living member for his Clan…"

She sighed deeply and then picked her head up to look at him. "What other ninja's would you recommend for the squad Kakashi?"

.

Kakashi looked at her and seriously said. "Sakura of course. They have worked together for most of their ninja careers.

You know Hanabi will not be separated from Naruto for any great length of time because of the Jutsu he performed on her… among other things.

So we have Sakura, Hanabi and Naruto. With Sai already out on a mission I think you already know who best would fit in with Squad Seven…" He said suggestively.

Tsunade sighed and said. "I know who you are talking about, but I'm already uncomfortable with Hanabi going.

Yes both of them attained the rank of Sage, but they are both largely untested.

You know Naruto has never once completed an assassination mission the way it was supposed to be done as well.

He never was the type of person that could kill a target without trying to resolve it peacefully first."

.

Kakashi nodded his head in agreement and said.

"Yes that is true, but he has never failed turn and enemy into an ally in the end if he could. It is greatest power…to make anyone believe in him.

How can we not believe in him now?"

Tsunade shook her head and said. "I really don't like this…it's exactly the kind of mission he wanted to send his students on…"

.

Flash back.

* * *

.

Naruto and Tsunade were drinking on top of the Hokage monument on a clear cool night.

She calmed herself and got serious for a moment. "…Is that really all you thinking about?"

He looked over at her with a honest look and said. "I think about my greatest fear a lot of the times when I come up here."

She sighed and wrapped her arms around her knees as she laid head on them. "So you're thinking about Kyuubi?"

He gave her a weird look shook his head. "No, Kyuubi isn't my greatest fear."

He said with his mind as far away as his gaze on the stars of the night.

She shot him a puzzled look and asked. "Then what is?"

He nodded his head a few times. "It's that first day after I become Hokage…When I sit down at that desk to serve the village.

It's when I pick up that first really hard mission and I have to hand it to one of my friends knowing they might not come back from it..."

She looked over at him honestly and said. "As much as I complain about the paper work, I have to admit that's my greatest fear too."

.

* * *

End of flash back.

.

She opened her eyes from her memories and said. "I will sleep on it tonight before I make my decision."

Kakashi nodded at her and disappeared into smoke.

"I can't believe I'm really thinking about sending Naruto out on a mission in his current condition…" She said to herself softly as she looked down and shook her head.

.


	29. Chapter 29: A Life for a Life

**Chapter 29: A Life for a Life**

* * *

Author's notes

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Questions/reviews

* * *

.

Last Chapter.

* * *

.

Flash back.

* * *

.

Naruto and Tsunade were drinking on top of the Hokage monument on a clear cool night.

She calmed herself and got serious for a moment. "…Is that really all you thinking about?"

He looked over at her with a honest look and said. "I think about my greatest fear a lot of the times when I come up here."

She sighed and wrapped her arms around her knees as she laid head on them. "So you're thinking about Kyuubi?"

He gave her a weird look shook his head. "No, Kyuubi isn't my greatest fear."

He said with his mind as far away as he gazed out at stars of the night.

She shot him a puzzled look and asked. "Then what is?"

He nodded his head a few times. "It's that first day after I become Hokage…When I sit down at that desk to serve the village.

It's when I pick up that first really hard mission and I have to hand it to one of my friends knowing they might not come back from it..."

She looked over at him honestly and said. "As much as I complain about the paper work, I have to admit that's my greatest fear too."

.

* * *

End of flash back.

.

She opened her eyes from her memories and said. "I will sleep on it tonight before I make my decision."

Kakashi nodded at her and disappeared into smoke.

"I can't believe I'm really thinking about sending Naruto out on a mission in his current condition…"

She said to herself softly as she looked down and shook her head.

.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Life for A Life.

* * *

.

Naruto awoke groggily in his small narrow bed and looked down over its edge to see his Disciples sides moving in steady breathing pattern under a thick brown blanket.

He collapsed back on to his pillow and thought. _"She really needs to stop doing this…Shizan gets upset when she catches her doing things like this…"_

He sighed as he covered his eyes with his arm and thought. _"I guess I'm majorly to blame for it after all."_

He thought as he sat back up and absentmindedly ran his fingers through her hair when the door of his bedroom creaked open.

She trembled in her sleep at his touch as Sakura stood at his open doorway.

.

Sakura crossed her arms and signed in slight exasperation. "Breakfast is almost ready you two…"

He smiled slightly and then rolled he eyes as Hanabi stirred in her sleep.

Hanabi stood up on her knees and stretched her arms over her head in a sleepy stupor. Her body popped and cracked as she yawned while stretching.

She trudged out the doorway and into the bathroom across the hall.

.

"Naruto, why don't you just lock your door to keep her out? It would save us a lot of drama every morning when Shizan gets up." She said knowingly.

Naruto stood up from his bed and shook his head. "I already tried that. She always finds a way in. I just gave up on it."

He went to his open sliding bamboo closet. He grabbed a Sage uniform out of it and took his shirt off.

"What's for breakfast?" He asked casually as he put on his uniform.

"Shizan is making something new.

I don't know what it is, but it doesn't really matter you're just going to scarf it down and head off for training anyway." Sakura said knowingly.

.

Shizan suddenly came around the corner and gave Sakura a blank look of shock.

"Sakura!" She scowled her. "What are you doing watching the Sage get dressed?

Have you no decency as a lady! First Hanabi and now you, what's with you girls?…"

Naruto slumped his shoulders and looked down in exasperation. He muttered under his breath. "Kami, its dejavoo all over again…"

.

Sakura cringed slightly at her and then her look changed to a flat look of annoyance.

"I'm not a teenager that needs to be scolded for seeing a man in his underwear.

Nor am I the Hyuuga Clan's Heiress under your care." She said sharply.

Naruto looked over at Shizan with a tired look and said. "It's not like I have anything she hasn't already seen…"

"You-" She started to say and then blushed slightly at her own thought.

He sighed as he walked over to her and whispered. "Please… for today, just drop it."

He walked by her and went into the kitchen. Sakura turned and followed him.

.

They took their seats at the dining room table and Hanabi came in a few minutes later.

Shizan scowled at the bed mark on the side of her head matching the frame of Naruto's bed, but held her tongue.

She took her seat and started eating the weird egg dish in front of her.

"How did Hanabi's medical training go yesterday?" Naruto asked in between bites of food.

Sakura finished what was already in her mouth before saying.

"It's going well, but I'm still having to break her of some of your bad habits.

She keeps trying to rush everything…just like you." She shot him and knowing look.

.

"What were you working with her on?" He asked.

"I'm mainly going over her over all knowledge of the human body.

She seemed to know how to heal fairly well, but her understanding of exactly what she is healing is lacking.

I've been working on her herbal mixing as well. I'd like to start teaching her a few minor surgical procedures soon."

Naruto nodded his head as he quickly ate and then said. "That's good."

Hanabi took note of Naruto's quick paced eating a hastened her own.

.

Sakura eyes went from Naruto to Hanabi and then she rolled her eyes.

"I take it you two are going to get an early start on training again today."

Naruto nodded his head as Hanabi tried to cover her amused smile with the hand holding her chopsticks.

Sakura shook her head and said.

"So much for sitting down to a quiet relaxing breakfast…I guess I'll get an early start as the hospital as well."

.

"Master will you be teaching me how to link my time/space jumps with my new kunai today?" She said with a glowing smile of hopefulness.

Naruto looked up in thought and then turned to her and smiled.

"You certainly are my student…I was going to save that for later, but if you'd like we can start that training today." He said as Hanabi smile got even bigger.

"You need to know that this training is very chakra intensive.

We will only get at most thirty minutes of training done before we will have to switch to lighter training for the rest of the day." He told her.

She bounced up and down in her seat excitedly. "I can't wait!"

.

"Don't explode over there Hanabi." Sakura said and then turned to Naruto.

"Do I even want to know what she is talking about?" She asked already dreading the answer.

Hanabi smiled at her and said. "It's when Naruto jumps through time/space a bunch of times to take out multiple targets.

It's like blink and there's a kunai in all of his targets."

Sakura looked down and shook her head in exasperation.

.

"She already knows the Yellow Flash Jutsu…and you're going to teach her how to make it even more deadly…Kami that's so like you!" She scowled him.

Naruto laughed as he finished his food.

Sakura eyed him and said. "Just make sure she has some chakra left for when I train her later today."

He picked up his plate and gave Sakura a smile. "I'll try to…" He teased her and then went into the kitchen.

Sakura scowled at his back for a moment as he left and then went back to eating her food.

Hanabi picked up her own plate and said. "We are off to train. I'll see you this afternoon Sakura."

"Don't overdo it out there." She warned her.

Hanabi gave her a honest smile and said. "Don't worry I won't. Goodbye Shizan, I'll see you at dinner."

Shizan bowed slightly and said. "Until then Lady Hanabi."

.

Naruto and Hanabi came out the front door into a clear cool morning.

The snow was starting to melt off the ground as only spots here and there were still covered.

Naruto shielded his face from the morning sun with his hand as he looked over to the gate of his estate.

"Looks like it will be a much nicer day to train than the last two." He said.

.

"That's good. I always hated the colder months of the year." She replied as they walked up the cobblestone path.

"Are you going to be attacking us on another one of your fake missions any time soon?"

Naruto looked over at her and said. "Not today, but there might be more of those."

Hanabi's cheerful mood sank into slight annoyance. "Master do you really feel that kind of mission is necessary?"

He placed his hand on the gate and said. "Yes I do. It's the best training I can give you for the time being."

Hanabi rolled her eyes and looked away as Naruto pushed the door open.

.

An Anbu guard was already kneeling in front of the door and said. "Sage Naruto, The Hokage has summoned Squad Seven."

Naruto gave him a curious look and then said in a reserved manner. "Ok…We will be right over."

The Anbu Vanished into smoke as Hanabi looked over at Naruto with a confused look.

"What would the Hokage need with us? I thought you said she wasn't going to send us out on any missions for awhile." She asked him.

Naruto scratched the back of his head in thought and said.

"That's what she told me, but then what other reason could she have for summoning us all? Whatever she wants, we better get over there."

Hanabi looked over at him and said. "Let's hurry then, I want to get back to training as soon as possible."

Naruto summoned one clone and sent it back into his house then leaped into the direction of the Hokage tower with Hanabi beside him.

"I think training might be over for today…" He said seriously as Hanabi gave him a disappointed look.

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Hanabi landed lightly at the door to the Hokage's office.

Konohamaru was leaning his back on the far railing with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Konohamaru what are you doing here?" Naruto asked him.

.

Konohamaru looked over at him and said.

"That's what I wanta know. I was heading to the training grounds when I got a summons. I've been waiting here for fifteen minutes."

Sakura landed behind them. "It is really true that Squad Seven has been summoned?" She asked them intently.

Naruto turned to her and said. "Yeah, it's true."

.

Konohamaru said. "Then why am I here?"

Sakura looked over at him for a moment and then her eyes went slightly wide in realization.

"Because Sai is already out on a mission…" She said.

Konohamaru scratched his chin in thought and said. "What kind of mission would require four Sages?...I've got a bad feeling about this one.

She certainly wouldn't have summoned us all here for nothing."

Naruto stared intently at the door to her office as Sakura stared worriedly at him.

.

The Anbu guard in front of the door knocked on it twice and said. "Hokage-Sama, they have gathered."

"Send them in." She said through the door and the Anbu opened the door for them.

Naruto carefully led them inside and stood in front of Tsunade's desk.

She looked tired like she hadn't slept well and she wore a serious and worried look on her face.

Kakashi was standing to the right of her with the same serious look.

.

"What's all this about Tsunade-Chan? Why have you gathered all the Sages?" He asked.

She looked at her desk refusing to meet his gaze.

She swallowed hard and then finally looked him in the eyes.

.

"I'm at my wits end here Naruto. I thought about it all night hoping to avoid this, but in the end there was no one else I could send…"

She shook her head in disbelief at what she had to say as she took out the two scrolls, one black and one red, and set them on the front of her desk.

Naruto's eyes went wide at the sight of the red scroll.

"What? An S ranked mission? But…we aren't even at war. What kind of mission could get an S rank?"

Tsunade signed and said. "These arrived here last night from the Raikage. His most elite squad of Anbu was defected.

They raided their archives and stole vital secrets of their village. They are believed to be heading west toward the Land of Earth to sell them…"

"What? Do they know what that will do to the balance of power? Are they stupid or something?" Naruto yelled at her.

.

"You were always a little on the dim side Naruto, but you never seemed to fail to understand the balance of power of the five nations.

They could start a war, whether that is their plan or they are merely just selling them for profit we do not know.

One thing is for certain, we can't let them get to the Land of Earth with those scrolls." Kakashi said seriously.

Tsunade presented her hand out to the scrolls on her messy desk and said. "Read them Naruto."

.

Naruto wore a foreboding look as he went over and picked up the red scroll.

As he read Tsunade turned to Konohamaru. "You might be wondering why you are here…"

"You're putting me on Squad Seven for this mission I gather." He interrupted her.

She smiled at him meekly and said. "It's a comfort to know the Monkey Clan worked with you on more than just your jutsu."

Naruto was quickly reading the scroll as his eyes moved faster and faster.

Suddenly his eyes un-henged and moved down the scroll at blinding speed.

.

He turned his intense eyes on Tsunade and she jump back with a start.

_"The Sharingan!…I've never even seen a true member of the Uchiha clan wield them with such a intense gaze…"_

She thought in sudden unnerving fear like he was seeing her very being.

Naruto clinched his fist around the scroll and stood there looking down in thought for a moment.

He turned and looked at Konohamaru and then to Hanabi.

Konohamaru eyes went wide and Hanabi wore a slightly surprised look.

Sakura instantly looked away when she saw the Sharingan out of habit.

Naruto clinched his teeth and looked down sadly. "I can't ta-"

He started to say but Tsunade suddenly yelled at him in a commanding voice.

"Naruto! Henge your eyes!" She scowled him.

.

Naruto winced and covered his eyes with his hand as he henge them back to blue.

_"Shit…I didn't even mean to activate the Sharingan."_ He thought in a lost manner.

Konohamaru back away to the far wall and soullessly said.

"What the hell…How the hell do you have the Sharingan? And it's in _Both_ your eyes!"

.

Naruto lowered his hand and looked over at him. "That not important right now…" He said and then turned back to Tsunade.

Konohamaru looked at him in offense.

"Like hell that's not important! How long have you been keeping this from me?

I'm your apprentice you're supposed to tell me everything!"

Naruto looked down and shook his head.

Tsunade yelled at Konohamaru in a firm voice.

"Konohamaru! Enough, stay silent and you are never to speak about what you just saw!"

Konohamaru jumped and then looked down sadly and said. "But.."

"No but's, just keep quiet!" Tsunade said in a final voice as Konohamaru looked at the floor clearly hurt.

.

Naruto looked at Tsunade with his normal sapphire blue eyes and said.

"This is an Anbu level mission. I can't take Hanabi and Konohamaru on this. I wouldn't even want Sakura there…"

Sakura was still looking the other direction and asked. "Is it safe to turn around yet?"

Tsunade sighed and gave Sakura a tired look. "Yes it's safe."

Sakura turned to Naruto and carefully asked. "What kind of mission could it be that you don't even want my help?"

He turned to her with resolve and said. "This isn't a mission to capture those guys and get the scrolls back.

We are to kill them on sight, no negotiations. It's an assassination contract."

.

Hanabi blinked blankly as she thought. _"An assassination contract…Those are only given to the highest level Anbu…"_

She blinked at him and then gave him an understanding look before turning to Tsunade.

"I believe Naruto is right about not taking Konohamaru and Hanabi. They haven't had blood on their hands yet.

This mission is way too high level for them to crack at the sight of taking a life.

There is too much at stake, but weather he likes it or not _I WILL_ be going." She said the last part while eyeing Naruto firmly.

.

"Hmm I wouldn't be so quick to out Hanabi and Konohamaru, Sakura." Kakashi said and then turned to Naruto.

"You can't protect her from this Naruto. It is part of what we do as ninja's. We are trained to kill for a reason.

It is only as a last resort that we kill, but we will if we have to, to protect the ones we care for.

Roland's Squad has already proven above capture, much like the Akatsuki during the war.

We _ARE_ the last resort and that is why it's a 'kill on sight' mission.

Konohamaru and Hanabi have both attained the rank of Sage and all the responsibilities that come with it.

Hanabi is the one you seem to want to leave behind the most, yet if you think about it she is the one you should take with you even over Sakura." Kakashi told him calmly.

.

Naruto looked at him questioningly and said. "She hasn't been tested…"

"Oh but she has. She has been tested by you. Your sparring matches are at such a high level that even I wouldn't dare step into them.

She also possesses a jutsu for assassinations that is even beyond my Chidori…The Yellow Flash." He said.

Naruto looked at the floor in indecision.

.

Kakashi raised his eyebrow at him and said. "Still not convinced? Let's have another little demonstration then."

He turned to Hanabi and said. "Come at me with the intent to kill."

Hanabi blinked a few times at him and then drew The Flying Thunder God as Kakashi went through hand signs.

.

Lightning cracked to life in his hand as Tsunade yelled at him. "No jutsu in my office-!"

Hanabi disappeared and then reappeared in the far corner of the room with her sword aimed at bookshelf near the window.

Kakashi puffed into smoke and Hanabi held firmly with her blade pointed at bookshelf.

The books started sweating after a moment and then Hanabi drew back slightly.

The bookshelf poofed into smoke as Hanabi smiled.

.

"There never was a bookshelf here in the Hokage's office and it's your favorite place to stand. You were sloppy.

I didn't even need my Sage chakra to find you."

The smoke cleared and Hanabi had her sword at Kakashi's throat.

_"She was supposed to take down the clone…not come after the real me. _

_She certainly has a sharper mind then Naruto did at her age. _

_Her eyes…there is no doubt in them. That is real killing intent coming out of her."_ Kakashi thought nervously.

He turned to look at Naruto and said. "Are you still worried about her?"

.

Hanabi pulled The Flying Thunder God sword back and resheathed it behind her.

She calmly walked back over to Naruto and looked him in the eyes with resolve.

"I'm not leaving your side. I didn't train fourteen hours a day to be left on the sidelines."

Tsunade's worried face relaxed a bit at Hanabi's confidence.

.

Konohamaru walked quickly over to the door and opened it.

"And where are you going Konohamaru?" Tsunade warned him.

He tossed her a glance and then a slight scowl to Naruto.

"I'm going to get packed…" He said as he left though the door and nearly slammed it behind him.

.

Naruto watched him leave and then shook his head at the floor.

"This isn't the kind of mission I wanted Tsunade…" He said in a lost manner.

"That doesn't matter Naruto. This is what it means to be the Leader of a Squad.

Every mission you get isn't going to be tailor made to suit your training.

That and since Squad Seven already has three Sages you will naturally be given the most important mission.

I even added another under your command just in case.

If your Squad can't complete this mission then no other squad in the village could complete it.

Please try to look at things from my perspective.

I didn't even want you to leave the village and yet here I am sending you out on an S ranked mission. I didn't have any other choice."

She told him empathetically.

.

He sighed deeply and then scratched the back of his head. His worried face changed and he said.

"I'm sorry about complaining.

Here I've been given the first S ranked mission since the war ended and all I did was complain about it not being ideal.

Sorry mother." He said as the light returned to his eyes and all doubt left him.

Naruto turned to Sakura and Hanabi and said with conviction.

"Come on you two.'Team Sage' is moving out.

Get your stuff packed and meet me at the main gate in thirty minutes!" He raised his fist over his head.

Sakura smiled back at him and said. "That's the old Naruto I know!"

They quickly left and once they were out the door Tsunade stood up and watched them leap away from the bay window in her office.

.

Kakashi walked up to her and asked. "Are you worried about them?" She sighed deeply and said.

"I never dreamed there would come a day that I'd be sending four Sages off on a mission and that id be worried that some of them might not make it back."

"You think Naruto will have trouble with this mission?" Kakashi asked her quietly as he stared out the window next to her.

She shook her head and said. "No, not really. I never doubted that he would succeed, but I'm worried about the others.

They don't have the Nine Tails protecting them.

If the seal wasn't in such bad shape I would have sent him alone to do it, but there was no way Hanabi wouldn't find out and go after him.

That connection of theirs is too strong. When she found out she would tell Sakura and they would leave together to help him.

They are both members of Squad Seven after all.

Konohamaru would probably get left behind as he always is the last one to figure it out and make a stink of it when they returned."

.

"Hmm that sounds like a likely scenario, but you still could have sent him alone." Kakashi said.

Tsunade shook her head and said.

"No I couldn't. Naruto is still a Jinchuuriki of the Leaf. If he goes on a rampage we will be held accountable."

Kakashi eyed her carefully as she gazed out the window. "So you sent the others not to help on the mission but to…"

"To make sure he makes it back to me. I'm not going to lose him like the way I lost Dan and Jiraiya." She said with resolve.

.

Kakashi looked at her intently and asked.

"So you have made your own plans to deal with the Nine Tails when that day comes."

"I wouldn't be much of a Hokage if I didn't.

Naruto would never read the sealing jutsu to seal a Tail Beast, but I would." She said.

Kakashi gave her a tired look and said.

"Even if you know the jutsu, there is no way you would have the strength to use it.

Even Minato with the strongest bloodline trait of sealing in the history of our village could only seal half of The Nine Tailed fox.

I do not wish to doubt you, but I think you are kidding yourself.

Even if you could reseal the fox what vessel could you use to contain it?"

.

"I already have a vessel for that damned fox. The vessel doesn't have to last for long.

Just long enough for me to sever the host's heart string chakra line and kill it." She said.

.

"Hmm interesting idea, but do you really think that will kill the demon?" He asked her calmly.

"Oh it will kill it alright. I have that psycho Kabuto to thank for that knowledge.

He nearly killed Naruto and the fox the day he cut Naruto's." She said.

"But what of the vessel you choose?

Sealing it into someone and then killing them is something like what Orochimaru would have done." Kakashi told her carefully.

"No one said the vessel would be a law abiding citizen. I'd pick a prisoner that was already slated for death." She said.

"Still it seems like a cruel way to kill a man…You're still kidding yourself though.

Naruto wouldn't survive the extraction process. You know that.

As much as you might think he's invincible, you know deep down he is not." Kakashi said and turn back to look out the window.

.

She continued to stare at the Fourth Hokage Monument and said.

"I never said that I had everything already figured out, but at least I have a way to kill the fox."

"Only if you can use the jutsu." Kakashi said knowingly.

"I or rather _we_ can use the jutsu Kakashi. I wasn't thinking of using the Dead Demon Seal Minato used.

There is strength in numbers when it comes to sealing." She said suggestively.

"You still have another problem. You know Naruto will not give you the demon willingly.

You can throw the entire village of ninjas at him and the only thing you're going to hurt is his feelings.

He already is the most powerful ninja of his time.

He only considers you to be stronger than him because of his philosophical ideals." He said.

.

"Hmph didn't you just tell me he isn't invincible. Well aren't you the pot calling the kettle black?" She said with mirth.

"I never said he was invincible, but he is a overall decent medic with unsurpassable sealing powers.

On top of that at the age of sixteen he surpassed even his father's level of Ninjutsu and has only grown stronger and stronger over the years.

In the span of a few breaths he summoned a cyclone that could level the village without the first hand sign.

He isn't like us Tsunade nor like anyone else in the village, we ninjas who train to fight other ninja. He hasn't been like us for a long time…

Everyone sees him as a great hero and the strongest Ninjutsu user in recorded history yet he sees himself as weak." Kakashi said.

.

She turned and eyed him carefully and then asked. "What has ever been weak about Naruto?"

Kakashi continued gazing out at the clouds and said.

"I already told you he isn't like us. He trains to fight a different kind of battle.

He trains himself to fight a being of ungodly power.

Naruto is powerful, but his cyclone is nothing compared to a being that is said to be able to rend a lush forest into a scorched desert with the swipe of his paw.

A being that can cause Tsunami's when it walks. Ever since he stopped the Fourth Great Ninja war he has had only one rival,... The Nine Tailed Fox.

The thing that can kill him is always with him and he knows it to."

.

"If you're trying to cheer me up then you're doing a lousy job of it." She said sadly.

"That was not my intention Tsunade.

I only wanted to dissuade you from trying to save Naruto from the fox. It is out of your hands.

It is he that is the Child of Destiny and one day I think he will prove that to you." He said.

"I didn't think you believed in god or destiny." She said.

"I'm finding it hard to not believe in it lately." Kakashi said.

.

* * *

.

Konohamaru was waiting at the front gate with his traveling pack on as Sakura and Hanabi trudged up the road to meet him.

"I've been here for ten minutes, what took you two so long and where is Naruto?" He asked curiously with a hint of annoyance.

"I don't know. He said he had something to get before we left and headed off." Sakura said as they walked up to him.

Konohamaru threw his head back and said. "Great he's going to be just like Kakashi sensei…never on time for anything."

Hanabi chuckled slightly at him and said. "No, he is almost here. I can feel him getting closer to us now."

.

Naruto could soon be seen sprinting up the road at full speed with a huge dust cloud training behind him.

Sakura eyed him carefully as he approached and said. "Is that a box of cereal in his hand?"

Naruto ran all the way up to them with a strange blue box in his hand and doubled over to catch his breath.

Konohamaru gave curios look and intently asked. "What was so important for you to get before we left?"

Naruto took in several sharp breaths before standing up straight and hold the blue cardboard box out in front of him with both hands.

He gave them all a huge boyish smile and said.

"TaDaa! Industrial strength food pills! Now we are already a few days behind them so we aren't going to stop for sleep tonight.

You guys have to keep up your strength so I got these!"

.

Sakura looked at the box and thought something was off.

"Ok!" He said as he raised his fist in the air and then drew his attention back to the box.

He quickly opened the top of the box and struggled with the plastic bag inside of it.

He strained against it for a moment before it suddenly popped open sending a small dust cloud up into his face.

He gagged for a moment while waving his hand in front of his face to fan the noxious cloud away.

He looked at the box in amazement and said. "Wow these have to be the _really _good ones. They smell awful!"

.

He walked up to Hanabi and held her palm up and then rustled in the box for a moment.

He pulled out a blue sphere about the size of a large marble. "One for you…"

He said and he went over to Konohamaru and held his hand up.

He dug again into the box and pulled out a green sphere. "And one for you…"

Konohamaru and Hanabi both looked at each other with a odd questioning look and then stared down at their food pill in disgust.

Hanabi asked with a revolted look on her face. "Why's mine blue and fuzzy..."

"And why's mine green and fuzzy…" Konohamaru asked with the same look.

.

Naruto was digging in the box in front of Sakura and turned over his shoulder to look at them.

"Naruto…Can I see that box?" Sakura she asked in a warning manner.

He turned back to turn her with a un-concerning look and shrugged as he said. "Umm Sure…I guess."

He pulled his hand out of the box and handed it to her.

Sakura turned the boxes around and read for a moment.

A vein bulged in her forehead as she got right up to his face.

"NARUTO YOU MORON! THESE FOOD PILLS EXPIRED SIX YEARS AGO!" She yelled at him.

.

Naruto went ridged and fell over.

"Are you trying to kill us? These things are covered in mold!" She yelled as she stood over him.

Hanabi looked away from the molded food pill in her hand like she was going to get sick as she slowly turned her hand over to let it fall on the ground.

"Gross!" Konohamaru said with a looked of disgust and threw the fuzzy green ball away.

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Konohamaru took up the lead while a fuming Sakura and a giggling Hanabi took up the rear as they walked down the road.

"I still can't believe he is the squad leader and he tried to poison us." She said in annoyance, loudly to Hanabi.

Naruto slouched and muttered under his breath. "Gee, I already said I was sorry…"

They walked for a few more minutes until they came to a stream north of the town.

.

Naruto turned back and said. "Ok we are stopping to get water for the trip. If you haven't already, fill your canteens."

He took off his pack and retrieved his water vessel. Konohamaru followed him and filled his own.

Hanabi walked up to Naruto and said.

"I know you have a lot on your mind Master, but do we really need to carry our packs when you can just seal them away?"

.

Naruto turned to her and said. "Hmmm…Oh that's right! Sorry, I was just trying to think of a way to cut down on our traveling time to."

He pulled out a scroll after they finished getting water.

"Ok everyone drop your packs on this scroll. I'll seal them away then we will really start moving."

Sakura warned him. "You better not send my stuff to another time space and not be able to get it back."

She tossed her heavy pack on the scroll and Hanabi and Konohamaru followed suit.

.

Naruto held up a hand sign and said. "Sealing Jutsu!"

Their packs poofed into smoke. He reached down and quickly tucked the ten inch scroll away.

He looked back at them seriously. Sakura's annoyed attitude was instantly drop when she saw Naruto's serious look.

Naruto squatted down and drew four people in a line in the dirt as the gathered around.

.

Naruto pointed at the last man in the line and turned to Hanabi.

"Hanabi I want you at the rear of the line.

With Toad Sage chakra you should be able to sense anything coming up from behind us and confirm it with your Byakugan."

He pointed at the third man in the line.

"Konohamaru I want you third in line as with your speed and agility you can protect our flanks.

Your speed in the trees is the fastest of all of us and will help you here.

This is the most dangerous place in the line should we get ambushed because you are the first one they will target.

You are next to Hanabi and you two work very well together should anything happen in the rear.

If we are flanked your main job is to protect Sakura."

.

Naruto started to point at the second man in the line diagram when Sakura spoke up.

"Naruto I hardly need-" She began to say when Naruto's eyes turned into cold steel orbs looked at her sternly.

She looked down and fell silent as he continued again.

.

"The number two place in the line will be held by Sakura as it's the safest place in the line.

She is our top medical healer and it is her job to conserve her chakra as best as she can in case one of us is seriously hurt.

Even though me and Hanabi are also trained in Healing Ninjutsu we are at best emergency medics that can heal cuts and bones.

We aren't a fully fledged doctor like her. Since she is in the safest place with the sharpest mind I'm also giving her the job of navigator.

We can't afford to get lost when we are already short on time."

Sakura looked down and blushed slightly when she heard him say that she had the sharpest mind.

.

"The point man of the line will be headed by me.

My Chakra Sensory Perception is the greatest in the group.

My range is about three hundred yards in all directions, so I'll know where they are before they know where we are.

I'll be next to Sakura as we both have the best teamwork and most experience in combat of the group.

My job is to take navigational directions from Sakura and take the first strike when we encounter any resistance.

After we cross the northern border of the Land of Fire we will only be talking using the secret hand sign language unless we break for camp.

At night me and Hanabi will trade places in the line as she has the best night vision.

Are there any questions before we leave?" He asked and looked at all of them.

Konohamaru blinked blankly at him and asked.

"How did you, of all people, formulate that plan? You sound just like Shikamaru."

.

He tilted his head toward him and said knowingly.

"Think like a Hokage Konohamaru…I wasn't late only because I went to get food pills…"

Sakura smiled at him and said. "That's using your head Naruto…or rather Shikamaru's."

Konohamaru eyes lit up. "Oh that explains it!"

.

"Ummm master I've been wondering about something." She said with a confused look on her face.

He turned to her and asked. "What is that Hanabi?"

"How can we possibly make it to the border and catch them when they have a three day head start on us?" She asked intently.

He smiled at her and said. "You should think more like a Toad Sage Hanabi."

Hanabi smiled brightly as Konohamaru and Sakura shot them a perplexed look.

.

Naruto walked out into the middle of the street and planted his feet.

Hanabi followed him as the others watched them.

They looked at each other knowing and then Naruto bit his thumb and went through the hand signs.

"Summoning Jutsu!" He yelled as he slammed his hand down into the ground and the area filled with smoke.

It took many long seconds for it to clear and when it did Konohamaru and Sakura saw Hanabi and Naruto standing on top of Gamabunta's stomach.

The giant toad was laying on its back sound asleep.

.

Naruto looked around in confusion as he stood on the squishy pale green under side of Gamabunta.

"What the…?" Naruto said as he walked down his body and peered around in confusion.

The giant toad flung his arms and legs a few time in his sleep and mumbled.

"No Gamakichi, breakfast isn't for a couple of hours still…"

.

Naruto continued to look around in confusion until he saw Gamabunta's massive left leg lift into the air.

Naruto suddenly knew exactly where he was standing as his look changed to one of blank horror at what was about to happen.

The pale green ground gurgled underneath him and then a thundering reverberation of foul green gas shot out of Gamabunta's rear.

Hanabi held her nose as she backed further up Gamabunta's body and said.

"Ewww, looks like he has been eating red beetles again…"

.

The foul stench rushed through the trees on the far side of the road like a toxic gale and then suddenly the trees started wilting as their leaves fell off.

A unlucky snow rabbit rolled over onto its back as its legs twitched and its mouth foamed from being caught in the blast.

Konohamaru and Sakura quickly backed away from the business end of the toad in shock.

Naruto clinched his fist at the giant toad's mushroom cloud of wafting stench and turned around before marching up his body.

He stopped in the middle of his chest and yelled at him.

"DAMN YOU DIRTY STINKING TOADS! EVERY TIME I SUMMON YOU GUYS, YOU ALWAYS MAKE AN ASS OUTTA ME!"

Naruto chewed Gamabunta out until he finally woke up a short while later.

.

Naruto was fuming mad at him and had his arms crossed in front of him.

Gamabunta rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with his stubby arms and groggily said.

"Sorry about that. I didn't realize that you had summoned me…"

"Well that was obvious..." Naruto said as he rolled his eyes.

The giant toad peered down at them all.

"Well I'll be, if it isn't Sakura Haruno and Konohamaru Sarutobi. And you are both Sages…'' He said in surprise.

Hanabi smiled and waved to him. "If it isn't our newest Toad Clan member as well…"

Naruto looked up at him seriously and said. "Gamabunta, I didn't summon you here to get reacquainted."

He strained to look down at him and said. "Come again…"

.

"Look we are on the first S ranked mission since the war.

We need to get to the Land of Waterfalls as soon as possible to head off a group of rogue ninja's.

If we don't stop them they are going to sell the Land of Lightning's secrets to the Land of Earth.

I'm sure you realize what that could cause." He said.

"Depends on the secrets they stole." Gamabunta said skeptically.

.

"They raided the Land of Lightning's Main Archives." He replied.

"What? Were their guards asleep on the job? That's supposed to be the most heavily guarded place in their whole country!

How could anyone just come in and raid the place?" He replied in shock.

"That's why it's the first S ranked mission since the war! The Raikage's Anbu have already failed to bring them back.

They have already wiped out four Squads of his best Anbu." Naruto told him.

.

"Raided the Archives and killed four Squads of his Anbu you say?" He scratched his chin in thought and took a long drag off his pipe.

He breathed out a huge smoke cloud and said. "They must really be something else to pull all that off."

"The leader of the Squad is their former head of their Anbu Black Ops.

That's why they sent this mission to us and they already have a three day head start on us.

I don't need you to take us the whole way, just to the northern border of the Land of Fire." Naruto said.

.

Gamabunta raised a eyebrow at him and gave him a queer look.

"Just to the northern border you say? Naruto I'm not as young as I look…"

"Can you do it boss Toad?" He asked intently.

Gamabunta shook his head at the ground and then said.

"My feet are gonna be killing me tomorrow that's for sure."

The giant toad crouched down and looked intently at Konohamaru and Sakura. They instinctively took a step back.

He tilted his massive head from side to side inspecting them and then finally sat up right.

.

"Naruto, you and Hanabi will be fine riding on my head.

Konohamaru with his Monkey Sage training should be able to keep a hold of my robes if I give him a break every now and then…

But for you Sakura…well let's just say travel for you ain't gonna be as pleasant." He told her.

Sakura gave him a blank look of slight fear and said. "What do you-"

.

Gamabunta's long tongue lashed out and snapped her into his mouth in the blink of an eye.

Her muffled screams of anger could be heard as Naruto and Hanabi jumped up on his head.

"Quit squirming! Otherwise I might swallow you!" He said sternly through his clinched jaw.

"It's not my fault Slug Sage's aren't known for their agility or stamina. I told you it wasn't going to be the preferred way of travel!" He said.

"NARUTO! WHEN I GET OUT OF GAMABUNTA'S MOUTH I'M GONNA BEAT YOU AND HIM SENSELESS!" They heard her muffled voice yell.

Naruto expression became slightly strained as he said to himself. "Oh Kami, she is pissed…"

"PIPE DOWN LITTLE LADY!" Gamabunta yelled at her through gritted teeth.

.

Konohamaru quickly leaped onto his back and grabbed onto the collar of his robe.

Konohamaru looked up to where Naruto and Hanabi were sitting on the head and yelled up to them.

"Hey Naruto. How come I can't ride on his head too? It looks like it would be much easier than holding on down here."

Gamabunta turned his head to the left so one of his eyes was looking right at Konohamaru.

"You ungrateful little Monkey…You're lucky I'm giving you a ride already!

I still have my pride as a member of the Toad Clan. Only a Toad Sage can ride on my head and even then only if I like 'em!" He yelled at him.

.

Konohamaru's expression became strained and he shook his head back and forth. "So-sorry I asked…ju-just, forget I said anything!"

Sakura muffled obscenities could still be heard as Gamabunta sighed.

"I can't believe you actually used to date this little firecracker…You sure took a step up with Hanabi." Gamabunta said in exasperation.

Naruto expression became very strained as he said quietly though clinched teeth.

"Are you trying to dig my grave for me Gamabunta…Just be quiet already…"

Sakura's muffled yells only became louder.

"Alright everyone hold on tight I'm about to jump." Gamabunta said and Konohamaru adjusted his grip on his collar.

Gamabunta crouched down and then his body trembled with tension.

.

Konohamaru smiled to himself as he thought.

_"I can't believe it. I wasn't able to become a Toad Sage, but now I get to ride on the biggest member of the Toad Clan. This is gonna be awesome!"_

Gamabunta rocketed into the air. Konohamaru was smashed flat on his back from the sheer wind pressure.

He wore a look of horror as he yelled. "Oh Kami! I'm gonna DIE! This is gonna be awful!"

The giant toads back just barely crested though the misty clouds as Konohamaru became weightless and started floating off his back.

.

"Ahh oh-no Oh-no!" He yelled in a panic as he flung his arms and legs wildly.

They just started to fall as gravity again took hold of them when Konohamaru managed to barely get another hold on his collar.

They soared down to the forest and landed hard. Trees snapped with a ear piercing sound as a dust cloud was sent out for miles.

Konohamaru was panting from his near death experience as he felt Gamabunta body crouch down and tense up again.

A river of tears flowed out of each of his eyes as he said to himself in defeat.

"You gotta be kidding me…I really am gonna die!"

.

* * *

.

Konohamaru learned to move with Gamabunta's movement soon into the journey and had no trouble holding on.

Gamabunta even told him he wasn't doing bad for a member of the Monkey Clan.

They traveled until dusk.

.

The sky was a golden array of orange and pink when a very tired Gamabunta landed near the bank of the Akiran river in between the Land of Fire and the Land of Waterfalls.

He flopped down onto his belly and panted for air sharply three times before spitting Sakura out.

She flew ten feet away and hit the ground on her side and rolled three times before stopping.

She stood up with a look of disgust on her face as she held her glop covered arms out to her sides.

"That has to be the _grossest_ thing that has ever happened to me…His mouth smells like bug guts and swamp water."

She said in revulsion and then went over to the river.

Naruto and Hanabi leaped off his head as he panted for air. Konohamaru jumped off his back and landed near them.

.

Naruto unrolled a scroll on the ground as Hanabi shot Konohamaru a amused grin.

"Did I hear you right when I heard you screaming 'I'm gonna die!' earlier." She teased him.

Konohamaru looked away slightly embarrassed as she laughed at him.

"Yeah go ahead, laugh it up." He said in annoyance.

.

"Unseal!" Naruto said and there was a puff of smoke.

He picked up his traveling pack out of the pile and went over to a clearing.

He started setting up camp. Hanabi picked up her own back and tentatively follow him.

.

She started unpacking her bag with a confused look on her face before asking Naruto.

"Umm master I thought we were not stopping tonight."

Naruto unrolled his tent and said.

"We don't have much of a choice. Konohamaru and Sakura need a break.

They are too tired to go on right now, but as luck would have it Gamabunta brought us much farther west than I had hoped for.

We are actually further ahead of schedule than I thought we would be. We can afford to camp here for the night.

Besides I'm sure everyone would like to get a hot meal before we head into the Land of Waterfalls.

We don't know when the next time we will be able to stop will be."

.

Hanabi started setting a fire pit as Sakura yelled over to them.

"I'm going further upstream to take a bath. Don't you dare follow me!"

Naruto yelled back. "Ok, don't wonder off to far though."

.

By the time she got back the camp had already been set up and the fire was going as night had fallen.

Naruto was cooking some fish on a skillet as she walked over and took a seat on a fallen log by the fire.

"It smells good. What did you add to it?" Sakura asked him.

"It's a spice mixture that Shizan gave me." Naruto said quietly.

.

"Thanks for setting up my part of the camp, but you didn't have to do that?" She said shyly.

"It wasn't a bother. You did get the rough end of the stick traveling today." He replied.

"Where are Konohamaru and Hanabi?" She asked as she looked around.

"Konohamaru went looking for fruit and Hanabi is trying to find more food to take with us.

You should know Konohamaru lost his liking for meat after his Sage training."

.

Sakura looked over at him a bit more seriously and asked. "What is the plan for tomorrow?"

Naruto watched the dancing flames of the fire for a long moment before he quietly said.

"We will head northwest into the Land of Waterfalls and keep close to its western border.

The higher elevation should help us spot them coming if they are traveling by day."

Sakura said. "What do you mean IF they are traveling by day?

I thought they would head straight to the Land of Earth as fast as they could."

.

"I asked Shikamaru about it before we left.

It's likely after they killed the three Anbu Squads that came after them they took steps to make sure their trail would go cold.

These guys aren't amateurs. They are the best of the best of the Land of Lightning's Anbu.

They are likely only moving at night and will avoid all populated areas.

Us getting here at breakneck speed is only a failsafe.

We will likely have a day or two of waiting before we encounter them." He said.

.

"Do you have any idea where you think they might try to cross the border?" She asked as she pulled out a map.

"Probably to the southern part on the eastern border of the Land of Earth.

The northern part of the border is too mountainous to be traveled easily and the center part of the border is too populated as the main trade route is there.

I was hoping you could help me figure out where we should focus our search in that area.

You've always been the smarter one." He said as he tossed her a quick glance.

.

She read the map and said. "Well, probably not too far south. There is a rocky valley there.

There's a sheer cliff north of there, but there is a flatter wooded area in between them.

That's where I'd cross if I didn't want to be seen.

There is also a small village in the Land of Earth only five kilometers from that area.

It would be an ideal place to make a trade and slip out unnoticed."

.

Konohamaru walked up beside her while eating some frost berries. He took a seat next to her and said.

"If they are supposed to be super smart Anbu then I'm not sure that they would take that path. Isn't it kind of obvious?"

Naruto nodded his head as Sakura looked intently at them map and said.

"Yeah, it kind of does now that I think about it…but then again they don't know we are coming."

"They will still be on high alert." Naruto said while cooking the fish.

.

Konohamaru finished chewing on some berries and turned to Naruto and asked. "What kind of intel do we have on them?"

Naruto set down the frying pan of crackling fish and reached into his Sage robes.

He pulled out the black scroll and tossed it to him.

"We have loads of intel on them. I was going to go over it with you all over dinner when Hanabi gets back." He said.

Konohamaru opened the scroll and started reading.

.

"Wow this Roland guy is no joke. He has one-hundred and fourteen successful assassination missions alone.

He's a lightning user with a preferred killing method similar to Kakashi's.

He's one of those annoying ninja's that tries to get you to waste a lot of your chakra and catch you when you're low.

It also says he's highly intelligent and is commonly known to switch Anbu masks with his teammates so even his fellow Anbu members aren't sure which of them is him.

This Dankia guy is a chakra sensor type with the water element and minor healing capabilities. Nothing really outstanding about him though."

He said as Hanabi came back through the woods with two killed snow rabbits and handed them to Naruto who started dressing them.

.

"Did I miss anything?" She asked.

"Not really we were just going over the intel on this Anbu team." Naruto threw the rabbits in the pan and handed out the fish to everyone.

"Who else is on his team?" Sakura asked.

Konohamaru nodded at the scroll he was reading and said.

"A guy they call Zak. He's a fire user and the team's main tracker from the info here.

Says he's also an eagle summoner.

He can summon one big enough for the Squad to ride on, but he doesn't really have the chakra levels to hold it for long."

He said and then took a bite of his fish. He swallowed and said.

"But I bet it's long enough to get up that rocky cliff and not take the obvious way through that small forest." He looked at Sakura knowingly and she said.

"I don't think that they would do something like that when they could be so easily spotted."

.

Konohamaru shrugged and said. "They might, that area is out in the middle of nowhere.

Even if someone was tailing them it would put an obstacle in between them.

I mean they'd almost be to the Land of Earth anyway."

Hanabi turned to him while eating and asked. "What about the last guy?"

.

Konohamaru went back to scroll.

"Girl actually, by the name of Recia…And oh joy, two of my favorite types of ninjas all rolled into one." He said sarcastically.

"She's a poison user _and_ a Genjutsu type.

Says the Squad normally uses her as their first striker should they be seen and have to get into an open conflict."

He said and then tilted his head at the scroll in confusion before saying.

"Isn't it kind of strange to use a Genjutsu users as a first striker?"

.

Sakura casually told him. "Don't forget about the Leafs own Uchiha Clan. They were famous for being exceptional first strikers."

He gave a quick thoughtful look before reading on.

"Good god, its gets even better with this chick…She's a wind element type that likes to use powdered poison.

She breaks open the stuff and can cover an eighty meter area in deadly poison.

No wonder they use her as a first striker. The rest of the squad calls her by the nickname Crow…"

He skimmed down the scroll for a moment before his look changed to a strained and revolted look.

He looked over the scroll and said. "And trust me you don't wanta know why…"

.

Sakura took another bite of fish and then set it down on the plate in her lap before asking.

"Does it say what kind of poisons she likes to use?"

He turned back to the scroll and read intently for a moment. He turned to Sakura and said.

"No, like all poison user she keeps that a secret, but it does give some of her favorite herbs she likes to make them out of."

Sakura stretched out her hand toward him and said. "Let me see."

.

He handed her the scroll and she read it for a brief second before cringing and looking away.

"Disgusting… I lost my appetite." She said as she chewed back her food.

"Yeah, you really don't want to know why they call her Crow." She said with a reserved face of revolution.

She read down the list and said.

"I've got a pretty good idea on what types of poisons she uses.

I can probably make an effective potion to counteract them later tonight."

.

Naruto's head fell limp in front his shoulder as he extended his left arm out and sighed deeply.

Sakura, Hanabi and Konohamaru all started laughing at him.

Sakura said while still smiling. "That is very sweet of you Naruto, but not during dinner."

"Just don't drain me ok?" He said as he went back to his food.

Sakura replied. "No, I don't need that much. Just a few ounces should be fine."

.

"Anything else we should know about them? Over all it doesn't really sound like a power house Squad to me." Hanabi asked.

Sakura picked the scroll back up and started reading it for a long moment.

Sakura eyes went wide as she slowly nodded her head up and down.

"There are just pages and pages of their tactics and this is just a general over view.

It's not that they are all super powerful it's how flawless their teamwork is.

One of their most common tactics is to lay down that poison fog and hit you with kunai with exploding tags while Roland zaps you with a bolt of lightning.

They have been known to pull the whole tactic off in less than a second!" She said in shock.

.

Konohamaru looked at her in disbelief and then shook his head.

"It looks like when they want to kill you they don't take any chances.

Poison fog, two kunais with exploding tags and a lightning jutsu." He said.

Naruto nodded his head in quiet agreement as he watched the flames of the fire dance that sent out its orange light over the camp.

"One thing is for sure. We can't let them get the drop on us; if they do, it's all over…" Naruto said seriously.

The mood darkened as the others looked back and forth at each other.

Naruto gave them a meek smile and quietly said. "Finish eating and get some rest. I'll take first watch."

.

* * *

.

The night was cool and clear with twinkling stars blanketing the night sky.

The moon was nearly full and its white glow mixed with the dim red light of the coals of the dying camp fire.

Naruto sat while staring into their fading light while deep in thought.

.

A slight movement in one of the three tents aroused him from his thought.

Konohamaru stuck his head out of his tent as Naruto turned his head over his shoulder to him and quietly said. "Can't sleep?"

Konohamaru came out of his tent and walked over to the log Naruto was sitting on.

He took a seat next to him as Naruto picked up a metal coffee pot next to the fire and poured him a drink.

Konohamaru took the cup and quietly said. "I guess not."

He sat there staring at the embers much like Naruto was doing before he awoke.

.

Naruto watched him for a moment before turning back to the fire light.

"Something on your mind Konohamaru?" He said in a low voice.

He looked down at his drink with an unsure and lost look like he didn't know how to ask what was on his mind.

"Yeah…I guess there is, but Tsunade told me that I'm never to talk about." He said.

Naruto nodded slowly at the fire and said. "It's not really in her authority to tell you that. It is my story to tell, not hers."

He said as Konohamaru turned to him in surprise and his look faded as her turned back to the fire for a long quiet moment.

Konohamaru in a tired lost tone asked. "So…you feel like telling me any stories?"

.

"There is no need to be so formal about it. As I said it's my story to tell. Ask me what you want to know about them."

He said as he reached behind him to get more wood for the fire.

Konohamaru looked down with a hurt and lost expression and asked.

"Why did you keep it from me master? I thought you could tell me anything now that I'm you apprentice."

Naruto tossed a log onto the fire that sent sparks floating up into the air.

Naruto watched the sparks burned out in mid flight and said. "Because I didn't want you to get discouraged.

I've known for a long time that you have been trying to catch up to me.

I feared that if you knew that I also possessed the Sharingan that you would lose heart and stop trying."

.

Naruto looked over at him with an honest smile and nudged him with his shoulder.

"I haven't forgotten about the promise we made when we were kids to fight it out for the title of Hokage someday." He said knowingly.

Konohamaru smiled too.

Naruto leaned back on his hands and stared up at the moon with his legs crosses in front of him.

"It wouldn't be much of a fight if you gave up before making it to that fight with me." He said.

.

Konohamaru lowered his head slightly as he looked over at him and said.

"Come on Naruto. Give me some credit. I am the student of the Hero of the Five Nations after all."

Naruto chuckled slightly and said. "That is very true."

.

Konohamaru look relaxed as he turned to gaze up at the stars.

"So what is the story with your eyes? How did you get the Sharingan?

It is not always active like Kakashi sensei and yet I know you're not a member of the Uchiha Clan.

Is this just another power you have awakened?" He asked curiously.

.

Naruto shook his head slowly back and forth and said.

"No Konohamaru, I never awaken the Sharingan. Only a member of the Uchiha Clan can do that."

He even more curiously asked. "Then how?"

Naruto sighed slightly and said. "Think my Monkey apprentice. Where do you think they came from?

There haven't been many living Uchiha members during our time."

.

Konohamaru thought about it for a moment while looking up at the sky and said.

"Well, the only people from the Uchiha Clan that I can think of are Madara, Itachi and Sasuke."

"Very good…And whose eyes do you think are gazing up at the moon right now?" He said.

Konohamaru took in a deep breath and then let it out.

"After understand the kind of connection you and Sasuke shared, I'd have to bet my money that they are his."

.

Naruto laughed softly under his breath and said.

"For the longest time I to thought they were Sasuke's eyes, but no, they are Itachi's eyes."

Konohamaru look changed to a perplexed one as Naruto's eyes narrowed in thought as he tiled his head slightly.

He said in a whimsical thoughtful way.

"It's strange really…How Itachi gave me the power to use the Sharingan that laid dormant in me until my final fight with Sasuke.

Could Itachi see into the future with these eyes?

Did he know that one day I would finally be able to make Sasuke see that everyone else wasn't a monster?

That it was he that was turning into a monster on the verge of destroying the world.

Did he know that Sasuke would cut his own eyes out and give them to me to keep Madara from enslaving the world…

I've asked myself these questions thousands of time. Sometimes I wonder if it was Itachi that was the 'Child of Destiny'."

.

Konohamaru looked over at him and asked.

"Well…what can you do with the Sharingan? Itachi was so powerful with them. With your bloodline and chakra you could be invincible using them."

Naruto sat up can rested his elbows on his knees as he interlocked his fingers.

"Invincible?" He said and then shook his head at the ground.

.

"No one is invincible Konohamaru…I wouldn't know what all the Sharingan could do even if I tried to wield it."

Konohamaru sat up and gave him a confused look before saying. "What do you mean IF you tried to wield it?"

Naruto glance over at him and the light of the fire dance off his eyes. "The Sharingan is a cursed power.

I believe the story of the true God of Ninjutsu that started it all, to be based off a real man name Rikudo. The one I call the Moon Sage.

It is said that a being of limitless power, Jubi the ten tailed beast, attacked the world and the Moon Sage sealed him within his own body.

It is said that he could use all the elements and the sub elements. Even the light and darkness elements were not beyond his reach.

It however doesn't say if he could use them all before he sealed Jubi inside of him."

.

Konohamaru shot him a questioning look and asked. "And you have a theory about that?"

Naruto nodded his head and said. "Yes I do.

I think after he sealed Jubi's spirit into him that he took the eyes of Jubi's body for himself before he created the moon as a prison for what was left of him."

Konohamaru gave him a disbelieving look and said. "Why would you think that?"

"Because the only depiction I've seen of Jubi had his eyes drawn with both the Sharingan and the Rinnegan.

It makes sense that before he died he split the power of the eyes and passed them on to his sons.

One of them received the Rinnegan, the ability to understand whatever the user saw from only seeing it once.

The other son received the Sharingan, the power to slow down time and affect the mind.

.

The Rinnegan proved to be much harder to awaken than the Sharingan throughout time. Only Nagato awakened it as far as I can tell.

There might be others, but it would seem the records of them are lost in time.

The Sharingan proved easier to awaken and became the signature of the Uchiha Clan." He said.

Konohamaru's eyes shifted back and forth in thought before he said.

"You really think the Sharingan came from the eyes of this Ten Tailed demon?"

.

Flash Back.

* * *

.

Naruto was deep in his mind looking at the gigantic cage door inside of him that held the Nine Tailed Fox.

Chakra started leaking out of it and formed likeness of the fox.

"Back off! I don't want your power."

Naruto told Kyuubi just before Sasuke appeared in between then with his hand out stretched in front of the demon Fox's nose.

"So this is the source of your hidden power? I never would've thought you'd have something like this inside of you." Sasuke said.

The Nine Tailed Fox looked down at him and said.

**"You were able to look inside of Naruto because of your accursed linage and that loathsome Sharingan."**

"It seems this isn't your first time seeing the Sharingan. Then you must be The Nine Tailed Demon Fox..." Sasuke said.

**"Those eyes…are more sinister than even my own…"** Kyuubi said ominously.

.

* * *

End of Flashback

.

Naruto nodded and quietly said. "Yes I do. They are cursed eyes Konohamaru. To use their power only corrupts the one using it."

"I-I guess I never thought about it that way." Konohamaru admitted.

A long silent moment passed until Naruto asked him. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

Konohamaru look over at him and asked. "You know every Jonin Instructor always has three students, yet you only have two, me and Hanabi.

Have you ever thought of who the third would be?"

Naruto laughed slightly and said.

"I have more students than just you and Hanabi. I sometimes teach Iruka's class. So I have many more students than just you two."

Konohamaru rolled his eyes at him. "It's funny that you mention that. You know you're going to be a sensei one day too." Naruto said.

.

Konohamaru gave him a slight smile and said. "Yeah, I guess one day I will be."

Naruto nodded his head and said. "You might be a sensei sooner than you think and when you do there are two students I'd recommend you teach if you can get them."

He gave him a questioning look as Naruto said. "They are both in Iruka's class. One is a girl named Haruki.

The other is actually a descendent of the Uzumaki bloodline though he doesn't share our name. Nor does he know that."

Konohamaru gave him a odd look and said. "I think it's a little soon for me to be taking on students."

.

Naruto shrugged casually and said. "Not really. I started teaching you when I was twelve. You are almost eighteen now."

Konohamaru smiled as he gave him a funny queer look.

"Yeah and I remember one of your lessons where you told me the source of a ninja's power was 'Catra'."

Naruto laughed nostalgically and said. "I remember that…How far I've come since then."

Konohamaru nodded at him and said. "Yeah, you sure have…"

.

"How about you get some sleep before dawn? There is still a few hours left." Konohamaru said.

Naruto shook his head. "I've already got a clone sleeping next to Hanabi.

Otherwise she'd be out here sleeping on my lap." He said as he rolled his eyes knowingly.

Konohamaru laughed softly and said. "Yeah, I can see her doing something like that as hung up on you as she is."

Naruto nodding in agreement and then jerked his head toward the tents as he said.

"Go on and get some more sleep. I want you fully rested for when we move out tomorrow."

Konohamaru stood up and then picked up the cup of coffee Naruto handed him when he first sat down.

"Here I'm not much of a coffee drinker." He said.

.

Naruto took the cup and picked up the pot by the fire. He poured it back in the pot and said.

"Me either…Can't stand the stuff actually.

It's just force of habit from staying up with Kakashi sensei on so many cold nights. It's just a hand warmer to me."

Konohamaru turned back to his tent and took two steps. He turned around and honestly asked.

"You really don't plan on taking on that third student?"

Naruto turned around to look at him and said. "I can't really. Sakura is Tsunade's Disciple and Sai had already been trained by the Anbu.

There is no one left in Squad Seven for me to teach. There is one other I would like to teach but…"

He swiped his arms in front of him playfully and said. "It's just sensei envy I guess."

.

Konohamaru tiled his head slightly while giving him a questioning look and said. "Sensei envy?"

Naruto nodded and said. "Yes sensei envy. I wouldn't mind teaching Matsuri.

She worked well with Hanabi and nearly drained me of chakra before I saw her breaking point."

.

Konohamaru cover his face with his hand and shook his head.

"There is no way you're ever going to teach Matsuri…" He said.

Naruto looked at him honestly and said.

"Gaara wouldn't be as opposed to it as much as you might think. He has little time to train her as he is the Kazekage."

Konohamaru took his head out of his hand and looked over at Naruto.

.

"I'm not talking about Gaara…I'm talking about how Matsuri and Hanabi are just a like.

Neither of them will be separated from their masters for long."

Naruto nodded his head in agreement.

"I guess that's true...Good night Monkey Sage." He said quietly with proudness in his eyes.

Konohamaru gave him a honest slight smile and said. "Good night Naruto." He turned climbed into his tent.

.

* * *

.

They broke camp at dawn and moved into the Land of Waterfall's in formation heading northwest.

They headed passed the broken jagged rock valley and made it to the gentle slopping forest area that led through the towering cliffs shortly before dust.

Naruto lead them bounding from tree branch to tree branch.

Hanabi looked down at the forest floor and spotted a group of wild pigs heading to the west.

She smiled to herself.

.

Naruto was bounding though the trees intent on making it to the cliffs to the north before night fall when something hit his shoulder.

He turned his head to look at Sakura in mid flight.

Sakura angrily hand signed to him. "Did you just see what your student did?"

Naruto looked further back at Konohamaru that was just following them.

His look became perplexed as he signed back to Sakura. "What?"

.

She crumpled up her face in agitation at him and signed back. "Not Konohamaru, Hanabi!"

He bound off another tree branch as he looked passed Sakura to Hanabi at the back of the line.

Hanabi had a beaming smile from ear to ear and a thirty pound piglet, that had obviously been killed using her yellow flash jutsu, tucked under her left arm.

Konohamaru gave her a sour look as Naruto turned around and grabbed his head and shook it in dismay

.

Another pebble hit him on the shoulder and Sakura angrily signed to him. "She is your student, do something about her!"

Naruto looked passed Sakura and his expression suddenly turned to one of confusion.

He signed to her. "Hey, where is Konohamaru?"

Sakura blinked a few time and then looked behind here. Konohamaru was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly the sound of heavy feet on tree branches rang out and then a loud crash sent birds flying in all directions.

The heavy sounds of feet on tree branches thundered again as Konohamaru took back his place in the squad line with a four-hundred pound hog on his back.

Sakura's head turned slowly back around to Naruto and sighed as she signed to him.

"Why am I not surprised when they are both your students?..."

.

* * *

.

They made it through the flat wooded area and set up camp on the Western cliffs.

Just behind the cliffs the forest thick with under growth spread out before them.

They set up a watch and manned posts near the edge of the cliffs twenty feet apart to look out for Roland and his rogue Anbu squad.

Two day's passed and all had been quiet.

It was just after mid day when Sakura said to Naruto.

"You really think they will come this way?"

.

Naruto eyed the wooded area below them and replied. "I'm starting to wonder if they didn't head north and follow the coastline…"

Off in the distance birds suddenly flew up out of the trees like they had been startled by something.

Everyone crouched down and put up their guard as they drew their weapons.

Many tense moments passed as Naruto honed in his Chakra Sensor Perception on the area.

Sakura, Konohamaru and Hanabi were nervously awaiting Naruto's news.

Naruto relaxed and said to them. "It's nothing, just a wild pig."

.

Konohamaru relaxed and took a few steps back toward the forest behind them.

He put his hands behind his head and with a boyish smile said.

"Yeah I knew it was nothing."

Hanabi caught a flash of gray coming out of the forest heading for Konohamaru out of the corner of her eye.

She quickly turned around and saw a figure in a hooded mask in a mid air leap speeding at Konohamaru with a curved sword out in front.

_"Konohamaru…NO!"_ She thought in horror as her eyes went wide.

.

She gripped the handle of The Flying Thunder God sword hard as she franticly entered time/space.

The gray cloaked Anbu with a squirrel on its mask that was three feet away from Konohamaru in mid air and was frozen in time as Hanabi rushed to him.

The Anbu's arm was outstretched with its sword already posed to stab Konohamaru through the heart.

Hanabi had tears running down her face as she neared him. _"I'm not going to make it…It's too late…"_

_._

Naruto turned just as the Anbu's blade ran through Konohamaru's body and buried itself up to the cross guard.

Just as the cross guard hit his chest the Anbu's head came flying off when Hanabi's mirror shine blade passed through the Anbu's neck.

Her powerful strike sent the rogue ninja's head spinning twenty feet into the air spraying blood and then it landed nearby with a soft thud.

The decapitated body's fingers slipped off the hilt of the sword in Konohamaru's chest then slumped to its knees and fell over.

It spurted blood freely onto the ground that pooled around it.

.

"KONOHAMARU!" Hanabi screamed hysterically.

His boyish smile faded to a blank look as his hand fell from behind his head.

His hands trembled as he fell over backwards.

The weight of his body hitting the ground force the sword out of him were it clattered beside him.

Blood gushed from the open wound in his heart as Hanabi screamed. "KONOHAMARU…KONOHAMARU!"

She crouched down beside him and covered the gushing wound with both her hands as she started pouring healing chakra.

.

* * *

.

Roland and his other two squad mates watched her stab Konohamaru and then instantly they saw Recia's head violently come off.

He signed to the other two in the trees near the cliff posed to attack.

"Stop…They are too powerful. If we fight them we will all die. Flee to the border at once!"

They all turned and started bounding through the trees.

.

* * *

.

Sakura rushed up to them as Konohamaru's blood spurted in between Hanabi's healing fingers.

Sakura placed her hands over Hanabi's to help her heal him.

_"There…There is just no way we can heal this…His heart…it's nearly been cut in two…I don't know who's hands are shaking more…mine or Hanabi's."_

Sakura thought as silent tears started slowly rolling down her face.

"Konohamaruewweww…" Hanabi cried inconsolably as her breath came in sobs.

.

Konohamaru wore a blank look as the luster started to fade from his eyes.

He coughed up blood as he slowly turned his trembling head towards Hanabi.

"Konohamaru…Konohamaru don't die…don't die…" She begged to him in sobs.

He reached up and touched her face with his rapidly cooling hand.

"I-I can't die… I have to…follow…in Naruto footsteps….and..be…come …ho..kage…"

He said weakly and then arm fell to his side as his eyes closed.

A gust of wind howled crossed to cold cliffs.

.

"NO KONONHAMARU! You can't die! You cannot die on me! I'm not giving up on you!"

Hanabi yelled in tears while she continued to pour her chakra into him as his life slipped away.

Sakura began sobbing with a pained expression on her face as she futilely tried to heal him.

.

Naruto was standing in disbelieving shock at what had just happened the whole time.

He soullessly watched the three reneged Anbu bound from tree to tree slowly getting father away.

_"Konohamaru…I didn't even sense them….Konohamaru…" _He thought soullessly

Naruto saw memory after memory of Konohamaru.

.

Flashback

* * *

.

Young Konohamaru and Naruto were in front of the Third Hokage's desk.

Naruto had Konohamaru lifted off the ground by the front of his scarf.

Ebisu yelled at him. "Take your hand off of him! He is the honorable grandson of the honorable Third Hokage."

Konohamaru smirked at Naruto and said.

"What a matter huh? I thought you were gonna hit me tough guy? Afraid because the Third Hokage is my grandfather?"

Naruto expression changed to angry one and said. "I don't care if he's your grandmother, so believe it!"

Naruto clobbered him over the head with a punch that sent Konohamaru to the ground.

_"This one's different…"_ Konohamaru thought before hitting the ground out cold.

.

Naruto and Konohamaru were out in the woods talking.

Naruto had his back to Konohamaru and turned his head over his shoulder to look at him.

"Oh by the way…there are no shortcuts to becoming Hokage."

Konohamaru looked at him in offense and said. "Who do you think you are giving me a big lecture like that?"

He turned around and said. "That's it; I'm not going to be your apprentice anymore."

He turned back and looked at Naruto and said. "Because from now on, we're rivals!"

.

Naruto was eating ramen with Sakura at Ichiraku ramen when Konohamaru came up to him.

Naruto stood up and said "Ok let's see how far you've come."

Konohamaru made a shadow clone and then held up his hands. "Transform!"

He and his clones turned into sexy naked women.

Naruto got a perverted look on his face as he transformed back.

He rubbed under his nose and said. "Hey, not bad in the curves department huh?"

Sakura angrily said. "Naruto you're the only one that would fall for a jutsu like that!"

Konohamaru peered at her for a moment before transforming into a Sasuke and Sai in the nude.

Sakura eyed the clone pervertedly as Naruto said.

"You're just as perverted as we are…"

.

Naruto was about to leave the village with Sakura and Kakashi after the invasion of pain.

Naruto and Konohamaru both preformed the sexy jutsu and then transformed back into themselves.

"Good job Konohamaru." Naruto said with a smile.

"Aww but yours are still more sexy. We're rivals and you're getting even farther ahead of me." He said sourly.

Naruto grinned and said. "I heard you used the Rasengan on Pain during the invasion. Well done. You too are a hero. Goodbye."

"Bye Naruto." He said as Naruto turned and walked out of the village gates.

Naruto turned back around and yelled back to him.

"Oh by the way, you learned the Rasengan faster than I did. When I get back I'll show you how to make a bigger one!"

.

Naruto and Konohamaru were sitting on the ground at training ground thirty-six with the Toad contract lying open in front of them.

Konohamaru's dumbfounded look turned to a smile.

Konohamaru was shocked before saying. "Wow this is the same scroll the Fourth Hokage use to make his summoning contract with the Toads Sages?"

He said in awe looking at the name Namikaze Minato.

Naruto smiled and said. "Yes, it's the very one."

After his initial excitement was over his face went blank as he seem to finally realize something.

"You mean...you mean that you'll make me your apprentice?" He stammered.

.

Naruto and Konohamaru sat around the dying embers of a camp fire as gazing out at the stars while talking about the Sharingan.

Naruto looked over at him with an honest smile and nudged him with his shoulder.

"I haven't forgotten about the promise we made when we were kids to fight it out for the title of Hokage someday." He said knowingly.

Konohamaru smiled too.

Naruto leaned back on his hands and stared up at the moon with his legs crosses in front of him.

"It wouldn't be much of a fight if you gave up before making it to that fight with me." He said.

Konohamaru lowered his head slightly as he looked over at him and said.

"Come on Naruto. Give me some credit. I am the student of the Hero of the Five Nations after all!"

Naruto chuckled slightly and said. "That is very true."

.

* * *

End of Flashback.

.

Naruto body slowly tensed as tears formed at the rims of his eyes.

He clinched his fist and his knuckles cracked one after another as he watched the rogue Anbu ninjas bounding away.

His anger rose and his lips parted exposing his clinched teeth that were growing longer and sharper.

His lips and the sage marks around his eyes turned black as midnight while he trembled in rage.

Crimson red charka flowed out of his body and came off of him in hundreds of thick strands that writhed high into the air like snakes.

.

The air itself around him burned as he fell forward on all fours and dug his clawed hands into the earth.

The crimson red chakra encased his body and formed two flaming ears above his head.

A low feral growl came from him as four chakra tails formed behind him.

The chakra started to boil violently and Naruto's skin started coming off of him.

The skin rose into the air and turned to ash as his blood floated into the air in large droplets.

Naruto's eyes changed to the darkest deepest color of red as he radiated his pain and rage.

Two more tails slow formed to either side of the other four as the flaming red chakra towered into the clouds in a beam.

.

* * *

.

Yamoto was running full out through the trees when he looked down at his hand as the number changed from four to six.

_"Oh no…Six tails already…"_ He thought worriedly as he looked up through the trees and saw a beam of red chakra shooting into the sky.

"Shit…I have to hurry!" He said as he came to the cliff and printed up it as fast as he could.

He rounded the edge of the rocky cliff a moment later and saw Hanabi and Sakura trying to heal Konohamaru's still body oblivious to what was happened to Naruto.

He rushed over to them.

.

Yamoto looked at Naruto in horror as the beam coming out of him started to widen and the wind started to pick up.

"Oh no!" He said as he franticly went through hand signs. "Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!"

He yelled as square wooden beams came out of the ground and formed a cone shaped barrier between Naruto and them.

.

The beam of red chakra expanded out from Naruto and twisted out across the sky searing the cloud from the heavens like a cyclone.

Naruto let loose a supersonic roar that shook the ground and shatter the trees in front of him as the cliff side shook.

Naruto pointed all six of his crimson tail over his back toward his mouth as red and blue chakra shot out from his body from every angle.

The crimson red and sapphire blue orbs floated lazy into the air and slowly started gathering into a dark violet ball in front of Naruto's mouth.

Slowly it grew until all the chakra spheres were absorbed into the violet sphere.

The sphere shrank down to a tenth of its size and turned black.

.

Naruto unhinged his jaw and swallowed the sphere of condensed chakra. The ground around him cracked under his weight.

He looked forward in utter hatred and he stood up on his hind legs and threw his head back.

Light crackled and shined from between his jagged teeth and doomingily high pitched noise came from him.

He fell forward onto his hands and released a tremendous beam of violet chakra from his mouth.

The shockwave alone shattered every tree in front of him for a hundred feet.

The violet beam had points of white light shining off it like flickering stars as it moved at incredible speed into the forest obliterating anything in its path.

.

* * *

.

Roland was bounding from tree to tree with his two teammates close behind him we he heard a loud boom.

He looked behind him and saw red chakra swirling in the sky.

_"What the hell is that?" _He thought in shock.

He saw a violet light racing toward him just before the beam hit him and obliterated his body and everything around him for a kilometer in a red and white flash.

A red mushroom cloud towered into the air as rocks and shatter trees rained from the sky.

.

Yamato wrapped his arms around Hanabi and Sakura while they still were trying to heal Konohamaru.

"Brace yourselves!" He yelled as the shock wave from the explosion hit his barrier and the ground quaked.

The dust cloud and sheer wind pressure from the blast started to crack his wooden barrier and even took part of the top of it off.

The shockwave howled for what seemed like forever, but finally ceased after a long tense moment.

.

Birds from all over the wooded area took to the skies from the explosion.

Yamato lets go of them as Hanabi looked over to Sakura with a devastated face full of tears and asked desperately.

"Sakura-chan….What's happening?" Hanabi continued to cry and sob.

Sakura had tears of her own streaming down her face as he concentrated her healing power on Konohamaru.

She quietly said. "It's Naruto…"

.

Hanabi's eyes went wide in realization and shock.

She yanked her bloodied hands out from under Sakura's and ran out from under the barrier.

Yamoto tried to grab her but was too slow as Sakura yelled at her.

"Hanabi! Don't go near Naruto! Hanabi!"

.

Yamoto chased after her but she was already thirty feet away from him when she stopped.

She looked at his six tailed demonic form in horror for Naruto.

Naruto sat down on his hind legs and threw his head back as he released another ear splitting roar.

Fresh tears rolled down her face and she swallowed hard and sobbed.

.

"Naruto…No….Don't let that demon take control of you." She cried to him."Naruto!"

Naruto turned his head toward her and focused demonic crimson eyes on her.

She looked at him fearfully as Naruto flicked one of his flaming tails at her.

A streaking red hand shot out of it heading for Hanabi.

Yamoto stopped in his tracks and started going through hand signs.

_"It's moving too fast….I'm not going to make it…"_ He thought in horror.

.

Hanabi's look change to one of shocked surprise as the hand nearly the size of her raced toward her.

She raised her arms up in front of her face in defense seconds before impact.

The hand was almost too her when another flaming chakra hand shot out of Naruto.

The second hand moved much faster to the first and caught the first one just as it swiped at Hanabi.

The first hand still managed to graze her right forearm.

Hanabi fell to the ground clutching her arm as she curled up in a ball.

The place where the red chakra hand touched her skin boiled up in a second degree burn.

The first chakra hand squirmed in the grip of the second.

Yamoto looked that the hands in relief. _"Thank Kami! Naruto's fighting it…"_ He thought.

.

Naruto growled as the two hands struggle violently in the air near Hanabi.

**"No Naruto…I will not let you make that mistake."**

The Nine Tailed Foxes voice boomed out over the area as the second chakra hand crushed the first one.

.

Yamoto looked at Naruto in blank shock as the crimson chakra started submerging back into Naruto's body.

_"It-It was the Nine Tailed Fox that was stopping… Naruto?"_ Yamoto thought in disbelief.

Naruto's arms tensed up at his sides in pain as the red chakra went back into his body.

Naruto yelped from pain and fell over on his hands and panted. Most of his first layer of skin had been burned off.

One of his eyes was still crimson red while the other was brown. He struggled to his feet slowly.

When he righted himself Kyuubi's voice came again.

**"Take me to him…" **The voice echoed and reverberated across the landscape.

.

Naruto's left arm hung limp while his clawed right arm clutched his ribs.

"Why…Why do you want me to take you to him?" He strained to ask.

**"There is still time…Take me to him..." **Kyuubi said.

Naruto struggled to limp forward. Every breath of air burned in his lungs.

Yamoto watched him inch closer and closer to the wooded barrier were Konohamaru was.

Hanabi got to her feet and trembled until she caught sight of Naruto straining with every step.

.

"Naruto…" She said softly and then rushed over to him.

She put his clawed right arm over her shoulder and helped him over to Konohamaru where Sakura was trying to heal him with a grave look on her face.

They rounded the barrier with Yamoto behind them.

Sakura started crying while shaking her head as she pulled back her hands when Konohamaru's heart stopped trying to beat.

She flinched as Hanabi set him down near Konohamaru when she saw his crimson red eye.

.

Naruto looked completely drained as Kyuubi said. **"Open his Heartstring Chakra line…" **

Naruto held his hands over the wound in Konohamaru's chest with a sad look on his face. He struggled to do what Ruby asked of him.

_"This is normally so easy, but I'm in so much pain and I've got almost no chakra right now. His chakra is so faint…"_

He thought as he struggled to open his heart string chakra line.

.

Kyuubi chakra reached out of Naruto's hands and started drawing the blood back into Konohamaru's body.

Sakura looked at him in blank shock and said. "What are you doing Naruto…"

Naruto grabbed his clawed right hand with his normal left hand and shook as he strained.

Green chakra mixed with Kyuubi's red chakra and became a pale purple color.

The chakra entered Konohamaru's body as Naruto screamed in pain.

.

Sakura couldn't believe her eyes when the wound on Konohamaru heart closed and she saw it beating again just before the wound in his chest sealed.

The color started to return to Konohamaru's pale face as Naruto released his hold on the chakra.

Naruto panted hard a few times as everyone else started at him with blank looks.

He grabbed the broken side of the barrier and struggled to his feet.

He looked off into the sky as his vision became blurry from exhaustion.

"Why….Why did you help me?" He asked in lost sense of wonder.

Naruto felt Kyuubi's eyes on him from inside of him.

**.**

**"A life for a life Naruto…My debt to you is …repaid…" **Kyuubi said as Naruto's red eye faded back to brown.

Naruto swayed on his feet slightly. _**"I owe you nothing now Naruto…Keep training to fight me..."**_ Kyuubi said inside his head.

The world became fuzzy and then Naruto swooned and fell down.

.

Yamoto watched Naruto fall down with a blank look of horror as he thought. _"A life for a life?...Naruto….you didn't…" _

Sakura stared at him in disbelief as her voice quivered as she said. "Naruto…You couldn't have…You just couldn't have…"

More tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her face.

"NARUTO!" She screamed as she rushed over to him.

.


	30. Chapter 30: The Source of a Hokage's

**Chapter 30: The Source of a Hokage's Power**

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Author's notes

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Questions/reviews

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Last Chapter.

* * *

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"Why….Why did you help me?" He asked in lost sense of wonder.

Naruto felt Kyuubi's eyes on him from inside of him.

**.**

**"A life for a life Naruto…My debt to you is …repaid…" **Kyuubi said as Naruto's red eye faded back to brown.

Naruto swayed on his feet slightly. _**"I owe you nothing now Naruto…Keep training to fight me..."**_ Kyuubi said inside his head.

The world became fuzzy and then Naruto swooned and fell down.

.

Yamoto watched Naruto fall down with a blank look of horror as he thought. _"A life for a life?...Naruto….you didn't…" _

Sakura stared at him in disbelief as her voice quivered as she said. "Naruto…You couldn't have…You just couldn't have…"

More tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her face.

"NARUTO!" She screamed as she rushed over to him.

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Chapter Thirty: The Source of a Hokage's power.

* * *

.

Sakura wrapped her arms around Naruto's limp neck and pulled him in to her lap. She squeezed him tightly against her body as she wailed.

"Naruto…You didn't have to trade your life for Konohamaru's!" She cried and sobbed as Yamoto stared at Naruto in disbelief that he was gone.

Hanabi rushed over to them and wrapped her arms around Naruto and Sakura as she cried inconsolably.

For many long moments all they could do was cry while holding Naruto's body.

.

Hanabi heard a soft whoosh, but was too upset to notice it.

Sakura wailed. "I'm sooo sorry Naruto…"

Through her crying Hanabi heard again the soft whoosh.

Her teary face became slightly perplexed as yet again she heard the whoosh. He eyes suddenly went wide when she realized what it was.

.

"Sakura let him go." Hanabi said with a smiling look of disbelief.

"Naruto…" Sakura cried and clutched him tightly to her.

"Sakura let him go! He's alive! He's breathing!" She yelled at her.

Sakura cried for a moment longer until Hanabi's words finally hit her.

Her look went blank and she held Naruto by his shoulder out in front of her at arm's length as she stared at him hopefully.

She too heard the soft whoosh of his breath. She pressed him to her body again with all her might and said. "Thank Kami…Thank Kami you're alive!"

Hanabi tried to pry Sakura's grip away from him to no avail.

"Sakura let him go! He's still hurt!" Hanabi yelled at her.

.

* * *

.

Yamoto, Sakura and Hanabi sat around the crackling fire camp fire later that night on the windy cliff.

The destruction of the shattered trees of the forest sat behind them

Each of them held a steaming cup in their hands while watching the dancing flames in silence.

The sounds of a ninjas stealthfully and skillfully bounding through the forest reached Hanabi's ears and stopped at the parameter of the camp.

Hanabi never took her eyes off the fires flickering light. "Come on over Kakashi sensei." She said quietly.

.

Kakashi was crouched down in the forest near them.

"_That's Hanabi alright. I'm almost a hundred meters away and yet she sensed me with ease…just like Naruto. _

_That Toad Sage Chakra Perception is amazing."_ He thought.

Yamoto held a cup of coffee out to his side as he sat on a fallen log around the fire.

There was a flash of movement and Kakashi was standing next to him by the fire.

The cup of coffee steamed in the cold night air at his waist level.

He gazed around at them for a moment and said. "What's with all the gloomy faces and where are Naruto and Konohamaru."

Hanabi turned to Kakashi and quietly said. "A better question is why you are holding back Shikamaru, Choji and Ino when you already know who we are."

Kakashi wore a slightly proud look as he thought. "_That Toad Sage Chakra Perception is really amazing…"_

.

Kakashi held up his hand by his head and then tilted it forward. There was another blur of movement as three people kneeled down behind him.

A large man with a Anbu mask of a cow, a thinner figure with the mask of a fox and a shorter person with the mask of a rabbit.

"I think the time for deception is over…" Kakashi said as they removed there masks.

Ino removed her rabbit mask and sat next to Sakura while Shikamaru sat on the empty log to the east with his back to the cliffs.

Choji was walking up behind Hanabi as he thought.

_"That is it…that weapon that is hung horizontally on her hip… That is Leaf Village's most famous sword. _

_The sword of the fourth Hokage, The Flying Thunder God. _

_To be in the hands of such a small girl in her teens, yet be so protected… _

_The one that underestimates Naruto's Disciple and tries to take that sword from her…will meet their death from it"._

Choji walked over and sat on the log next to Hanabi and took off his cow mask.

.

Kakashi took the cup of coffee from Yamoto and sat down next to him.

"Ok, out with it. What happened?" Kakashi asked.

"Well you see sempi, Konohamaru was gravely hurt and Naruto entered a Jinchuuriki." Kakashi gave him a worried look as he took a seat next to him.

"How many tails came out?" He asked intently.

Yamoto stared into the flames of the dancing fire and said. "Six."

Kakashi turned to Sakura and asked. "How badly are Naruto and Konohamaru hurt? Also what is the status of your mission?"

Sakura looked over to him in a lost manner and said. "Konohamaru's heart was nearly cut in two. He almost died-"

Kakashi looked at her in shock and asked. "How did you heal that kind of wound Sakura? Even Tsunade wouldn't have been able to do it."

She gave him a meek look and said. "I-I didn't heal him….Naruto and The Nine Tailed Fox did."

.

"Wait, what do you mean 'and The Nine Tailed Fox'?" Kakashi asked slowly.

Sakura swallowed hard and said. "It's just as I said. After Naruto and Kyuubi healed him Naruto asked the fox why it had helped him."

Kakashi's eye narrowed at her and said. "And? What did it say?"

Sakura looked down and said. "'A life for a life…my debt to you is repaid.'"

Kakashi looked at her in thought for a long moment. "How is he?"

"Hanabi and I healed him and he is sleeping soundly next to Konohamaru in the tent.

Neither of them have woken up since the fight." Sakura said hollowly.

"I think you better give me the full story Sakura." Kakashi said seriously.

Sakura and Hanabi recounted the entire story to him.

.

"So Konohamaru got stabbed, Hanabi killed the ninja and the rest fled.

Naruto entered hit six tails Jinchuuriki, vaporized them rest of them and then he and the fox healed Konohamaru?

That about the jest of it?" Kakashi said.

"That seems to be it sempi." Yamoto said.

"This is exactly what the Hokage feared might happen." Kakashi said.

Yamoto nodded his head slowly and said. "That certainly explains her actions of sending me and you with a squad here for back up."

Kakashi looked from Hanabi's gloomy look to Sakura's.

.

"You two should stop worrying about Naruto. I don't think the fox was talking about Naruto's life for Konohamaru's."

Hanabi looked over to him with a emotionally drained look and asked. "How can you be so sure?"

Shikamaru nodded his head as he said. "Because if the fox could have taken Naruto's life, it would have done it a long time ago."

"Always the sharp one Shikamaru, but that was not entirely what I was thinking. I was thinking about the fight he had that ended the Fourth Great Ninja war."

He told him suggestively.

.

Hanabi set her drink down and said in a tire tone. "Don't bother trying to hide it. I already know all about his fight with Madara."

"Hmm so he did tell you then." Kakashi said curiously.

"Yes, he did. I am his Disciple after all." She replied while watching the fire.

"Then you know the Kyuubi is likely the only tailed beast left. Naruto resealing it inside him effectively saved both their lives.

The fox could have been talking about that when it said 'A life for a life."' Kakashi speculated.

Choji looked over at Kakashi. "Why would a hateful demon honor a life debt?"

.

Sakura winced as Hanabi turned to Choji and said.

"It's not very smart to talk that way about Kyuubi right after it saved Konohamaru's life."

"That's true. When I slipped up and said something like that, Naruto bit my head off.

He doesn't like it when others speak ill of the fox anymore." Sakura said.

"That's all the more reason why the fox might honor a debt of that kind." Kakashi said knowingly.

Shikamaru asked. "What about the scrolls? Were you able to recover any of them?"

Sakura shook her head. "They were obliterated most likely."

.

Shikamaru stood up and said. "That doesn't change our part of the mission. Ino, Choji, we are off to the Land of Lightning to report to the Raikage."

Ino gave him a tired look as Choji rubbed his stomach and said.

"Can't we at least stay long enough to get something to eat? I smell some tasty pork."

"No Choji. We need to report to him as soon as possible." Shikamaru said firmly.

Choji stood up and looked down in disappointment.

Sakura shook her head and said. "Actually we have too much already. I've got some packed away you guys can take with you."

.

Ino, Choji and Shikamaru left shortly afterwards.

Yamoto turned to Kakashi and said. "What now, sempi?"

Kakashi said. "That's up to Sakura. She is the leader of the squad until Naruto wakes up.

She's also the only doctor here so we really can't head back until she thinks it's safe to move them."

Sakura gazed at the fire. "Then we can move out tomorrow morning most likely. I'd like to let them rest though the night at the very least.

Maybe in the morning they will awake up." She said clearly trying to hide her doubt.

Kakashi nodded quietly and then said. "Why don't you two get some sleep? We will take watch tonight. You two have already had a trying day."

Sakura looked like she was going to refute him, but then stood up and said. "Thank you. I think we will."

She and Hanabi headed off to the tents.

.

* * *

.

Five days later Hanabi was sitting in a chair between Naruto and Konohamaru's Hospital beds.

Tsunade walked into the room and took their medical charts off the table.

"Any change in them." She asked while going over the papers.

Hanabi looked at her sadly and shook her head.

"You know you don't need to sit up here. I'll send someone to you the moment one of them wakes up." She said.

Hanabi shook her head and said. "No, I want to be here when they wake up.

How much longer do you think it will be Hokage-sama?"

.

Tsunade sighed deeply and sat down at the foot of Naruto's hospital bed.

"I've told you already. Konohamaru is in a coma from shock, I don't know how long he will sleep.

Naruto's wounds are healing faster every day.

It's likely the Kyuubi used up its healing powers on Konohamaru and that's why it's taking Naruto so long to recover." She said.

Hanabi looked down sadly as she grabbed her elbows and said.

"It-It's just the wait is killing me. The longer they sleep the more I fear that they will never wake up."

Tsunade gave her a understanding look and said.

"That's why I told you that you should go home. Sitting up here worrying isn't going to help them or you."

.

"That is true Hanabi." Kakashi said as he walked in rubbing his shoulder.

"Came to check up on him?" Tsunade asked.

Kakashi gave her a tired look and said. "Yes, seeing as how I stayed up all night finishing my paper work.

I figured I'd check up on them before I got something to eat and went to bed. I see they are still out like a light."

Hanabi nodded to him.

.

Kakashi scratched his chin in thought as he said.

"You know this is normally just Naruto's breaking point for going without ramen. Say Hanabi, when was the last time you ate?"

She shrugged her shoulders with her thoughts far away.

"I don't remember. I've kind of lost my appetite when we got back." She said quietly and honestly.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head. "Hanabi I bet the last time you ate was at breakfast yesterday.

We don't need you joining them in a hospital bed."

.

He said and then tossed her a blue clip together pouch.

She gave him a confused look and asked. "What's this?"

Kakashi gave her a knowing smile and said. "It's my wallet. I'd like you to go get ramen at Ichiraku on me and bring it back here.

If Naruto and Konohamaru aren't awake by then we will eat the ramen for lunch. If they do wake up then we will not have a choice but to give it to them."

Hanabi gave her a weak hopeful smile and said. "I guess we can try that. Lord knows neither of them has ever passed up ramen before."

Kakashi nodded at her as she took the wallet and left.

.

As soon as she left the room Kakashi's look became serious. He turned to Tsunade and asked. "How is the seal?"

She looked at the floor unable to meet his gaze and said. "Only two prongs of the seal are left…"

"I feared as much. Naruto entering a Jinchuuriki state ate up the seal at a faster pace.

How much longer do you think he has before it breaks?" Kakashi asked carefully.

Tsunade continued to look at the floor and sadly said. "Realistically, two months if he doesn't go into a Jinchuuriki state again."

"That little huh?" He said and then signed.

"Have you come up with anything else on how to deal with this when the time comes?"

.

She shook her head that the floor and said.

"No, but I have moved three S class criminals that are to receive the death sentence to our local holding cells just in case."

"You really plan to go through with that? I still say it's kind of a cruel thing to do to someone." He asked her.

"You didn't honestly think I wouldn't give them a choice I hope. I've already talked to them. I'm not a monster.

Two of them still hold loyalties to the leaf and have agreed to willing become Kyuubi's death host.

I haven't told them yet, but if I am forced to take this course of action.

I will pardon the other one that did not get selected and pay the family of the one that did a sum of money.

The one that dies to kill Kyuubi will be listed a hero of the Leaf."

Kakashi nodded his head and said. "That seems to always be a thing with heroes…They almost always die to become one."

.

* * *

.

It was just after noon when Hanabi arrived at Ichiraku's Ramen stand.

The sounds of boiling water and the smells of chicken stock, eggs and pork hung thick in the air.

Hanabi took a seat on one of the six red stools in front of the bar and waited.

Teuchi Came up with his note pad in hand a moment later and asked. "What will you have today Lady Hanabi?"

Hanabi gave him a meek smile and said. "Four bowls of miso ramen."

"You seem worried Hanabi?" Teuchi said. "Did Naruto overdo it during training again?"

She looked down sadly and said. "No that's not it…He's in the hospital.

We had a very hard mission and he has been asleep since we got back."

He gave her a knowing smile and said. "Don't worry about it too much.

Naruto always bounces back in the end. This isn't the first time he's been in the hospital."

She gave him a slight smile as he turned around and starting working on her order.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi carried the four lidded bowls up to Naruto and Konohamaru's hospital room.

The two Anbu guards flanking the door bowed slightly and open the door for her.

Kakashi and Tsunade were looking out the window as they talked.

"-western trade route would be ideal for them…" Kakashi said to Tsunade and then turned to look opening door.

"Hello Hanabi. I take it you are back with lunch."

.

"Umm…yes I am." She said quietly and then asked. "Do you really think this has a chance of working?"

Kakashi tilted his head at her and said. "This is Naruto we are talking about. Normal ways never seem to do it for him."

Tsunade sighed and said. "That and he is immune to a great variety of medicines.

I could give him a lethal dose of uppers and he would probably snore through it.

He is certainly one of my harder patients to treat."

.

Hanabi placed the ornate bowls with Ichiraku's symbol on them in the between their beds.

She said down on Naruto's bed and picked up one of the bowls.

She carefully removed the lid and a lazy lap of steam trailed into the air.

Naruto's nostrils flared slightly. Reserved hopefulness shined in her eyes as she slowly lowered her head down to the steaming bowl.

She blew the steam softly into Naruto's face. Naruto's stomach growled loudly as Kakashi gave Tsunade a knowing look.

Hanabi curled her silky hair behind her ear and blew on the ramen again.

Hanabi suddenly fell onto the floor on her rear with a loud thud.

She looked around in annoyance wondering how she had managed to fall off the bed.

All she could hear was high speed slurping as she struggled to raise herself.

.

She used the edge of the bed to right herself and saw Naruto franticly shoving ramen into his mouth as fast as he could.

He ate at his revolting and inhuman pace unaware of his surroundings.

He started to choke from eating too fast and pounded on his chest before swallowing hard.

Hanabi reached for him with tears of happiness in her eyes as relief washed over her. "Naruto…" She said.

Kakashi grabbed her arms and stopped her.

"Ok you love sick Sage. You don't need to try that if you want to keep your arms intact." He warned her sternly.

Hanabi face went slack and then her eyes went slightly wide as she took heed of his obvious advice.

.

Tsunade rolled her eyes as she handed him the next bowl of ramen.

The empty ornate blow clattered to the floor as he took the next one from her and continued eating.

Hanabi desperately looked at him and said. "Naruto…Naruto are you ok…?"

Naruto peered over at her and in between slurps of ramen he said.

"I had the most ….horrible nightmare… I was _So_ hungry and… I was eating ramen at Ichiraku's … But no matter how much I ate I just got hungrier."

.

Naruto tipped up the second bowl and drank the broth in loud gulps.

He powered through the next bowl without talking before he said. "I ran out of money and kept having to borrow it from my friends.

I kept eating and eating but never got full. Soon none of my friends would loan me any money for food any more.

I was wasting away crawling on the ground in the streets." Naruto said sadly and then stars shined in his eyes as he smiled brightly.

"I thought I was going to starve to death when a golden ray of light shot out of the sky in front of me and the most delish smelling ramen floated down from the clouds.

It was like Kami himself sent it to me."

.

Kakashi gave him an odd reserved look and said. "That certainly sounds like something Naruto would dream about…"

Tsunade put her face in her hand and shook her head in disbelief. "Yes, it does Kakashi."

Konohamaru sat up and yawned. He smacked lips a few times and then sniffed the air in a half asleep manor.

With his blurry vision he looked over at them and said hopefully.

"Did I hear someone say ramen?" His stomach growled loudly as he peered around and caught sight of Naruto opening the fourth bowl of ramen.

His eyes drifted around the room and from empty bowls on the floor and no other ramen in the room his eyes shot wide open with realization.

He instantly jumped to his feet and pointed a angry, quivering finger at Naruto. "HEY, WHERE IS MY LUNCH!" He yelled at him in offense.

Naruto's eyes narrowed at him and then he started inhaling the last bowl of ramen at near supersonic speed.

Konohamaru scowled at him and yelled. "OH NO YOU DON'T!"

.

* * *

.

Sakura and Hinata were both walking down a hospital hall with to-go bowls of ramen in their hands talking.

"You think he will really be awake?" Hinata asked her worriedly.

Sakura shrugged slightly sad and said.

"Who knows, they certainly can't sleep forever and this has never failed to wake Naruto up when he has been out in the hospital for a few days."

Hinata eyed her reactions carefully and asked. "How did they get hurt?"

.

Sakura looked down as they walked and said.

"I want to tell you Hinata, I really do, but I can't.

Tsunade sealed the information on our mission so I'm not allowed to speak about it."

She nodded her head accepting her answer and then after a long moment she asked.

"How badly were they hurt? Can you at least tell me that?"

.

Sakura winced and looked away. "Well, I've seen Naruto in worst shape, but Konohamaru on the other hand…." She trailed off.

Hinata gave her a pleading look and desperately asked. "But Konohamaru on the other hand what?"

"He-he nearly di-" She started to say but they suddenly heard a loud bang then a clatter then a bong as a bed pan rolled out into the hall way from a hospital room down the hall.

Loud arguing could be heard emanating down the hall from the room.

Sakura bit her lips together and swallowed hard trying to force back her emotions.

.

"That sounds like Naruto and Konohamaru." Hinata said softly as they turned to look at each other.

They quicken their pace until they reached the door way of the room flanked by two Anbu guards.

Another loud bang sounded as they looked inside the room as one of the hospital beds fell over.

Naruto had Konohamaru in a head lock that went around his face while Konohamaru was biting him like an angry dog.

Hanabi was emotionally watching them with relief.

Kakashi had already pulled out his make out paradise book and was reading away completely ignoring what was going on in front of him.

Tsunade had her fists clinched by her sides and her forehead vein was bulging dangerously.

.

Konohamaru muffled voice said through his biting. "Then hand it over! You're supposed to treat your student after a mission and I'm starving!"

Tsunade snapped and yelled at them. "NARUTO, KONOHAMARU STOP THIS AT ONCE!"

They flinched slightly and then Naruto let Konohamaru go and they both turned to her.

"We were worried you might never wake up and when you do you both start acting like children over a bowl of ramen that Kakashi ate while you were fighting!"

Konohamaru looked at her like the world had ended.

"What?...You mean…its already gone?" Konohamaru said with a river of tears flowing out of each of his eyes.

Naruto eyes narrowed at his sensei.

.

"You two know better than to fight here, it's a hospital not a training ground!" She scolded them.

Konohamaru and Naruto looked down apologetically and Konohamaru said. "Sorry Miss Hokage."

"Sorry Tsunade-sama." Naruto said.

"Good, now both of you get back in bed. I still need to examine you two now that you are awake." She said in a final tone as Hanabi rushed over to them.

She wrapped a arm around each of their necks and crushed them together in a fierce hug.

.

"I'm so glad….I was so worried." She said with tears in her eyes.

Naruto and Konohamaru were choking for air and struggling to free themselves from her powerful grip to no avail.

Tsunade shot Hanabi a stern look and said. "Hanabi, let them go. They are still injured!"

"Thank Kami you two are alive…" Hanabi said oblivious to Tsunade's words.

The Hokage sighed and went over to them. She forcibly removed Hanabi arms from around Konohamaru and Naruto.

Naruto and Konohamaru were leaning on their knees gasping for breath.

.

Hinata and Sakura were awkwardly standing at the door with strained looks on their faces while holding to-go ramen.

"Is this a bad time?" Hinata said in a reserved manor.

Konohamaru and Naruto turned around and both of them smiled with stars in their eyes.

"RAMEN!" They both said and then Tsunade bashed their heads together.

They crumpled to the floor out cold as Tsunade turned to them.

"No, I guess it isn't now that I've shut them up." She said in annoyance.

.

* * *

.

A hour later Naruto groggily awoke and looked around the room.

Konohamaru was sitting up in bed looking sourly down at a dish of square red gelatin with his arms crossed.

Hanabi and Sakura were sitting at a small table talking.

"Hmm…" He said sleepily and then he looked franticly around the room. "Hey what happened to the ramen?"

Konohamaru looked over at him angrily and said. "Tsunade gave it to the staff and put us on a liquid diet. Hope you like cherry because this is all we get."

He pointed to the dish in his lap.

.

Naruto sighed as he fell back down on his pillow. "That figures. I bet she was really pissed if she did that."

Hanabi smiled at Naruto as Sakura said. "She wasn't exactly happy when the both of you returned in a coma. Fighting at the hospital didn't help either."

Naruto rolled his eyes and said. "I know, I know already…"

Sakura patted Hanabi on the shoulder and then stood up. "I need to go let her know you two are awake. I'll be back shortly."

She turned and walked out of the room as Hanabi walked over to Naruto.

Hanabi grabbed Naruto hand. Naruto saw her forearm was bandaged and remember what he had done in a berserking rage.

.

Flash back.

* * *

.

Hanabi's eyes went wide in realization and shock. She yanked her bloodied hands out from under Sakura's and ran out from under the barrier.

Yamoto tried to grab her but was too slow as Sakura yelled at her.

"Hanabi! Don't go near Naruto! Hanabi!"

Yamoto chased after her but she was already thirty feet away from him when she stopped.

She looked at his six tailed demonic form in horror for Naruto.

.

Naruto sat down on his hind legs and threw his head back as he released another ear splitting roar.

Fresh tears rolled down her face and he swallowed hard and sobbed.

"Naruto…No….Don't let that demon take control of you." She cried to him."Naruto!"

Naruto turned his head toward her and focused demonic crimson eyes on her.

She looked at him fearfully as Naruto flicked one of his flaming tails at her.

A streaking red hand shot out of it heading for Hanabi.

Yamoto stopped in his tracks and started going through hand signs.

_"It's moving too fast….I'm not going to make it…"_ He thought in horror.

.

Hanabi's look change to one of shocked surprise as the hand nearly the size of her raced toward her. She raised her arms up in front of her face in defense.

The hand was almost to her when another flaming chakra hand shot out of Naruto.

The second hand moved much faster to the first and caught the first one just as it swiped at Hanabi.

The first hand still managed to graze her right forearm.

Hanabi fell to the ground clutching her arm as she curled up in a ball.

The place where the red chakra hand touched her skin boiled up in a second degree burn.

.

* * *

End of flash back.

.

Naruto looked away sadly unable to meet her gaze.

Hanabi suddenly realized his pain and quickly drew back her right arm.

She placed her right hand on his and said.

"Master…it's just a scratch. It is nothing for you to worry about. Really I'm fine." She tried to comfort him.

Naruto sat up and turned his back to her as the stared at the wall.

_._

_"I can't believe it happened again… First to Sakura then to Hanabi…Why do I always end up hurting those I care for the most…"_ He thought sadly.

Hanabi sighed and stepped away from the bed.

"Naruto it's not a big deal, but if you start pulling away I will make you sorry." She warned him as the door to the room creaked open.

Sakura and Tsunade entered.

"He just woke up lady Tsunade." Sakura said as they headed over to Naruto.

.

Tsunade still looked slightly mad at him but was keeping it in check. She forced him to turn around and did a physical examination on him.

"You seem to be mostly recovered, but I'm not clearing you to leave yet." She said as he put his shirt back on.

"How's Konohamaru?" He asked her while looking at the floor.

She said with a hint of annoyance. "I'm not sure. He is recovering well, but I want him to stay here for at least a week.

There aren't even records of someone surviving a wound like he sustained. We are being careful just in case."

Naruto nodded silently while sitting on the bed as she reached out and started healing the bruise on his head from being bashed into Konohamaru.

Her annoyed looked softened as she healed him. She drew her hand back and said. "I want you to stand up slowly Naruto."

Naruto rose to his feet but still didn't look up. "Are you dizzy?" Tsunade asked him.

He silently shook his head.

.

"Good. Now follow me. We need to talk in private." She said while sending Konohamaru and Hanabi and warning look.

She looked at Sakura and said. "Do a examination on Konohamaru. I want a full report when I get back.

If either Hanabi or Konohamaru tries to leave you have my permission to send them to the first floor the '_hard way'_."

Konohamaru suddenly got a metal image of Sakura hitting him through the floor with a thunderous punch and gulped loudly in fear.

Tsunade grabbed Naruto's arm and led him out of the room. The Anbu closed the door behind them.

.

* * *

.

A few moments later they arrived at a door on the top floor of the hospital. Tsunade took out a silver key and unlocked the door.

Inside the small room was a bookshelf on both side walls crammed with messy scrolls and medical books.

In the center of the room was a desk with more medical charts and scrolls scattered on it in disarray.

There were two small chairs in front of it and a large black leather chair behind it.

On the walls were various medical posters of the human circulatory system and digestive system.

High on the back wall were three pictures. The first was Sakura then was Tsunade and the last picture was of Ino.

At the bottom of each of the pictures was a shiny decorative plate with their medical titles.

Tsunade held the door open and motioned Naruto with a open palm to take a seat.

Naruto look at the floor gloomily and sat down in one of the uncomfortable tan chairs.

Tsunade closed the door with metallic click and put up a privacy seal.

She took her seat behind the desk with a grave expression and asked.

"I need you to debrief me on your mission. I need to know everything you can remember."

.

Naruto raised his head and looked not at her but through her.

He was silent for many moments as the memories surfaced in his mind of the events of their horrible encounter.

He took in a slow deep breath and said. "After the first day of travel we broke camp near the northern board of the land of fire.

I went over the intel with everyone that night and we decided to head for the western board of the Land of Waterfalls.

We waited for a few days and I was starting to wonder if I had made the wrong choice when one of the rogue Anbu shot out of the nearby forest.

I-I didn't even have time to react.

By the time I turned to where I heard the noise, all I saw was a headless corpse falling to the ground and a sword sticking though Konohamaru's chest."

.

Naruto's anger rose as he slammed his fist on the desk and said. "How….How could they have gotten through our guard undetected?

How could I not have sensed them? I'm a Toad sage for crying out loud!" The frustration of his failure showed on his face.

Kakashi was kneeling just behind the desk looking at the books in the shelf.

He selected one and then stood up and turned to Naruto as he thumbed through its pages.

"It's a technique developed in the Third Great Ninja war." He said.

Tsunade scowled at him and said. "Hatake! What are you doing in my medical office?"

.

Kakashi looked around innocently and then smiled as he pointed to the book in his up held hand.

"I was looking for your naughty books." He said brightly.

Naruto was unphased while Tsunade's forehead vein bulged slightly.

"I'm not a pervert like you! I don't have any 'Naughty books'!" She said angrily at him.

Kakashi raised his eye brow curiously at her and turned the book he was reading around. "Oh really?..."

Tsunade rolled her eyes in annoyance and read the part of the book he was showing to her.

She shot him a flat and tired look as she said. "That isn't a dirty book…It's a infant parenting book on breast feeding…"

.

Kakashi nodded his head as he turned the book back around and looked at it.

"Still…look at the knockers on that lady." He said and then whistled.

He then looked over at Naruto to gage his reaction seriously.

Naruto was looking ahead of him at the wall with clinched fists.

"Cut the antics and tell me how they fooled my Chakra Sensory Perception." He said coldly.

"I thought nothing could fool them. That's what the elders said."

.

Kakashi eyed him carefully and said.

"Think Naruto. These guys were not amateurs.

Any one of them had more combat experience then you and your entire team combined.

You know how the Toad Sage perception skill works right? Then how would you fool it?"

Naruto's anger faded as he turned his eyes to Kakashi and sadly said. "I don't know…That's why I'm asking you."

Kakashi sighed and said. "You know more about it than me Naruto, but you basically track someone else by their chakra right?"

.

"Yes, there is chakra in every living thing. So what were they dead or something?" He asked.

Kakashi shook his head and said. "No Naruto. They were not dead.

A Toad Sage isn't the only type of ninja that can track someone by their chakra.

Albeit, not to the extremes of a Toad Sage where you can even tell your preys chakra levels and even their thoughts to a degree.

Truth be told most trackers track their foes by their chakra. So what would you do to make it harder on a tracker?"

.

Naruto rubbed his chin in thought and said.

"Well of course I'd lower my chakra levels, but that's pointless to most good trackers.

Well unless you were practically at chakra exhaustion."

Kakashi smiled at him and said. "Very good Naruto."

Naruto looked at him in blank surprise and said. "Wait you mean they burned off almost all their chakra? But how and why?"

.

"That is simple. I've already read Sakura's report on your mission.

They could have made it to the Land of earth in four days, yet it took them almost a week.

They had effectively thrown off any pursuer from their own county yet they still moved slowly,…carefully.

Like a Anbu squad on a S rank intel mission.

They didn't rush to the border. They moved slowly and covered their tracks because they kept their chakra levels so low.

While using this method makes you much harder to track it also has a huge risk.

Should you be confronted you will not have the chakra you need to defend yourself.

This explains why they all didn't attack. Recia alone attacked as a silver horse." He said knowingly.

.

Naruto gave him a confused look and asked. "A silver horse?"

Kakashi sighed and said. "I guess sacrificial pawn is a better term."

Naruto said. "Wait a minute…If these guys were so great with their teamwork why would they send one of their team members to death? It doesn't make sense."

.

Kakashi shook his head in disappointment at him. "You fail to realize the big picture.

They didn't have the chakra to face you and they couldn't risk you following.

So one of them took the risk for the rest of the squad.

Recia dealt Konohamaru a fatal blow to give her teammates a chance to escape.

What would you have done in their shoes if you were near chakra exhaustion and you sensed a ninja watching for you with chakra levels higher than your Kage?

To say nothing of the fact that you, Hanabi and Konohamaru wear uniforms with your Sage clan symbols on them.

The only real question is why they attacked Konohamaru and not Sakura." He said in thought.

.

He gave him a confused look and said. "What do you mean?"

Kakashi eyed him carefully and said. "I've been on missions not unlike theirs many times.

They almost certainly knew exactly who you were.

There are statues of you erected in almost all the larger villages since you stopped the Fourth Great Ninja War.

She certainly wouldn't have attacked you to stall for time. Hanabi was dressed in nearly the same uniform.

It would have been logical to assume she was the second strongest as she is clearly your student.

Konohamaru shows the Monkey Clan symbol boldly on his uniform and that marks him as a Sage as well.

If I was in her place I would have attacked Sakura, yet she didn't. Why do you think that is?"

Naruto looked down I thought for a long moment and then looked back up to Kakashi.

"Because they knew she was Tsunade's disciple?"

.

Kakashi smiled at him and said. "Correct Naruto.

They knew who Sakura was. She perceived Konohamaru, even though he was a Sage, as the weakest link and attacked him.

Also he let his guard down creating an opening for attack."

Tsunade turned around an open file on her desk and said.

"This might also explain why she attacked Konohamaru. We did an autopsy on her body and found out she was terminally ill.

She likely only had a few weeks until it killed her."

.

Kakashi walked over and picked up a picture of Recia's decapitated body and admired it for a moment.

"Such a precise cut, albeit a little flash and extreme, but I was right about her.

She would make an excellent Anbu for assassinations." He said aloud in through.

Naruto shook his head and said. "Don't even think about it Kakashi sensei.

She's a heiress, her Clan wouldn't allow that, neither would I."

Kakashi sighed and said. "I know, it was just wishful thinking."

.

Tsunade folded her hands together on the desk and slow asked. "Naruto do you remember anything else?"

Naruto looked up with a empty expression on his face and then looked back down. He shrugged and said.

"I remember everything looking red and the next thing I remember is trying to heal Konohamaru."

He grabbed his head while struggling to remember what happened next.

"The last thing I can remember is everything getting blurry and Sakura screaming my name."

.

Tsunade and Kakashi looked back and forth at each other.

Tsunade turned back to look at Naruto for a long moment in indecision.

Tsunade quietly said. "Do the words 'A life for a life, my debt to you is repaid' mean anything to you?"

Naruto's eyes went wide with realization and he said. "I remember…I remember that.

Kyuubi said that after helping me heal Konohamaru….Wait…I tried to hurt Hanabi and the fox stopped me…"

Naruto stared down at the floor sadly in thought.

.

After a long moment Kakashi said. "I know you are going to tear yourself up about that, but you aren't totally to blame.

Hanabi was warned multiple times about your fox cloak state and she was told to stay away.

She lost her cool and ran for you when she was told not to. She is even more at fault than you."

.

Naruto continued to look down with a lost look on his face. Tsunade gave him an understanding look and said.

"I'm confining you to the village for now. I will not be sending Squad Seven out on any missions for the time being."

Naruto distantly said. "Yes…"

"I want you to rest here at the hospital for awhile longer. You can go back to your room." She said.

Naruto stood up slowly and left the room with is mind deep in his sad thoughts.

.

When the door closed Tsunade asked Kakashi. "Well what did you think?"

"He is as hard to read as ever. He didn't get annoyed at my joke and he didn't get mad when I probed at him. He only got mad at himself.

He is definitely not his normal self, that is for sure."

Tsunade nodded her head in thought and said. "Yes, the seal weakening is affecting him. We need to talk to Hanabi about this."

.

Kakashi said. "Yes we do. She doesn't understand what Naruto is going through.

Naruto is going to want to pull back and think out his problems alone like any man would do.

Hanabi being a girl would confide in someone she trusts and talk out her problems.

So she will try to get Naruto to talk to her and not give him the time he needs to sort everything out."

Tsunade gave him a tired look and said. "That is not really what I was talking about Hatake.

I was referring to Hanabi trying to go to Naruto when he was in a Jinchuuriki state."

.

"Hmm she's kind of hard headed just like Sakura was.

Sakura also had to learn to stay away from Naruto when he enters that state the hard way.

I doubt she well ever do that again. Have you done a physic evaluation on her yet?" Kakashi asked.

Tsunade said. "No, not yet. She has been too worried about Konohamaru and Naruto for that.

I'm sure she wants to speak to them before her evaluation.

There is no rush on that since they aren't going out on any mission any time soon."

.

Kakashi raised a eyebrow at her and asked. "Any news from the Raikage?"

Tsunade nodded her head and said. "Yes, it arrived this morning.

He was sorry that we didn't recover the scroll, but he considered the mission to be a success.

He agreed to pay the full amount, but I'm sending part of the money back.

They only completed half of the mission so I'm only accepting half the money as payment."

"Seven million yen, that is a lot of money. Naruto's cut alone would be two million if you used the standard pay scale.

He could retire on that, not that he ever would. I wonder what he will do with it though." Kakashi said in thought.

.

"Hmph he'll do what he always does with money. He'll horde it and use it sparingly." Tsunade said knowingly.

"More importantly is what Konohamaru will do with his share. Hanabi will probably just hand her share over to her clan.

Sakura is pretty good with money already, but Konohamaru hasn't always been wise with his money."

Kakashi said. "He is young, we can't protect him from mistakes young people make."

.

Tsunade look became serious and said. "There is something else we need to discuss…"

Kakashi nodded at her knowingly and said. "Naruto's relationship with The Nine Tailed Fox."

"What do you think about it?" She asked.

"I think he's on much better terms with the fox than we thought." He said.

Tsunade looked at the door for a long moment in thought before she said to herself.

"Naruto just what are you up to…"

.

* * *

.

It was nearly dusk when there was a knock on the door.

Konohamaru was snoring in his hospital bed while Hanabi sat at the table reading a scroll.

Naruto was sitting up in his bed with a scroll in his lap staring at it with distant eyes.

Naruto never moved as Hanabi went to answer the door.

"Yes?" She said through the door.

"Lady Hinata is here to see you all." The Anbu guard said.

Hanabi looked over at Naruto's blank face then to Konohamaru sleeping back side.

She turned back to the door and said. "Send her in."

.

The door creaked open and Hanabi said respectfully. "Hello sister."

"Hello Hanabi. I came to check up on everyone."

She said as Hanabi motioned her over to the table with two chairs in the far corner of the room.

They sat down as Hinata looked over at the two beds.

"Father sent me to make sure you were doing well. He was very worried about you when you left." Hinata said.

Hanabi gave her a knowing smile and said. "I'm sure that's not the only reason you came here…"

Hinata tried to cover her smile with her hand shyly and said."Hmm I didn't say it was my only reason…How is he?"

.

Hanabi rolled her eyes and sighed. "He's been as annoying as ever.

He has been complaining since he woke up that he's bored. He just went to sleep an hour ago."

Hinata laughed softly and then said. "You seem to be thankful for the quiet time."

Hanabi's smile faded as she looked down at the table. "Well not completely…" She said suggestively.

Hinata continued to smile at her and said. "Let me guess, Naruto made a mistake and he's clamming up refusing to talk?"

Hanabi gave her sister a slightly surprised look and said. "How did you know that?"

"Because it's Naruto. I watched him since we were kids. I know how he reacts to mistakes.

Don't worry about it too much. Just give him time and he'll be back to his old self in no time." She said kindly.

.

"I guess I forgot that you stalked him most of your life.

It's no wonder you know that, now that I think about it." She said with a knowing smile.

Hinata's eyes narrowed at her. "I _watched_ him, not stalked him." She said firmly.

Hanabi put her hands up in front of her in playful defense and said. "Ok, ok have it your way."

Hinata eyed Hanabi's face carefully for a moment. "You look a bit worn out sister. Have you been eating right?"

Hanabi sighed and said. "You sound like the Hokage and Kakashi sensei.

I just haven't been sleeping much because I've been worried about them." She gestured toward the beds.

Hinata nodded her head in agreement and said. "I know how you feel.

I can't count the number of times I sat by his hospital bed while he was recovering from over doing it in training."

.

"Hey Hinata…" She said and Hinata looked at her. "Thanks I needed that."

Hinata smiled and said. "I know…Say you want to go get something to eat? The hospital food isn't very good here."

Hanabi looked around in indecision.

Hinata leaned over and got right up to her ear. She whispered. "I told you he needs time alone…"

Hanabi gave her a weak smile and said. "I guess you're right."

She stood up and walked over to Naruto. He was still staring blankly at the scroll in his lap oblivious to everything around him.

She put her hand on his shoulder and said. "Master I'm going out with Hinata to get dinner. I'll be back in an hour or so."

Naruto hollowly said. "Ok…"

.

Hanabi gave him a pained look and then turned around.

"I told you not to worry sister." Hinata said.

She walked over to the door with her and said. "I can't help it sometimes."

She opened the door and Hanabi followed.

She let the guard know she would be going out for while and then walked down the hall with her sister.

.

As they walked Hinata asked Hanabi. "You know I've been wondering about something."

Hanabi said. "And what might that be?"

"Isn't it kind of weird calling your boyfriend master all the time?" Hinata asked.

Hanabi shot her a flat look of annoyance and said. "Pervert…"

Hinata looked changed to a genuine look so of surprise and said. "I was being serious!"

Hanabi sighed and said. "Konohamaru asked me that same question you know. The answer is no. He is my master.

You have seen the kinds of things he can do. It would be wrong of me to not refer to him as master."

Hinata chuckled softly and said. "It would be weird to me. I guess you have grown up quite a bit during you time with him.

I could have never handled Sage training for fourteen hours a day every day. Yet you did. I think you were fated to become the Heiress over me."

Hanabi smiled and said. "You make your own fate sister."

.

* * *

.

Night had fallen on a cloudy sky as Naruto moved silently through the streets.

He walked up to a modest white house with red trim with a distant look on his face.

Just as he reached the door Sasuke opened the door in his white robes and a bandage over his sightless eye sockets.

"Hello Naruto. Please come in, Sakura has already told me all about your mission."

Naruto never looked at him and walked by as he closed the door and took a seat.

Sasuke turned around and went into the kitchen.

He came back with steaming tea and placed a cup in front of Naruto and himself before he sat down.

.

"You seem troubled Naruto. What is on your mind?" He asked as he adjusted the bandages over his eyes.

Naruto looked around the table in a lost manor as he said. "It's just….everything is going wrong lately.

Konohamaru nearly died, Ruby had to keep me from hurting Hanabi and my training is stalled.

My time is growing very short and I'm…I'm starting to lose faith in myself."

.

Sasuke took in a deep breath as he leaned back. He let it out slowly.

"You are worrying too much Naruto. Your time is indeed growing short so you can't let this bother you for long.

Your reaction to Konohamaru nearly dying couldn't be helped. Anyone in your shoes would have done the same.

As Kakashi already told you 'we are human and we will make mistakes. You will just have to deal with them and learn from them'.

Konohamaru is fine and so is Hanabi, you have nothing to worry about there.

Your main problem is your training. I take it there has been no progress?" He asked.

Naruto looked at the table and said. "No, there hasn't been any change…If I don't think of something else quickly…"

.

Sasuke gave him an understanding expression and said.

"I think it's a little late to make a new plan Naruto. We will have to make the original plan work."

Naruto suddenly looked up and him very curiously and said. "Wait…'WE'? What do you mean?"

Sasuke smiled at him and said. "That's right _we_. I'm going to go back to being a ninja to train you in the lightning element."

Naruto looked at him in blank shock and said. "You-you really mean that?"

.

"Yes Naruto, I'm through leaving this up to you alone when I can help.

I'm sorry my friend, I could have helped you long ago, but myself loathing wouldn't allow me.

For all that you have done for me, it was foolish of me to sit idle this long when you needed my help.

I was weak, forgive me for that my friend.

If I can't teach you the lightning element in time I will follow you into battle and complete that part of the jutsu for you." He said with conviction.

.

"Wait…you know you could really die performing this jutsu Sasuke." Naruto said still trying to come to grips with what was happening.

Sasuke leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table as he interlocked his fingers.

"We all die Naruto. I'd like to think my death would be more meaningful than wasting away in an old house as a blind man with no purpose.

You have been resting for five days correct?" He asked.

"Umm yeah I have." He said as he looked around slightly confused.

.

"Good and do you have the Second Hokage's sword on you?" Sasuke asked.

"Umm of course, Tenten would kill me if I let it out of my sight."

He said in a reserved manor as he unhooked the sword from behind him and held it out in front of him.

The candle light in the room gleamed off of its golden hilt and ash lacquered sheath.

Sasuke reached out and closed his hand around the sheath. Naruto held on to the sword for a moment as he stared at Sasuke.

.

He released his grip slowly and then Sasuke stood up with the sword in his hand.

"It's time we go to that training ground in another time space together, but before that we need to stop off and get some food pills.

I will need them because I don't have your monstrous stamina." He said.

Naruto smiled and shook his head.

"I can't believe you're really coming back. Don't worry about the food pills, I'll send a clone to get them!" He said happily.

.

Sasuke opened the door and then turned back to him.

"I don't need you poisoning me with expired food pills…Sakura didn't leave that part of your mission out…" He said sternly.

Naruto scratched the back of his head innocently. "Come on, it was an honest mistake…"

"I'll buy the food pills myself." He said in a final tone as he started down the street.

.

They walked for awhile before Naruto said. "Hey Sasuke."

"Yes Naruto?" He replied.

"You have been planning this for awhile haven't you?" Naruto asked casually.

Sasuke sighed and said. "Yes I have. That is why I helped you reforge The Thunder God sword.

It took me this long to make my decision. It is strange really.

It took me so long to finally reach this decision, yet looking back now that I have made it and everything seems so clear about it."

Sasuke reached for the door of a small medicine shop as Naruto said. "Hey Sasuke…Thanks, it's good to have you back."

Sasuke smiled at him and said. "You can thank me by hitting me with a bolt of lightning."

Naruto just smiled and shook his head as Sasuke opened the door and went inside.

.

Not too far away an Anbu in a cat mask watched them enter the medicine shop from the roof of a nearby building.

_"Well, well Naruto…You never fail to surprise me. After all these years Sasuke is going to return to being a ninja to teach you the lightning element._

_I never would have seen this coming. So much for the Hokage's advice about no heavy training for awhile." _

Kakashi thought and then disappeared into smoke.

.

* * *

.

Hinata and Hanabi were walking back to Naruto and Konohamaru's Hospital room.

Hanabi was holding her stomach as she swayed slightly while walking.

"Ewww I think I ate too much…" She said with a sickly look on her face.

Hinata gave her a slightly strained look and said.

"Well after four plates of food I'd guess so.

One thing is for certain, I'm not buying you dinner again anytime soon. You'll eat me in to bankruptcy."

"Sorry, I didn't realize how hungry I was." She said apologetically as she looked down.

They walked up a set of stairs to the third floor patient's ward and waved to the nurse at her duty station.

She waved them through and they walked down the hall.

.

"I hope Konohamaru is awake." Hinata said with a smile.

Hanabi's suddenly looked around seriously. Hinata gave her a curious look and asked. "Is something wrong sister?"

Hanabi's eyes narrowed as she quickened her pace.

"Yes something is wrong…Naruto isn't here. Or anywhere near for that matter." She said with a hint of venom in her voice.

Hinata looked at her with a reserved disbelieving look and curiously asked. "How do you know that?"

Hanabi shot her an annoyed glance and said. "Because I'm a Toad Sage."

.

A moment later they arrived at the door flanked by two Anbu.

They bowed their heads slightly as Hanabi quickly asked. "Where did Naruto go?"

"Lady Hanabi, Sage Naruto was cleared to leave shortly after you left.

The Hokage told him that he was not to do any heavy training and then he left." The guard replied.

Hinata asked. "Is Konohamaru awake yet?"

"I believe he is. Lady Tsunade only left the room twenty minutes ago." The guard said and then opened the door for them.

.

They both entered the room.

Konohamaru was lying in his bed watching the ceiling having almost as much fun as watching paint dry.

Hinata smiled at him while Hanabi had an annoyed look on her face.

"Konohamaru!" Hanabi said loudly and sternly. He jumped at the sound of her voice.

"Where did Naruto go?" She asked angrily.

.

Konohamaru shook his head while holding his hands up and shrugging. "I don't know I'm not his babysitter.

He got cleared to leave an hour ago the lucky bastard. Now I'm stuck here all alone to be bored out of my mind!" He said bitterly.

Hinata moved in between Hanabi and Konohamaru. She held up her hand to stop Hanabi.

"Enough Hanabi. Don't shout at Konohamaru. We are in a hospital after all and I told you he would need time.

It will take much longer than an hour for him. Please understand he needs more time to sort this out." She said firmly.

"That's not it Hinata. I can barely feel his presents at all." Hanabi said slight worried.

.

"So? Your Toad Sage senses can't possibly cover the whole village." She said calmly but sharply.

Hanabi shook her head and said. "You do not understand sister, it has nothing to do with my Sage chakra."

Hinata gave her a sarcastic and disbelieving look as she crossed her arms.

"What, are you going to tell me you have some strange super power to always know where Naruto is?"

She bluntly stated and then threw her head back and laughed.

.

"Ha that's rich." She said as Konohamaru and Hanabi stole nervous glance at each other.

Hinata caught the exchange and stopped in mid laugh.

Her amused look faded into a shocked look of curiosity as she peered at Hanabi.

"Wait…do you really have a power like that?" She asked intently.

Hanabi looked down with a pained expression and wrung her hands together in indecision.

Konohamaru looked over at her and seriously yet softly said. "I don't think you should tell her…"

Hinata looked over at him in offence then back to Hanabi intently and said. "What? He doesn't think you should tell me what?"

.

The door creaked open and Sakura stepped into the room.

"You guys should really put up a privacy seal if you are going to talk about these kinds of things…" She said quietly as she closed the door and put a seal on it.

Hinata looked over at Sakura. "Sakura, do you know what they are talking about?" She asked desperate for answers.

Sakura folder her hands behind her back and leaned against the door. After a long moment she solemnly nodded her head.

"Yes…I know what they are talking about, but I can't tell you…It's their secret…not mine." She said hollowly while looking at the floor.

Hinata looked at her sister with a worried, desperate and questioning expression as she grabbed her shoulder and stared directly into her eyes.

Hanabi's pained expression only worsened as tears started forming at the rims of her eyes while she looked away from her sister.

"Hanabi…I know it's hard for you and I know it's your choice, but if you can't confide in your big sister then who can you trust?" Sakura said softly and empathetically.

.

Hinata's expression softened as she said. "Hanabi…Are you ok?"

Hanabi wiped a tear from her eyes that threatened to roll down her face. She took a deep breath and said with trembling hands.

"Ok…fine, I'll tell you. You have to promise me that you will never tell anyone about this…" She said with an emotional voice.

Hinata gave her a worried look and honestly said. "Of course I'll never tell anyone if that is what you want."

She took in another deep breath and let it out slowly. "Naruto and I… our chakra…" She started to say and then bit her lips together and swallowed hard.

Hinata waited quietly for her sister to collect herself.

Hanabi wiped the tears out of her eyes with both hands and then picked her head up and admitted.

"Our chakra networks are linked…"

.

Hinata gave her a queer look as she drew he head back and her eyes darted back and forth in confusion.

"And why were you afraid to tell me this? Wait is that even possible?"

She turned to Sakura and asked. "Is she joking? Is that possible?"

Sakura said softly. "If you would have asked me that a few years ago I would have told you no…But what she is saying is true."

Hinata turned her confused look back to her sister and said in a reserved manor.

"Well if that's true isn't that a good thing? I mean you could borrow Naruto's huge reserves of chakra any time you needed it."

Tears broke the rims of her eyes and slid down her face as she said.

"I didn't want to tell you because my condition has another name…Chakra Addiction…"

.

Hanabi wrapped her arms around her sister and buried her face in her shoulder to hide the fact that she was crying.

Hinata blinked a few times blankly as she slow patted her sister on the back. She turned her head to Sakura and slowly asked.

"Umm Sakura could you explain what's going on?...I'm lost here."

Sakura pushed herself away from the door and then sighed. She raised her eyes and looked at her.

"Chakra Addiction…All recorded cases besides theirs came from ninja that stole chakra from the same person many times over the course of years.

The person stealing the chakra would exhibit signs of addiction over time.

Always being close to the person they were stealing chakra from and in the most extreme cases they could even recall memories of the person they were stealing from.

It also can create a false sense of love." Sakura said seriously and sadly.

.

"Ok… now I'm even more confused…So Hanabi stole chakra from Naruto? Is that how she became so powerful?"

Hinata asked as her sister quietly cried on her shoulder.

Sakura pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"She didn't steal chakra from Naruto…He gave it to her without knowing all the risks."

"Gave it to her? How?" She replied.

."He gave it to me using a forbidden jutsu called the Raw Chakra Transfer." Hanabi said into her shoulder emotionally.

Hinata looked over at the side of her head and then looked back at Sakura.

She nodded at her and said. "The Raw Heart String Chakra Transfer…A forbidden medical jutsu even Tsunade wouldn't use…"

"Wait… a medical jutsu even the Hokage couldn't use?" Hinata asked in surprise.

Sakura shook her head sadly and said. "Not couldn't use…wouldn't use…The risk is too great."

"What risk? You mean chakra addiction?" She asked frantically.

.

Konohamaru said. "No…That forbidden jutsu was first created by my Clan…the Zendaki Clan.

It was used to link the chakra networks of two people.

They used it as a life saving technique to stall for time so the wounded person could be healed, but at a huge risk…

If the person you are linked with dies…so do you..."

Hinata's eyes went wide in shock and said. "Dies? Did you teach him this jutsu Konohamaru?"

Konohamaru shook his head solemnly as he stared at the blanket covering him and said.

"No…I don't know that secret jutsu of my Clan. My grandfather didn't teach me any of our Clan's secret healing jutsu.

He passed that knowledge to Tsunade. She was the only one that was even aware of the technique existence let alone capable of using it."

"Then…Then the Hokage taught it to him?" She nearly yelled.

.

Sakura shook her head again and said. "No, he learned it because of me. He learned it by mistake."

Hinata turned back to her as Sakura sighed and admitted.

"I was fatally wounded on one of our missions… I was caught off guard and stabbed in the chest.

The blade pierced my left lung and nicked my heart. I was bleeding to death internally and I didn't have the time to save myself.

Naruto killed the ninja that stabbed me and frantically tried to help.

He placed his hands over my bleeding heart and forced his and Kyuubi's chakra into me.

Kyuubi's chakra healed my insides and seared my skin away.

Naruto said I convulsed violently afterwards and he tried to mimic my healing technique in desperation.

I've never felt pain like that before. I wanted to die and kept waiting for it, but it never came.

.

Naruto didn't understand the complex nature of how to turn normal chakra into healing chakra. No one could without medical training.

He kept forcing his chakra into my heart string chakra line unknowingly. The pain became too great for me to wait for death any longer.

I struggled to raise my hand and heal myself. Naruto kept forcing his chakra into me for what seemed like forever.

When the pain became bearable again he collapsed out of chakra exhaustion.

He didn't know that he had stumbled onto one of the most secret and forbidden medical jutsu ever created until he explained what he had done to save my life to Tsunade.

.

The Hokage got very angry at him and explained what he had done.

She told him of the risk of the jutsu he had used and even gave him the name of it.

Naruto, in his idioticy, used it on Hanabi…You can see the results for yourself…

The youngest Sage before Naruto was The Third Hokage at the age of twenty-three.

Naruto shattered his record when he became a Sage at the age of sixteen and a Great Sage at the age of eighteen.

Now Naruto has combined two forbidden jutsus and broken his own record…Hanabi is a Sage at the age of fifteen…, but every jutsu is a double edged sword.

They are paying the price of the jutsu even now." Sakura finished slowly.

.  
Hinata wrapped her arms around her sister as she felt her tears soaking through her uniform.

"Hanabi…my sister...Tell me what the price is that you paid for these powers you have gained?" She said tenderly as her sister cried on her.

It took Hanabi many moments trying to quiet herself enough to speak. When she did she pushed herself away and said.

"I feel lonely in a crowded room when he isn't around…When he is not near me everything seems dim and faded.

I get anxious and nervous when he isn't close to me. When he leaves my side…everything feels cold and empty to me."

.

Hinata gave her an understanding look and said. "It just sounds like you're in love to me my sister."

Sakura looked that them and said. "No, it's more than that Hinata…its like-" She said before Hanabi cut her off.

"It's like we are two parts of the same person…I can't even sleep without him near me.

I'd rather sleep on a cold drafty stone floor near him than the softest bed in the village without him." She said emotionally.

"I even have Naruto's memories of things he hasn't told me!"

.

Sakura shook her head sadly and said. "All signs of chakra addiction…"

Hanabi rushed Konohamaru and threw her arms around him as she broke down.

Konohamaru wrapped him arms around her protectively and said.

"It's ok Hanabi. I told you I'd never judge and on my Nindo I never will… let it all out."

Through her crying she revealed village secrets that shocked Sakura and her sister to their core.

.

"Konohamaru why do I know that the First and Second Hokages were also Jinchuuriki?

Why do I know that the First Hokage was somehow sealed with the Eight Tailed Beast and the Second Hokage was sealed with the Two Tailed Beast?

Why do I know that the Eight Tailed Beast helped the First Hokage over power the Nine Tailed Fox at the valley of the end over eighty years ago?

Why is it that I know that the man that admired them the most was the same person that killed both of them?

The same man that helped make the sword that I'm carrying because of his grief for killing them.

Why do I know that the Shadow Clone Jutsu we use isn't a B ranked jutsu?

Why do I know it's a Kage level jutsu that was only supposed to be passed from one Hokage to the next?

Why do I know these things Konohamaru?" She asked desperately as she cried.

.

Konohamaru squeezed her tighter and softly said. "…Because Naruto knows them…"

There was a long moment were the only sound in the room was Hanabi crying and then Hinata turned to Sakura who was deep in thought.

"Sakura…surely all this isn't true…right?" She said in disbelief.

Sakura was counting on her fingers and then her eyes went slightly wide.

.

"It all fits Hinata…After the First Hokage died the Land of Lightning mysteriously got the Eight Tailed beast.

Five years later when the Second Hokage died it is said that it was thought that the Land of Lightning captured the Two Tailed beast.

The Shadow Clone Jutsu… Kakashi sensei once told me that the word Kage in our leader's title meant something different than in the other nations."

Sakura said then looked up in thought.

.

"Of course! Now I see. Ho-kage, Fire Shadow.

The title isn't named after our country and the ideals that a ninja should remain unseen.

Fire was the main element of the Uchiha Clan and The Shadow Clone jutsu...The First Hokage must have known it.

Uchiha and the Senju Clan, the title its self was supposed to bring unity to the Clan's!" She realized aloud in surprise.

Hinata blink blankly at her and said.

"If The Shadow Clone Jutsu was only supposed to be passed from one Hokage to the next then why classify it as a B rank?"

.

Konohamaru looked at the far wall lost in thought while he held Hanabi.

"Because they didn't want its secret known.

So they classified it under the lesser known Doppelganger clone technique that doesn't have a way to make someone so much stronger." He said.

"The Shadow Clone Jutsu is a forbidden jutsu yet it's only a B rank… Wait, it's the only B ranked jutsu that is forbidden… Yet all the Hokage's might have used it.

The Third Hokage was known to use it as his main jutsu.

His most common tactic in battle was to summon several shadow clones then hit his target with a barrage of jutsu.

He would always summon more shadow clones when his others had fallen.

The reason he knew so many jutsus must have been because he used the Shadow Clone Jutsu the same way Naruto does.

Naruto and Kakashi sensei unknowingly figured out its secret and used it the same way the previous Hokage's used it.

After Naruto learned to use it that way his jutsu and power sky rocketed!

No one could keep up with him. It all makes sense." Sakura said as she nodded her head.

.

"You catch on pretty fast Sakura." Konohamaru said quietly.

Hinata asked intently. "If it was only supposed to be passed down from one Kage to the next then how did Naruto learn it? Also why have I never seen Tsunade use it?"

Konohamaru said. "Naruto learned it during his time at the academy when he stole a scroll of forbidden jutsu and learned the first jutsu on the scroll.

The Shadow Clone Jutsu. As for the rest…I'm not allowed to tell you.

Only Naruto as the Keeper of the Shadow Clone Jutsu is allowed to tell you that, but come on Sakura you can figure out the rest."

.

Sakura thought about it for a long moment and said.

"The First Hokage passed the jutsu on to his brother, the Second Hokage…

The Second Hokage passed it on to the Third Hokage and then later the Third passed it on to Minato when he became the Fourth Hokage.

Jiraiya knew the jutsu as well so Minato must have taught it to him, but Jiraiya didn't use it very often…Minato must not have told him its secret, but why?

Minato idolized Jiraiya and always said he wanted to be just like him.

Why teach him the Jutsu and not its secret? He certainly had the chakra levels to use it."

.

She looked around in intense thought for a moment. Her eyes suddenly went wide with realization as she hammer fisted her palm.

"I've got it. He couldn't tell his sensei the secret! He wasn't the jutsus keeper.

The Third Hokage was still alive, he was the Keeper of the Shadow Clone Jutsu not Minato.

Minato must have asked Hiruzen if he could teach it to Jiraiya. Hiruzen agree to let him teach it, but not tell him it's secret.

The Third Hokage always wanted Jiraiya to become Hokage." She said knowingly.

Hanabi had stopped crying but was still breathing hard as Konohamaru said. "Almost right, but Jiraiya didn't learn it from Minato.

Think harder Sakura what's the sure fire way to make sure such a valuable jutsu isn't lost. Who would you confide in with such a powerful secret?"

.

"I know, Minato didn't teach Jiraiya the jutsu at all! The Keeper did, the Third Hokage taught it to him.

The Keeper always teaches the apprentice the jutsu so if the Keeper dies the jutsu isn't lost.

I read a book about the Sanin that said at one point there were rumors going around just before Minato became Hokage that Hiruzen was going to give the title to Jiraiya.

He must have taught him the jutsu and then offered to make him the Fourth Hokage. But Jiraiya couldn't accept the title.

.

He was still searching for 'The child of destiny', he was still looking for Naruto!

Hiruzen couldn't trust Orochimaru with such a powerful secret so he handed his title off to the next best person, Jiraiya's Disciple Minato.

Minato's power skyrocketed just like Naruto's right after he became Hokage.

That's how he was able to create so many powerful jutsu. He was training with shadow clones!" Sakura said intently.

Hinata head was swimming with all the information being thrown at her but managed to ask.

"But there aren't any records of Minato using the Shadow Clone Jutsu and how did Kakashi sensei learn it then.

Also if it was such a valuable secret then why did it get written down in a scroll that Naruto managed to steal?"

.

"Kakashi sensei didn't learn it from the Sharingan, that's for sure.

The jutsu uses the exact same hand sign as the Doppelganger technique.

I know because Naruto tried to teach it to me.

I made a solid clone after a few weeks of trying and Naruto had his clone and mine leave.

A minute later the jutsu released itself and he asked me what had happened. I told him that I didn't know, that the jutsu just released itself.

Then we got into a fight because I got mad at losing half my chakra. Naruto was trying to teach me the secret of the Shadow Clone Jutsu!

But I couldn't make a Shadow Clone. I only made a Doppelganger clone.

Minato had to know the Shadow Clone Jutsu because Kakashi sensei told Naruto that he did.

Minato passed the jutsu on to his best student, Kakashi sensei, but again didn't tell him the secret.

Hiruzen hid the jutsu in plain sight. He used it all the time as his signature jutsu.

Anyone that tried to copy it, even with the Sharingan, would only make Doppelganger clone like I did.

.

Minato must have been much more careful and didn't want others to know he knew the jutsu.

He made his own Hokage training ground to train with it in secret…The same training ground Naruto is probably using to train with it.

Kakashi sensei always said he never had the chakra to use it the way Naruto and the Third Hokage did.

Even when Naruto was younger Kakashi told him that he had four times as much chakra than him.

Naruto has the chakra levels to take the Shadow Clone Jutsu and use it like the rest of the Hokage's.

That's why Kakashi sensei is always so impressed when Naruto summons so many clones.

He knows it's a Kage level jutsu!

.

Just before Madara attacked the village with the Nine Tailed Fox, Minato must have gotten wind of it.

He probably went to the Third Hokage and asked if he write the jutsu down in his Clan scroll as an extra step to make sure the jutsu wouldn't get lost.

Minato was said to have the sharpest mind of all the Hokage's. He had a reason for everything he did.

He must have written it in his Clan scroll while Kushina was pregnant with Naruto. That's why he put it as the first jutsu on the scroll.

He wanted Naruto to have the Shadow Clone Jutsu because he knew it was the source of the Hokage's powers.

That's why when Naruto stole the scroll as a kid he wasn't put in jail or killed.

He couldn't steal it. It was already his by birth right!

That's why he barely got a slap on the wrist for taking it.

.

When the Nine Tailed Fox attacked the village he seized the opportunity to give Naruto the strongest protection he could ever hope for.

He sealed the fox into Naruto, not only because he was the only person that could contain it, but to protect him like any parent would.

But how did he know ahead of time that he might one day have to seal the Nine Tailed Fox?

It must have taken years, even with The Shadow Clone Jutsu, to prefect the Dead Demon Sealing technique.

How could he have known years in advance that Madara would attack the village with the Nine Tailed Fox?

That makes no sense at all." She said with a perplexed look. Konohamaru's eyes had glazed over long ago and he was blinking sleepily.

.

"You still didn't answer why the Shadow Clone Jutsu wasn't passed on to me."

Tsunade said from behind her with a serious and stern look while she crossed her arms.

Kakashi was standing right next to her.

Sakura glance over at her and then thought for a moment. She smiled and held up her finger smartly.

"Oh I know! It's because you were the only Hokage that wasn't passed…the title…from …a former….. Hokage?"

She said as her smiles faded into a very strained look.

Tsunade continued to stare daggers at Sakura.

Sakura nervously stuttered fearfully. "La-lady Tsunade…Ho-How long have you been stand there?"

Sakura put on a charming fake smile and waved her hands playfully at Tsunade as she said.

"I-It doesn't really matter after all. It's all just conjecture anyway. Yeah, that's it, it's just a big guess…"

.

Tsunade spoke through clinched teeth at her as her anger rose.

"Sakura…Did you ever think that maybe you should have put a little bit more on the door then a standard privacy seal?"

Sakura fearfully looked around and said. "Well you-you see when I came in I only thought we were going to talk about Hanabi."

Konohamaru had a distant look in his eyes while he was holding Hanabi.

Hinata was standing perfectly still in shock while Kakashi peered at Tsunade waiting to see what she was going to do next.

She took a step toward Sakura and grabbed her by the front of her shirt. She snatched Sakura right up to her face.

Sakura drew her head back as far as she could while still looking Tsunade in the eyes while she trembled.

"Sometimes your mind is a little too sharp…" She said soaked in venom and then let Sakura go. Sakura fell to the floor on her rear.

.

Kakashi said slowly. "We might as well fill in the last few pieces for them Tsunade seeing as how they already know so much.

Sakura even figured out some things that I didn't even know."

Tsunade tossed him an annoyed glance and then said sarcastically.

"Sure while I'm at it why don't I give them the key to the village archives?"

.

Kakashi calmly said. "Oh come now. The rest of the story is of little consequence now."

Tsunade put her head in her hands and shook it. "Why did I have a feeling this day was going turn out all wrong?"

She picked up her head and looked right at Hinata.

"Congratulations Hinata I'm promoting you to Jonin." She said.

Hinata looked at her blankly and hollowly said. "Umm…ok…"

Tsunade looked over at the rest of them and said.

"What you hear in this room now never leaves your lips unless a Hokage tells you that you can speak about.

You can't even talk to each other about it."

.

Sakura covered her mouth with both her hands and worriedly begged her. "Please Lady Tsunade….Don't put a curse seal on my tongue…"

She gave Sakura a tired look and said. "I'm not a monster like Danzo was Sakura. I have more faith in you than that."

.

Tsunade gave Kakashi a nod and he said. "Good job Sakura with figuring out so much on your own. As you might have guess you got a few things wrong.

Before I fill in the gaps for you I think I should let you know Konohamaru that Hanabi is drooling all over your shoulder."

He looked at Konohamaru with a slightly strained fake smiled as he pointed.

Hanabi had fallen asleep and was drooling all over his shoulder.

Konohamaru snorted in his near slumber and then with a tired look he rolled his eyes from his awkward sitting position.

"Great…and this is my only Sage uniform. Now I'll have to wear one of those oh so cool hospital robes…" He said sarcastically.

.

Kakashi turned back to Sakura and said. "You are correct about who taught who the Shadow Clone Jutsu. But you failed to understand something about its secret.

The secret was never taught until I figured it out and handed it Naruto on a silver platter.

If I knew then what I know now I might not have told him so easily."

Sakura gave him a confused look and said. "Why was it never taught before you taught it?"

Kakashi looked over to Konohamaru and said.

"Naruto taught you the Rasengan. How did he teach it to you?

Did he baby step you though every part and constantly tell you what you were doing wrong?"

.

Konohamaru shook his sleepy head and said.

"No. He told me the basics and then showed me what the correct result looked like though each part of the training process."

Kakashi smiled and said. "Exactly."

Sakura gave him a confused look and said. "But what does that have to do with The Shadow Clone Jutsu?"

.

"Well, you need to understand the Hokage's teaching methods here, not so much the jutsu.

'Knowledge given is soon forgotten. Knowledge earned is forever cherished.'

These words are told to every Jonin instructor since the start of the village.

A great ninja needs to learn to create his own jutsu by building on previous jutsus.

If you are taught everything then you never learn to think for yourself.

A good teacher gives his student the tools they need and lets them figure it out on their own.

We only try to nudge them in the right direction from time to time.

The teaching method is a test to see if you are worthy to posses the jutsu.

If you learn it you pass and the jutsu is yours. If you don't learn the jutsu you fail and are unworthy of the jutsu." He said.

.

She looked at him in thought and said. "You mean to tell me the Shadow Clone Jutsu is a test?"

Kakashi nodded at her and said. "Yes Sakura. There are tests for everything…Genin…Chunin…Jonin…

So what would you think the Shadow Clone Jutsu was used to test for?"

.

Sakura thought hard for a long time. "Come on Sakura use your head.

Think at what level the Shadow Clone jutsu is on. You've already said it a number of times." Kakashi said with a smile.

Sakura thought a loud. "The first three Hokages knew its secret…

Then Jiraiya was offered the title of Hokage and turned it down so the secret was passed on to Minato…"

.

Sakura eyes went wider ever so slightly as she stared at Kakashi and slowly said.

"Jiraiya…He was… never offered the title of Fourth Hokage was he…?"

Kakashi slowly shook his head back and forth at her.

Sakura eyes went so wide that they looked like they were going to pop out of her head.

She collapsed on to her knees as she held her trembling hands in front of her from shock.

Hinata blank looked change to one of concern as she thought.

_"I've never seen her fall apart like that. Just what did she learn that would put her beside herself like that…"_

Konohamaru quickly set Hanabi down on the bed and went over to Sakura with worry and curiosity in his eyes.

He kneeled down to her and said. "Sakura?" He shook her shoulder and said. "Sakura-chan…what is it?"

.

She kept staring at Kakashi and hollowly said. "It is a test….It's THE TEST…"

Konohamaru frantically said. "Test? A test for what?"

Sakura slowly turned to him and looked at him. "It's the test to become…Hokage…"

Kakashi smiled at her and said. "Correct…"

Konohamaru looked at her in shock for a long moment trying to take everything in as he snapped awake.

"You mean…I've been taking the test to become…Hokage since Naruto taught me the…Shadow Clone Jutsu…" He said soullessly.

.

Kakashi said. "In the way the Hokage's were supposed to be chosen by our founding fathers you are correct."

Konohamaru's eyes went wide and he said. "Wait…Does that mean Kakashi sensei is the rightful Fifth Hokage?"

Kakashi gave him a strained look as he waved his open palms out in front of himself.

"Wait, wait. Don't get ahead of yourself." He said quickly with a worried look.

Sakura looked from him to Konohamaru and said.

.

"Yes and no, but Tsunade is the rightful Hokage because the high council changed the way a Hokage was selected.

They didn't know about 'The Test' at all. That's why the Third Hokage never selected another successor.

There is always supposed to be only a master and at most two apprentices.

He couldn't select another successor because one Minato's successor was still taking the test and Jiraiya had already failed.

He had to wait on Kakashi to figure it out or pass away before he could select another to test.

That's why he died before naming the next Hokage because both of Minato's successors were still alive."

Konohamaru gave her a confused look and said. "Wait both of them?...Who was the other?"

Sakura gave him a very annoyed look and yelled at him. "NARUTO YOU MORON!"

.

Konohamaru went rigid and fell over backwards.

Sakura huffed a few times as Konohamaru sat up while rubbing is ringing ears and quietly said.

"Say it, don't spray it…"

"Minato left the scroll to Naruto with the Shadow Clone Jutsu on it making Naruto one of Minato's two successors." She said in exasperation.

Tsunade and Kakashi sensei were looking back and forth at each other slightly confused as Konohamaru kept staring at both of them.

Konohamaru quickly turned to Sakura and said. "Ok…you lost me…Then who is the rightful Hokage according to how the village was set up?"

.

"That's slightly open for debate on whether the council had the right to appoint Tsunade as Hokage.

If they weren't then Tsunade is a steward Hokage. A steward waiting for the rightful person to take the title.

She would have to wait to see whether Naruto or Kakashi sensei figured out the secret of the Shadow Clone Jutsu and then appoint one of them as the true Hokage.

There would be a problem figuring out who is the Hokage according to the old test, but it's already been settled.

When Kakashi sensei figured out the secret of the jutsu he became the rightful Hokage. However he didn't serve for Hokage for very long.

When Tsunade was in a coma the council appointed Danzo as the Hokage. They were not allowed to do that as Kakashi had already passed the test.

Danzo died and Kakashi took his place as the true Fifth Hokage. He handed the title back after she woke up without choosing any successors.

This made Tsunade a true Hokage whether in the old laws or the new ones the council set up.

.

Tsunade didn't know the Shadow Clone Jutsu or its secret. In the old way they picked a Hokage she couldn't appoint a successor in a normal way.

She did however have the power to name anyone who had passed the test of the Shadow Clone Jutsu as its Keeper.

The moment she named Naruto as the Keeper of the Shadow Clone Jutsu he became the next Hokage in waiting.

He knowingly picked Konohamaru as his successor to the title and unknowingly started the test on him at the age twelve.

Naruto unknowingly handed you the answer to the test the same way Kakashi did for him because he didn't know about it." She told him.

.

"Wait…" Konohamaru said in shock and then pointed to himself. "Do you mean…I'm the rightful Hokage according to the old ways?"

Sakura shook her head and said. "No, Konohamaru. There is one requirement according to the old ways that everyone knows.

You have to be the strongest in the village. Naruto refuses to come to blows with Tsunade to prove that he is the stronger one in battle.

This makes it clear. The rightful Hokage is Tsunade in the old ways and the new ones. She already put Naruto on the list of her successors.

Whether they know it or not they all followed the old ways. Naruto is destined to be our next Hokage." She said intently.

.

Tsunade smirked at Kakashi. "That's too bad. I almost thought she was going to give me another excuse to push it off on you."

Kakashi smiled at Tsunade and then turned to Sakura.

"There is only one problem with your theory Sakura." He said smartly.

Sakura turned and gave him a questioning look.

"When I gave him the answer unknowingly I effectively flunked him.

He didn't figure it out for himself which breaks the line making the old way of selecting a Hokage null and void." He said with a smile.

.

Sakura gave him a confused look and said.

"So Naruto wasn't destined to be Hokage? Then why did Minato leave Naruto the scroll?"

Kakashi kept smiling at her and said. "Good now you're back on track. Now let's get back to how Minato knew to create the seal.

You know how Minato died, but do you know how Kushina died?"

Sakura blinked blankly at him and said. "Naruto told me she died during Minato's fight with the Nine Tailed Fox. He said the hospital collapsed onto her."

Kakashi looked are her intently and said. "And where did come by this information?"

Sakura scratched her head in confusion and said. "From his father's journal."

.

Kakashi nodded his head and raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you ever find anything…odd about that?"

She looked at him in thought for a moment and then said.

"Wait…Yeah that is odd. How could he write about how he and his wife died if he was still alive?"

Kakashi smiled and said. "There you go. Naruto wasn't always the brightest fellow.

The last day's writings in the journal were not even in Minato's hand writing. It was planted information to keep others from the truth."

"What truth would that be?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Madara didn't come to attack the village with the Nine Tailed Fox.

He came to steal it back from the host because the First Hokage took it from him during their final fight.

The reason why Minato had years to prefect the Dead Demon Seal is because he fell in love with the host."

Kakashi said and then waited for the gears in Sakura's head to finish turning.

.

Sakura's curious and thoughtful look slowly faded to a blank stare of absolute shock.

"Minato…He-He really didn't leave it…up to chance…" She said soullessly.

Konohamaru stared at her intently and then asked. "Come already! He didn't leave what up to chance?"

Kakashi said quietly. "Much better than your conspiracy theory on who the Hokage should be huh?"

.

Konohamaru shook Sakura impatiently as he said. "Come on tell me already!"

Sakura never took her blank stare off of Kakashi face as she said. "He…created the perfect storm…"

Kakashi leaned over her and grabbed Konohamaru's forearm to stop him from shaking Sakura.

Kakashi got right up to her face and smiled knowingly as he said. "…Correct…"

Konohamaru stood up in annoyance and yelled.

"Perfect storm? What the heck is that supposed to mean? Will someone just tell me already?

.

* * *

.

After notes: Aww I'm starting to get mean on you guys :). Two chapters in a row left on cliff hangers.

Anywho, this chapter was supposed to end shortly after Naruto and Sasuke got to the training ground, but my Muse wouldn't let me end it there.

I got blind sided with that whole history of the shadow clone jutsu as well.

Sigh...just went to pat myself on the back. It was me, not my muse, that had the idea of the nine tailed fox being captured at the battle of the end.

Well I decided to research that before patting my self on the back and turns out that was true in the cannon. Phooey, my muse always get all the glory.

.

On a side note I learned something very interesting. I pieced together some very interesting information during my research, let see if you can.

Let have a little trivia question and see if anyone gets it right before I post the next chapter.

**Who is likely Naruto's great great ( or great great, great, as the timeline doesn't spell it out) grandmother and grandfather on his mother's side? **

**But one of them is certainly his kinsmen. **

If you don't know and no one get's it right, don't worry it will be in the next chapter :)

Hope you all enjoyed.


	31. Chapter 31: Lightning

**Chapter 31: Lightning**

* * *

Author's notes: The manga has been dragging a lot lately, but this week's chapter was pretty good.

Sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger for so long without an update, but I didn't want to leave you on another cliffhanger this week.

This chapter is pretty long and that's because it was supposed to be three chapters.

Hope you enjoy.

.

.

Questions/reviews.

* * *

Albatross Aoba  
2011-03-01 . chapter 30

_**Take a minute out of your day to pick up a dictionary and read it. It will help with your fluency. **_

_**I'm not making this up. We do this for years in our classrooms. We're given a list of words and told to look them up and copy their definitions.**_

**How did you think we all got so fluent in one of the most freaking complicated languages?**

**For your homework define the words:**

**I'll (I will)**

**Be**

**It**

**Albeit**

**Manor**

**Manner**

**Then stop misusing them constantly in your story! ! !**

Wow I haven't gotten a review to post in awhile. These are the kinds of reviews I look for. I'm always trying to better my spelling and grammar.

I didn't know Kakashi was saying 'albeit' instead of 'I'll be it', but as for the manor and manner, the program I use is sometimes too smart for its own good.

If I slip up and misspell manner as mannor, it auto corrects it's to manor. A lot of time me and my wife miss that mistake.

Thank you for the review.

.

Last Chapter.

* * *

.

Sakura's curious and thoughtful look slowly faded to a blank stare of absolute shock.

"Minato…He-He really didn't leave it…up to chance…" She said soullessly.

Konohamaru stared at her intently and then asked. "Come already! He didn't leave what up to chance?"

Kakashi quietly said. "Much better than your conspiracy theory on who the Hokage should be huh?"

.

Konohamaru shook Sakura impatiently as he said. "Come on tell me already!"

Sakura never took her blank stare off of Kakashi face as she said. "He…created the perfect storm…"

Kakashi leaned over her and grabbed Konohamaru's forearm to stop him from shaking Sakura.

Kakashi got right up to her face and smiled knowingly as he said. "…Correct…"

Konohamaru stood up in annoyance and yelled.

"Perfect storm? What the heck is that supposed to mean? Will someone just tell me already?

.

Chapter Thirty-One: Lightning.

* * *

.

"Minato…he knew didn't he…?" Sakura said soullessly.

Konohamaru yelled in agitation. "Knew what?"

Sakura turned to Konohamaru and said with wide eyes. "He knew that Naruto was the 'Child of Destiny'!"

Kakashi tilted his head slightly as he smiled. "Speculated actually…"

"But how…how did he know?" Sakura said as she got to her feet and shook Kakashi by his shoulders.

He raised an eyebrow at her and said. "Certain Clan's are privy to some 'foretold' knowledge Sakura."

She thought for a moment and said. "I've never heard of something like that about the Namikaze Clan."

.

"Wrong kind of Clan Sakura, think harder. This isn't the kind of Clan you can normally be related to by blood.

In fact, there is even one in this room at this very moment." He said as he brushed away Sakura's grip on his shoulders.

Sakura thought intently as Konohamaru's looked changed to one of realization.

"The Toad Clan! He is talking about the Toad Clan's prophecy's the Grand Toad Sage gives to each of its members."

.

"Glad you decided to join the conversation Konohamaru.

Yes, Minato was a Toad Sage and did receive a prophecy from the 'Grand Geezer' as Naruto so aptly puts it." Kakashi said.

Sakura asked. "So what was the prophecy that Minato got from the Grand Toad Sage?"

Kakashi eyed her carefully and said. "That's the thing. Sensei Minato never told me the prophecy word for word.

He was very secretive by nature and with the Toad Clan laws on top of that he didn't talk much about it.

I, however, have a pretty good idea of what it might have said from piecing together what he told me over the years.

.

I think it would have gone something like this. 'You will one day become a great protector to your people,

but you will become a even greater protector to a girl you have formed strong bonds with.

This girl will one day have a being of immense power and hatred sealed into her to protect your people.

One day that being will break free with the help of a man with red eyes.

It will be then that you will have a choice to make.

You will either make someone the most powerful of their kind or you will destroy the being of hatred with your life.'

It's not word for word, but I believe it is close.

Minato knew his prophecy spoke of The Nine Tailed Fox and had always planned to seal it into himself to kill it.

His answer changed however when he figured out just who he could make into the most powerful of their kind.

Before he died, sealing the fox into Naruto, he left a message to Jiraiya telling him that he thought that Naruto would become the 'Child of Destiny'."

.

Sakura and Konohamaru stared at each other for a moment before turning back to him. Konohamaru said.

"But Naruto told me Jiraiya ended up meeting him by chance. He said he got caught peeping and knocked out his trainer for the Chunin exams."

Kakashi smiled at him and said. "You think it was by chance that just after Naruto became a Genin that Master Jiraiya just happened to show up and train him?

You already know Jiraiya searched most of his life for the Child of Destiny.

Jiraiya certainly wouldn't discount Minato words so he showed up to meet Naruto just when he became of age to train.

Did you really think a ninja of Jiraiya caliber would be openly peeping at girls in broad daylight in front of others without using a chameleon jutsu?"

.

Sakura's eyes went slightly wide and she said. "He wanted to be caught. It gave him an excuse to knock out Ebisu and train Naruto!"

Kakashi nodded his head slowly and then said.

"It wasn't like it would be hard to know how to get Naruto at the age of twelve to demand Jiraiya teach him.

Jiraiya pretended to run away from him while telling Naruto he didn't have time to teach him. What he was doing was testing him to see what level he was at.

Jiraiya was a Toad Sage and had Chakra Sensor Perception, albeit not to the degree Naruto has to day, but enough that he could pretend to run away and let Naruto find him again.

.

Naruto stuck to his Nindo and never gave up. Jiraiya finally pretended to give in and started teaching him in earnest.

The first jutsu he taught…Actually let me rephrase that. Sakura how old were you when you started your Summoning training?"

She blinked blankly at his odd question and then said. "Naruto taught me shortly before I turned twenty-one."

Kakashi turned to Konohamaru and asked. "And how old were you Konohamaru?"

"I was seventeen, but what does that have to do with anything?" Konohamaru said in confusion.

"Because you two trained to become fighting class summoners not some low level summoner.

The first jutsu Jiraiya taught Naruto was summoning at the age of twelve.

.

You need vast amounts of chakra to become a fighting class summoner.

So much chakra in fact that you are very unlikely to be able to even attempt it before making the rank of Jonin.

Look at me, I can summon yet I'm nowhere near a fighting class summoner.

The dogs I summon can fight but they aren't suited for it. I use them for intel and tracking instead.

You two on the other hand were trained to summon fighting class animals.

They are summoned to fight beside you and even some of them are large enough to ride on.

So why do you think Jiraiya taught him this jutsu first when he knew so many others?" Kakashi said.

.

Konohamaru and Sakura looked at each other and then turned to him with an unknowing look.

Kakashi sighed and then said. "Perhaps to put him on the path to becoming a Sage?"

Their eyes lit up with realization as Kakashi continued.

"The summoning jutsu is normally saved for last when a master trains a pupil to become a Sage.

Jiraiya taught him to first because Naruto's chakra levels were already so high.

He was starting Naruto down the path to become a Toad Sage just like him and Minato at the age of twelve.

This is unheard of in our history that someone so young was handed jutsu to make them so powerful and that they would succeed in mastering them."

.

Sakura gave him a confused look and said. "So Jiraiya and Minato were trying to make him really powerful?"

Kakashi eyed her intently and said. "…Not just really powerful…They were making him into the most powerful ninja of his time and possibly in history.

'A ninja that would save or destroy the world as we know it'."

Konohamaru looked at him in blank shock and hollowly said. "You really mean that…?"

.

Kakashi looked at Sakura and said. "You asked me if Naruto was destined to become Hokage.

Well let's look at the facts. Actually…wait I've got another question for you all that might help clear part of this up.

Why do you think a few years ago Naruto stopped calling Lady Tsunade Ba-chan and started calling her mother?"

They all wore perplex looks as Hinata said. "I just thought he had grown up a bit and looked at Tsunade as a mother figure."

Tsunade looked at them all seriously and said. "No…it was because he found out I was his mother….twice removed from his real mother. I am his second aunt."

Sakura's eyed went wide as Kakashi held up his pointer finger wisely and smiled.

.

"That's right…Naruto isn't only a descendant of the Fourth Hokage.

He is also a directed descendant of the very First Hokage. He is Hashirama Senju's great, great, great grandson…" He said.

Konohamaru's looked at him in blank shock as Hinata swooned and fainted hitting the floor with a dull thud.

Kakashi continued after glancing at Hinata while Tsunade went to her side.

.

"That means that Naruto is blood related in one way or another to four of the five Hokage's.

He told me he considered the Third Hokage to be like his grandfather and you Konohamaru like his little brother.

In some ways he considers all of the Hokage's as family.

He is also the child of destiny and Minato made sure to give him the tools to become the most powerful of his time.

He was trained by the village's most competent teachers because the Third Hokage and the Fourth Hokage saw to it.

Naruto has taken their lessons and the tools handed to him and walked the same path as the Hokage's that have come before him.

He chose this path all on his own, the same way all of the rest of the former Hokage's did.

I do not know if he was destined to be our next Hokage, but he was destined to become the most powerful ninja of his time.

And isn't becoming the most powerful ninja of the Village Hidden in the Leafs the way to become Hokage?"

.

* * *

.

Hanabi was curled in to a ball while leaning against Naruto's small bed trying to sleep as a new day dawned through the window of his room.

She had been trying to sleep all night, but she could only fall asleep for a few minutes before waking up again.

She tossed and turned her tired aching body trying to will herself to sleep, but sleep never seemed to last.

She covered her head with her blanket to shield herself from the dark orange light that was gradually getting brighter with each passing moment.

She felt Shizan walking lightly up stairs to wake her up and groaned to herself knowing she didn't have long before she would be found.

She persisted in trying to go back to sleep until the very last moment.

.

Shizan stood at the door frame of Naruto's bedroom with crossed arms as the stared intently at the brown lump of woolen blankets covering Hanabi.

She sighed loudly and said. "I don't know why I even go to your room to wake you anymore…"

Hanabi groaned again and fell over under the covers with a dull thud.

Shizan rolled her eyes in exasperation and said. "Breakfast is ready. Please come eat before it gets cold."

Shizan turned and walked back toward the kitchen.

.

Hanabi whimpered slightly in tired misery before pulling the covers off of her.

She sat up on her knees looking dreadfully tired and sleepy.

Her shoulders were slumped and her milky white eyes were bloodshot as she blinked a few times to clear her blurred vision.

Her silky dark brown hair was a complete mess shooting out at odd angles.

She yawned and stretched as her body popped and cracked all over before slowly standing.

She nearly sleepwalked into the dining room and collapsed into her chair. Shizan gave her a disapproving look and then went back to her food.

Sakura had several medical charts scattered around her plate and was reading one of them as she cut up her fried eggs.

Sakura set the medical chart down slowly as she looked over at Hanabi.

.

"Good morning Hanabi." She said brightly.

Hanabi was looking down through her breakfast plate and gave Sakura a tired moan as a greeting.

"I guess you didn't sleep well..." She said with a reserved look.

Hanabi shook her head and said. "No,…Naruto didn't come home last night…and I can hardly feel his chakra."

Sakura finished the bite of egg she was chewing and said.

"He is training at the Hokage training grounds right now, that's why you can't feel his presence right now."

.

Hanabi picked up her head and narrowed her eyes at Sakura.

"He still should have sent a clone home. He knows I can't sleep without him."

Hanabi grabbed her head while trying to remember through her hazy thoughts. "I don't even remember how I got home last night."

"You collapsed on Konohamaru and fell asleep. You have been under too much stress lately so I want you to take it easy for awhile."

Sakura said as she picked up her toast. Hanabi scowled at her slightly.

"Hanabi, I'm a medical doctor as well as a friend. Too much stress is very bad for you in your condition." She said honestly.

.

"If you think I'm going to stop training then you're wrong." She said defiantly.

Sakura sighed and then said. "I wasn't talking about training. I was talking about worrying about Naruto.

He is fine trust me. It's best if you two spend some time apart."

Hanabi chair screeched across the floor and banged into the wall behind her as she suddenly stood up.

"_You_ of all people should understand what I am going through!

You _dare_ tell me to stay away from him when you know how little time he has left!" She yelled in outrage.

The moment Hanabi lost her temper Sakura flicked a needle at Shizan. It hit her in the neck and she swooned before passing out onto the floor.

Hanabi eyed Sakura in anger and said. "How dare you say that to me!" She slammed her fist on the table.

The impact from the blow caused the plates on the table to jump up and clatter back down on it.

Hanabi stormed out of the room as Sakura's eyes turned serious.

.

Hanabi was at the outer gate to the estate when Sakura appeared in front of her with the same serious look.

Hanabi gritted her teeth and angrily said. "Get…out…of…my…way…"

Conviction shinned in Sakura's eyes and she said. "No Hanabi. I have something to tell you and you are going to listen to it."

Hanabi snapped out the Flying Thunder God and swiped at her with its blunt edge.

Sakura caught her wrist and diverted the blow into the dungeon like gate door.

The mirror shined blade screeched as it buried itself though one of the iron structural reinforcing bars of the gate as Sakura held firmly on to Hanabi's wrist.

"I don't want to hear what you have to say Sakura!" Hanabi yelled at her as she punched at her with all her might with her left hand.

Sakura caught her powerful strike and then bared down one her fist with her monstrous strength.

.

Hanabi yelped and was driven to her knees in pain as she winced and looked away.

Sakura told her seriously and slightly sadly with resolve.

"You can't use any jutsu when I have both of your arms….I told you that you would listen to my words.

You think I don't know what you are going through?...I know better than anyone else in the village what you are going though.

When you found out that Naruto would likely die fighting the Nine Tailed Fox when the seal broke, what did you do?...

You bet everything that Naruto would win and come back to you didn't you?" Sakura's grip on her softened but she did not release her.

Hanabi head snapped back around at her and said. "Yes…so what if I did! I love him after all! What would you have done in my place?"

.

Sakura released her grip on Hanabi and then reached over her right shoulder.

She grabbed the Flying Thunder God sword by the blade and pulled it out slowly from the gate.

The ear piercing sound of metal on metal shrieked through the air as she freed the blade.

She held it by the blade in her left hand as her blood dripped slowly onto the ground.

Hanabi winced from the sound but did not look away. Sakura took a step forward and placed her right hand on Hanabi's shoulder.

"If I thought I had any right to him after all I've done to him I would use every part of my being to steal him away from you.

I still love Naruto and I will never stop loving him. I love him so much that I only wish for his happiness not matter the cost.

The most important thing to me in this world is his heart."

.

She said with her trembling hand gripped the sword in her hand tighter and her bold trickled to the ground even faster.

She leaned down with honest tears welling up in her eyes and spoke softly to Hanabi's ear.

"You bet everything on him that he would win and return to you. I tossed and turned all night after he told me why he let our relationship fall apart.

I came to a very different answer… Even if I knew the chances of him surviving were zero…

If Naruto wouldn't have been grief stricken by my death…I would have gladly died to spend that one night making love to him.

Too tell him how much I'm sorry and how much I care for him with my body.

I don't even care how horrific it might have been to die like that. I still would have accepted it gladly…Just for that one night…"

.

Hanabi blinked blankly in stunned shock as Sakura stood back up with conviction and emotionally said.

"So remember that the next time you start trying to stack your convictions against my own."

Sakura placed the Flying Thunder God sword with her own blood on it on Hanabi's lap and walked back toward the house.

Hanabi looked down in shame and then stood up and turned to Sakura. "If you love him so much then why are you the one running away?"

Sakura stopped in her tracks and then turned around. "I've already told you…Because I have no right to him. I've selfishly hurt him too many times.

Sometimes when you truly love someone you have to let them go because when you truly love someone all you care about is their happiness.

I already had my chance and I couldn't bring him that happiness. He thinks of me like a sister so just like you did, I became what he needed.

I treat him like a brother even though that's not really the way I feel about him." She said sadly.

Hanabi blinked blankly at her and then said.

.

"So…then that makes us rivals. Then you lied to me when you said you wouldn't interfere without relationship when you moved into his house."

Sakura shook her head slowly back and forth at her. "No, I told you the truth back then. Try to look at things from my perspective."

Sakura sighed and then looked up in thought for a long moment as she grabbed her head.

She removed her hand and looked back at Hanabi before saying.

.

"Well I can't think of any other way to tell you so I'll just say it…I've been in love with Naruto and Sasuke for a long time.

To choose one means to hurt the other. Being in a love triangle isn't easy…It's like…well let's say your father takes you out for icecream for example.

He buys two icecream cones, one strawberry flavored and one vanilla.

He hands them both to you and tells you that you can only have one of them before dinner.

You have a choice to make, but you really love both flavors and you are too greedy to give one of them back.

So you sit there thinking about the choice so long that icecream melts and you don't get either of them.

Relationships are the same way. If you don't make up your mind and stick to your decision you will lose both of them the same way I lost Naruto and Sasuke."

.

Hanabi looked at her in confusion as she stood up and wiped the blood off her sword.

"But…Naruto told me he let the relationship crumble between you two…" She said in disbelief.

Sakura shook her head while looking at the ground and said. "That is not entirely true Hanabi. I was to blame as well.

When we did finally start dating I hid it from Sasuke when Naruto wanted to do the right thing and tell him.

I failed to finalize my choice and tell Sasuke that I had chosen Naruto. I knew Sasuke wouldn't care in the long run.

He never returned my romantic feelings for him…I was running from admitting it to myself and giving up on Sasuke.

And so I also let the relationship crumble.

.

I even felt a bit relieved when it did because I could go back to selfishly loving them both.

Thinking at anytime I could choose one or the other of them. But Naruto's love for me changed just like the icecream I compared him to.

His love for me changed from a romantic love into the love of a family member.

I foolishly kept making the same mistake I've been making for most of my life.

I told myself that everything was the same and that it would never change.

That I could go on making my decision as long as I liked.

I knew deep down that Naruto's heart was changing, but I refused to admit it." Sakura's eyes quivered in pain.

.

"I know Naruto's heart better than anyone else.

I know he is a very guarded person with his true feelings of love, yet he would give his life to protect a complete stranger.

What Naruto wants most of all, even more than becoming Hokage, is a family because he never had one.

We take our families for granted all the time and then feel the same way he has always felt when they are taken from us…

Naruto just wants someone to except and love him for who he is. "

She said as she crossed her arms and looked away.

.

"I could never stand beside Naruto the way you did and are still doing Hanabi. Naruto found you and started training you.

He found what I thought was out of his reach anymore. He found someone that accepts him for who he is. You accepted him.

I knew I was no match for you because you gave him your whole heart while I could only give him half of mine." She said sadly.

Hanabi stood up and sheathed her sword before saying. "Then why did you move in with Naruto?

If you still felt that way about him then it must have been hard for you to see us like that every day."

.

Sakura sighed and then turned back to Hanabi. "Yes, it was hard in some ways. Naruto devoted all his time to you and your training.

We barely talked even though we live in the same household. The reason I moved in with you two was to watch over you Hanabi."

Hanabi looked at her intensely and asked. "To watch over me? You said you wouldn't interfere with our relationship though."

Sakura nodded her head slowly and said. "I told you already when you truly love someone you only wish for their happiness.

Hanabi you are my friend and I do love Naruto, but I couldn't give Naruto true happiness.

You on the other hand might be able to. So I moved in to help you two.

I wanted to make sure you didn't make any of the same mistakes that I did if I could help it.

I wanted to stop you from making mistakes that could hurt him…just like the one you're trying to make now."

.

Hanabi looked at her in slight offense and said. "Mistake? What mistake?"

Sakura gave her a weak and sad look before saying. "You need to stay away from Naruto. That connection you two share is far too strong right now.

While you two are together you are nearly linked. If Naruto fails to defeat the Nine Tailed Fox and dies in battle…you will likely die as well…"

Hanabi smiled honestly to her and said. "That news is very comforting to me. I wouldn't want to live in a world without Naruto."

.

Sakura looked at her desperately in shock and said. "Hanabi! Think about it from Naruto's point of view!

Do you honestly think he would want you to die because he failed?

Do you think if you meet him in the afterlife that he would be happy that you died with him?

You are also an Heiress of the Hyuuga Clan.

Can you really be so selfish to sever all ties to the living when your Clan needs you so much?"

.

Hanabi looked away from her with pain in her eyes as she realized how selfish she was being.

"I still can't see myself living in a world without him Sakura-chan…" She said emotionally.

"Sometimes you need to be strong even when it hurts Hanabi…That's what it means to be truly strong…"

Sakura said as the placed her hand on Hanabi's shoulder and then walked back towards the house.

Hanabi's mind raced as she looked down in deep thought with a sad look on her face.

She crossed her arms as she warred in her head for a long moment before leaving through the gate.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi entered training ground thirty-six still deep in thought.

_"Can I really forsake this life to die with Naruto should he fail?"_ She thought as she slumped down on to the ground.

"_The words I told Sakura came to me so easily when I said them and I meant them…but." _She fell over on her back and covered her eyes from the bright morning sun.

_"Can I really do that? Can I really forsake the duties of my Clan? Can I live with myself after hurting my Clan, Sakura and Konohamaru?_

_Then again can I really live in this cold dark world without his warming light…Can I really be strong enough to leave him alone when it might be the last days that I can see him?"_

She shook her head as she used her sleeve to dry her rapidly moistening eyes as she thought.

_"No…I shouldn't be having these thoughts. Gaara told me I would have to take his Nindo as my own. _

_He told me it would be hard…I have to have faith in him or I'll break my Nindo…"_

.

"Taking a break already?" Kakashi said as he leaned up against a nearby tree while reading his book.

Hanabi snapped her arm away from her face and sat up suddenly. She looked around the area intently until her eyes locked onto Kakashi.

"And here I thought you were Naruto's student, yet you are taking a break before ever starting your training for the day."

Kakashi said and then snapped his book shut with a dull sound.

.

Hanabi gave him a confused look and said. "Kakashi sensei…What are you doing here?"

Kakashi sighed and said. "Well I took a leave of absence from my duties to practice a new jutsu, but as luck would have it Naruto is hogging the Hokage training grounds.

Now I could take this time off for a much needed vacation, but seeing as how Naruto is training so hard I thought I'd look in on your training while he is away."

Hanabi stood up and looked away from him. "I am not sure that I am up for training today.

I've got a lot on my mind at the present time. Besides what could you possibly want to teach me?" She asked.

.

Kakashi looked up in thought and said. "Hmmm you don't think the Legendary Copy ninja that has mastered over a thousand jutsus has anything to teach you?"

Hanabi looked down and shook her head before respectfully saying. "I do not mean to sound arrogant or disrespectful Kakashi sensei.

I only meant what could you wish to teach me that would help me over the jutsus Naruto has already taught me?"

Kakashi smiled at her and said. "How about to never let your guard down?"

Kakashi held up a short sword in a highly polished sheath in one hand and two kunai holsters in his other hand.

Hanabi's eyes went wide as she quickly reached behind her for the Flying Thunder God sword.

She grasped for its familiar silk twine braided handle and polished wood surface, but only grasped empty air at her hip.

"Why the surprised look Hanabi? I'm not on the Hokage's successor list for nothing you know." He said with a smile.

.

Her eyes narrowed at him and she said. "I see, you want to test me. I'm supposed to get my weapons back from you then?"

She planted her feet and raised her arms in a defensive fighting form.

Kakashi shook his head at her and said. "No Hanabi. I did this to prove a point."

Hanabi relaxed her fighting pose as she gave him a confused look. "And what point would that be?"

"That you can be separated from these weapons and have your strongest jutsu taken away from you." He said.

"I already knew that. That is why I guard them so well. What is the use in proving that?" She said confidently.

"Because I want to give you a weapon that you can't be separated from." He said as handed her back her sword and kunais.

She gave him a confused look as he turned to the side.

He went through three hand signs and lightning crackled to life him his hand.

.

"Lightning is your main element and it is a powerful weapon if you can master using it.

If you can master it you will have a powerful weapon that you can never be separated from." He said as he turned his head to look at her.

Hanabi eyed the blue lightning that was dancing in his hand intensely.

Kakashi looked at her seriously and said. "Naruto trains you with the lessons of the First and Second Hokages so you know what you are going to have to do to learn this jutsu."

She looked at him and then returned her gaze to the blue lightning in his hands for a long moment.

.

She raised her hand out and quoted her master. "'If I want this jutsu I'll have to reach out and take it on my own.'"

She took a step forward and tried to grasp the lightning in his hand.

The moment her hand touched the jutsu lightning shot all threw her body.

She screamed and fell to her knees as bolts of lightning passed through her but she didn't release her grip on Kakashi's hand right away.

She gritted her teeth as tears broke the rims of her eyes straining to not let go just before her body went limp and fell at Kakashi's feet.

.

Kakashi slowly drew back his hand as the stared down at the beautiful girl at his feet. He shook his head at her in exasperation as he said.

"That is certainly the Naruto way of doing things…Foolish and reckless."

.

* * *

.

Hanabi head was stinging and she smelled the awful stench of burnt hair. She strained to open her eyes and sit up.

She rubbed her eyes with both hands trying to clear her blurry vision.

She wrinkled her nose up in disgust at the smell and fanned her right hand in front of her to clear the air.

It only made the smell stronger and she looked at her own arm. All the hair on her arm had been burned off from Kakashi's Chidori.

"I see you're finally awake. I guess it's pointless to tell you that you did something foolish."

Kakashi said as he closed his book from near her and turned to look at her.

He leaned down and inspected her slightly charred hand.

.

"It looks like there isn't any significant damage…Why would you do something so reckless Hanabi?" He asked her sternly.

Hanabi drew her hand back behind her and pushed herself up on to her feet. She swayed slightly until she found her footing and turned to him.

"Because to be worthy of wielding a jutsu you should know what it feels like for it to be used on you.

That way you know exactly what you are doing to the person you are using it on.

I'm also a Toad Sage able to feel the world around me in a way that you couldn't understand.

Now that I've felt that jutsu coursing through me I will learn it at a much faster rate from the understanding I've gained from being hit by it.

One question Kakashi sensei…Why this jutsu when Naruto will teach me the Rasengan?" She asked.

.

Kakashi raised a eyebrow at her curiously as he held out his hand.

Blue chakra streaked over his hand until it formed a tight ball of whirling blue chakra.

"The Rasengan you say? Well two reasons actually.

The first is that you are a lightning type and you should learn you use the element you have an affinity for.

You need to understand lightning weaknesses and strengths to use it effectively in battle. You should also look at the elements of your teammates.

Each team is made up of diverse ninja to handle different situations.

A squad of four fire elemental ninja will still be hard pressed to get through a water wall jutsu." He said wisely.

.

Hanabi looked down in thought for a moment and then picked her head up to look at him.

"Sakura is water natured, Naruto is wind natured, I'm lightning natured and I'm not sure what nature Sai has." She said in thought.

"That's right, but you don't know how to use you're lightning element yet.

The other reason is that the Rasengan is much harder to learn than the Chidori jutsu." Kakashi said.

.

Hanabi looked at him in mild surprise and said.

"The Rasengan is harder to learn than the Chidori? But I thought they were both A ranked jutsu.

Naruto told me your Chidori uses both shape and chakra manipulation and the Rasengan is only shape manipulation.

I thought your Chidori would be the harder of the two to learn."

.

Kakashi nodded his head at her and said. "Yes most people would think that, but that isn't true.

The Chidori is much easier to learn than the Rasengan if you are a lightning type.

They are both A ranked jutsu, but why do you think the Rasengan is hailed as a master rank Ninjutsu while the Chidori isn't?"

She blinked blankly at his odd question and said.

"I…don't know actually. That is kind of strange now that I think about it.

I'd have to guess that it's because the Fourth Hokage invented the Rasengan."

.

Kakashi smiled at her and said. "That is partly right, but not quite all of it. The Chidori is a completed jutsu.

It is already at the highest level it can obtain and it does that through shape and chakra manipulation.

The Rasengan on the other hand is just shape manipulation taken to extremes. It is the perfection of shape manipulation, the highest possible point.

Without any element it is still an A rank jutsu and the only one of its kind. Unlike the Chidori, that is completed jutsu, the Rasengan is just the first step.

And what a huge first step that is. The Fourth Hokage wanted to add his own wind element to the Rasengan but failed. Where he failed his son succeeded.

When your master combined it with his wind element he took the Rasengan from an A ranked jutsu to a SS ranked jutsu. He increased its power and range tenfold.

But every jutsu has risks. To even learn the Rasengan is highly dangerous and its one of the reasons it is almost never taught.

.

There were two others that were put through the training to learn it.

They both mastered the first two steps, but one of them just couldn't get the third step.

The other one of them came close to mastering the third step, but his body wasn't strong enough to handle the training process.

He nearly completed the jutsu, but lost control over it and blew his hand off. His days as a ninja were over from that point forward.

To learn the Rasengan you need a very durable body and chakra network with vast amount of chakra.

A body like that of a descendant of a former Hokage would have for example." He said.

.

Hanabi gave him a confused look and said. "Wait…but you and master Jiraiya aren't related to any of the Hokage's."

Kakashi gave her a thoughtful look as he nodded his head. "True, I'm not related to any of the former Hokage's, but I'm an exception.

I used the Sharingan to copy my master's jutsu. Master Jiraiya on the other hand…"

He said and then trailed off with a knowing smile at her.

.

Hanabi face went blank with shook for a long moment before finally finding herself again.

"Wait…you mean Jiraiya is a descendant of one of the Hokages? But who? Which one?"

She asked intensely.

Kakashi kept smiling at her and said. "Oh come now. It's not that hard to guess. His hair is a dead giveaway."

Hanabi looked down in thought for a long moment and then her eyes went wide with realization.

_"Jiraiya's hair and…the second Hokage's are just alike…They are both naturally white haired!"_ She thought to herself.

.

"But-But how? How is he related to the second Hokage? That's not in any of the books I've read about him." Hanabi asked in shock.

Kakashi nodded his head at her with a smile and said. "You're as sharp as ever Hanabi, but you need to think more.

What happened to Naruto when he was born and both of his parents died?

He was the son of a former Hokage and a very tempting target for kidnappers.

Naruto being sealed with the Nine Tailed Fox wasn't the only reason his lineage was kept from him.

The Second Hokage…well he was known to have a weakness for women in his early years and had a child out of wedlock.

That child's son was Jiraiya. Even he didn't know until much later in his life and even then it was only by a slip of the tongue that he found out."

Hanabi gave him a reserved and confused look. "A slip of the tongue? I'm sure the person that told him would have been punished for it then."

Kakashi sighed and then said. "Well no, actually. He was the Hokage after all."

.

"The Hokage told him?" She asked in surprise.

Kakashi shook his head at the ground and turned back to her with a defeated look.

"It seems so. The Third Hokage told him by mistake.

He was lecturing him about his affections toward Lady Tsunade one day and accidentally spilled the beans about them being cousins twice removed." He said.

Hanabi gave him an unimpressed look and said.

"And? So what, my great aunt and uncle were brother and sister and they got married. What does that have to do with anything?"

.

Kakashi's face turned sickly green as he looked away in thought. _"I forgot she was from a noble Clan and the Hyuuga Clan at that…_

_She probably doesn't see anything wrong with family members getting married to each other and having relationships…"_

"Umm how to put this delicately. Well you see Hanabi most people not from a noble Clan find it…" He turned to her and tried to say before she cut him off.

She crossed her arms and gave him a flat look of annoyance.

.

"Oh please don't start that commoner talk about incest! My great aunt and uncle were perfectly happy together.

Both of their children were born healthy and lived long lives. Not everyone has weak blood.

We have to take steps to preserve our Byakugan and it's the reason it has survived so long.

After all, it's common in our Clan to marry our siblings and it is almost preferred when possible in the main house of the family.

If I would have been born a boy I probably would have had no say in my partner. I would have been forced to marry my sister for the sake of the Clan.

It is also common for members of the Hyuuga Clan to be attracted to each other in such a way.

Both me and my sister had a crush on the same Clan member when we were growing up as well."

Kakashi blushed slightly with pervertedness and said. "And who might that be?"

.

Hanabi's look of annoyance only deepened as she said.

"It was Neji. She had a crush on him and it was quite normal for her to have this crush him.

It is well known in the Clan for a guarded person to fall for her guardian, in this case Neji.

She did have a crush on him but it was ultimately destroyed because he hated the main house.

She later started stalking Naruto after something happened between her and Naruto.

.

I too lost my interest for him at a young age as well and never found another to like until Naruto."

"Ah hmmmm." Kakashi said innocently in thought as he pulled out a scroll and writing brush and starting writing down some notes.

Hanabi face changed to a sour flat look. "…Picking up a patter in the Hyuuga Clan's girls?" She asked in a accusing tone of voice.

Kakashi give her a quick smile as he rolled up the scroll and put it away. "My notes were completely unrelated to that." He said innocently.

Hanabi glared at him for a long moment and said. "Sure they were…"

.

Kakashi turned his attention back to Hanabi and said. "Well we seemed to have gotten a bit off topic.

The Chidori is lightning based so that means it is strong verses earth and weak to wind.

The Rasengan doesn't have an element on its own so it isn't strong our weak toward any of the elements.

It affects them all the same; however the Rasengan takes so much concentration and chakra control that it can only be formed with the hands.

If you truly master the Chidori you will be able to make it come out of any part of your body making it much more versatile than the Rasengan.

Here I'll show you with a demonstration." Kakashi walked over to a nearby tree and stood with his back facing the tree.

.

Hanabi eyed him carefully and Kakashi said. "Let's use this tree as you. We will say we are enemies at war.

You have used your Yellow Flash jutsu to get behind me and you have a kunai at my throat. You think I would be prone?"

Hanabi eyed him curiously and said. "I'm guessing since you are giving me this demonstration that the answer would be no."

Kakashi smiled and then a blue flash of light came from behind him followed by the crackle of lightning.

A small stream of smoke curled its way into the air from behind him.

"What…did you do? I didn't even see you make a hand sign." Hanabi asked him as she tilted her head to the side.

"Come here Hanabi, I'll show you." Kakashi wait as Hanabi slow walked over to him.

He stepped to her side and revealed a charred smoking hole the size of a fist in the tree trunk.

.

"As you might have guessed I made the Chidori come out of my back.

This would be a nasty surprise for anyone using time/space Ninjutsu on me." He said while pointing at the hole.

Hanabi stared at the damage in amazement and traces the jagged charred hole with the tip of her finger before turning back to Kakashi.

"How did you do that? I thought you needed to make three hand signs to perform that jutsu." She asked him.

.

"We are getting into some pretty advanced lessons here Hanabi, but I guess I can explain it to you.

Once you truly master an element you will no longer need hand signs to form the jutsu.

You will know how to make it without them, but there is a disadvantage in doing it this way.

It takes much more chakra and effort to form the jutsu without hand signs.

You need much more concentration and guts to use the Chidori the way I just did." He told her.

She gave him a questioning look and said. "What do you mean Kakashi sensei?"

.

"Well…that's simple to explain. I'm attuned to the lightning element so lightning doesn't hurt me like someone who is not attuned to it.

That said it can still hurt me in high concentrations. What I just did was form the Chidori inside my body and pushed it out of my back.

If I wasn't absolutely sure of myself and lost my concentration while I was forming the Chidori in this way…well you can guess what might happen." He told her.

Hanabi eyes went wide with realization as she imagined Kakashi's chest exploding in a burst of lightning.

.

"Not a very appealing outcome huh Hanabi?

But I only want you to get the basic jutsu down for now and for that I'm going to have to get you attuned to your natural element." He said knowingly.

Hanabi look up in thought for a moment and then walked in front of Kakashi.

Her face became serious and she looked at Kakashi.

She moved her fist to her hips in the stance of the horse and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

She let it out slowly and said. "All right Kakashi sensei, I am ready."

.

Kakashi raise a curious eyebrow at her and said. "What exactly are you ready for?"

She shot him a perplexed look and then here eyes darted around.

"Ready for you to hit me with the Chidori until I'm attuned to the lightning element?" She asked.

Kakashi sweat dropped as he thought. _"Foolish and reckless. She certainly is Naruto's student…"_

Kakashi gave her a reserved strained look and said.

"Hanabi…firstly that is dangerous, secondly I don't have a nearly limitless amount of chakra at my disposal like Naruto.

You are going to have to learn this jutsu the old fashioned way, through time and effort." Kakashi reached into his pouch and pulled out two items.

One was a small jar with a tiny bug in it and the other was a one foot square cloth.

.

Hanabi gave him a slightly confused look and said. "What is that, a snack or something? That bug is too small to be worth the effort."

Kakashi gave her a reserved look of revulsion as he said to himself.

"Sometimes she is so much like Naruto it's scary. I forgot that she would probably see bugs as food being from the Toad Clan and all."

Kakashi relaxed his tense stance and said. "No Hanabi. This is the start of your training."

He held up the small glass jar and pointed to the bug in it.

"This little guy is going to teach you the first step to bringing out the lightning element." He said.

Hanabi gave him a disbelieving look as her took the small jar and eyed it. "What kind of bug is this?"

.

Kakashi smiled at her and said. "It's a common firefly."

"And how exactly is this little guy going to do that?" She asked disbelievingly.

"That is what this cloth is for." Kakashi said as he placed the cloth over the jar. "Fireflies only show their light at night.

They do this by building up a small amount of the lightning element in their bodies and release it into their backs.

When they do this they create that brief flash of light that they are known for.

What I want you to do is concentrate on that firefly and figure out how he does that. Simple enough for you?" He said.

.

Hanabi eyed the covered jar with new found respect and she stared at it for a long moment.

She bowed her head as she took the jar and respectfully said. "Thank you Kakashi sensei."

She walked over to a nearby tree and sat down cross legged as she wrapped her hands around the jar.

She closed her eyes and concentrated only on the firefly. Kakashi opened his book and leaned against a tree.

.

After ten minutes Kakashi walked over to her and said. "Ok Hanabi let's see how you are doing."

Hanabi opened her eyes slowly and said. "What do you mean? I've just started."

Kakashi smiled and said. "Yes I know that. Take the cloth off of the jar and let's check up on your little teacher."

Hanabi gave him a confused look and removed the cloth from the jar.

The firefly laid still on its back at the bottom of the jar.

.

"What happened?" She asked as she eyed the tiny bug.

"That is simple. You forced your chakra into it and killed it.

This tiny firefly is very sensitive. Even a tiny bit of chakra from you is like open flame to them.

You have to sense it, not feel it with your chakra." He said as he tossed her another jar.

She caught it and he said. "Please be nicer to this teacher and don't force your chakra into it."

.

She eyes it carefully in thought for a long moment before asking. "What will I learn from this in the end Kakashi sensei?"

Kakashi kneeled down to her and rested his elbows on his knees. "Once you're finished with this step you should be able to do this."

Kakashi touched on of his fingers to her forearm. There was a tiny pop sound as Hanabi received at small shock.

She flinched and then rubbed her forearm. "Really? Is that all I'll be able to do is give someone a carpet shock?" She said in a disappointed tone.

Kakashi sighed and said. "Naruto taught you how to use the wind element correct?"

.

Hanabi said. "Yes, he did, but I only know one jutsu with it and it's a really simple one at that."

Kakashi nodded his head thoughtfully and asked. "What steps did he put you through to learn that one jutsu?"

Hanabi straighten herself up and said. "First he created a cyclone of wind and told me I had to move through it. It took me a long time to be able to do it.

After I mastered it he had me cut a leaf in half with my wind element and finally he showed me the wind barrier jutsu."

"Yes. He taught you the same way I am. Everything is taught to you in steps. The first step is becoming attuned to the element.

Naruto drowned you in wind to do this were as I am doing the opposite. I'm making you feel the smallest amount of the lightning element.

The next step will be to create that one tiny bolt. Once you do that a world of lightning jutsu will open up to you." Kakashi told her kindly.

.

She nodded her head and said. "Thank you, but do you happen to have a few more fireflies with you?"

"No, that is the last one I have. I don't want you to try to short cut this step with the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

You will have to earn this element on your own. The shadow clone jutsu will not help you complete this step."

He told her.

"I see…" She said and then wrapped her hands around the jar in concentration.

.

* * *

.

The western skies were changing to an array of orange and pink as dusk approached.

Kakashi was standing on a branch in the tree Hanabi was sitting by in the wooded training ground.

He looked down over his book at her and thought.

_"She has been at it all day and she didn't even take a break for lunch. This must be the result of Naruto's training and her Hyuuga pride._

_She doesn't even look tired…but still I can't let her stay out her all night."_

He jumped down beside her and said. "That's enough for today Hanabi. I'll walk you home."

.

She slowly opened her eyes and turned her head up to look at him. "I can keep going Kakashi sensei. I haven't even used any chakra yet."

"Hanabi this isn't like Sage training. You can't do it fourteen hours a day and expect to get it down any faster. Besides you haven't eaten all day."

Kakashi said as he reached down and took the jar from her.

Hanabi shook her head and honestly said. "Please…just a little longer. I think I am close."

Kakashi looked at the jar in his hand and took the lid off.

The firefly flew out and slowly rose into the air around the tree sending off a green blink every few seconds.

Kakashi watched it for a moment before looking back to her. "You're already doing better then I hoped for Hanabi."

Hanabi stood up and stretched her stiff limbs that protested with loud pops. Her arms fell to her sides and she looked over at him.

.

"Really? I don't feel like I've gotten anywhere today." She said as she followed Kakashi toward the main road.

"On the contrary, you have been at it with the same firefly for over six hours.

It took the last person I taught this jutsu to a week before he could do that."

Kakashi said as he slow picked his way forward.

Hanabi's eyes narrowed at him in though before she turned her head back to in front of her.

"What is the real reason you are teaching me this jutsu?" She asked quietly.

.

"I'm starting to miss teaching the young Naruto…

I told you already that I'm teaching you this jutsu because we are both lightning types.

In some ways I'm leery of teaching you this jutsu." He said.

She gave him a curious look and asked. "Why would that be?"

Kakashi stayed silent for a long moment before saying. "It's because Konohamaru is your rival. I doubt he would admit it, but it is obvious."

She asked him. "Why would that matter?"

.

Kakashi glance over at her and said. "Because the Chidori and the Rasengan have clashed in battle many times since I taught it to someone."

Hanabi nodded her head knowingly. "Your last student was Sasuke Uchiha."

"Yes, it was and like you and Konohamaru they were rivals. I placed that power in his hands and he wreaked havoc with it.

I am still not totally sure I want to teach it again, but on the other hand I think you will use it to protect people, not destroy them like he did." He said.

Hanabi gave him a long look before softly asking.

"Is really the only reason the head of the Anbu Black Ops is taking time off to teach me this jutsu?"

Kakashi smiled weakly and said. "I owe Naruto more than you might think. The other reason is the same reason you didn't want to stop training today."

Kakashi looked over at her knowingly. Hanabi looked down sadly and said.

"I-I didn't want to stop because if I'm not training I can only think of him…" She admitted shyly.

.

Kakashi continued to walk beside her and said. "I know that. By helping you I am helping him.

It is my duty as his sensei after all to help him with his students…

Maybe it will put your mind at ease to know Naruto is doing this exact type of training at the Hokage training ground."

Hanabi touched the small of her neck as she smiled slightly and said.

"Actually…that does put my mind slightly at ease to know we are training at the same thing.

It's almost like he's standing beside me helping me, even when he's not here."

.

They were approaching the gate to Naruto's estate and Kakashi pointed to his forehead and said. "Your master will always be with you in here."

She stopped at the gate and smile warmly at Kakashi before she placed her hand over her heart. "No…he's always with me in here."

Kakashi smile at her and said. "Ninja rule number twenty-five: A ninja never shows their feeling.' That was a very un-ninja like thing to say."

Hanabi laughed softly. "Maybe I'm not a ninja anymore, maybe I'm just a Sage. Good night Kakashi sensei." She said with a slight bow.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the training grounds. Good night Lady Hanabi." He said as she opened the gate and walked through.

_"Naruto…your student just like you…Sometimes they are very un-ninja like and strange, but they are always a good person with a good heart. _

_Perhaps that is more important sometimes…" _

He thought to himself and then leaped away into the falling night.

.

* * *

.

Three days later.

It was the middle of the afternoon at training ground thirty-six on a cool January day.

Kakashi was sitting on a low branch of a tree reading a book while Hanabi concentrated on a jar at the base of its trunk.

Hanabi was quiet in her meditation pose with her eyes closed. Hanabi looked thin and worn out from the stress she was under.

Her once silky hair seemed to have lost its sheen and her eyes were getting more distant with each passing day.

_"Her chakra addiction is taking its toll on her. She can't sleep and she is forgetting to eat all the time now._

_She should have gotten this part of the training by now. She obviously can't concentrate because of her withdraw symptoms._

_She's a tough one though and she hasn't complained yet. But even she has a breaking point and I think she might be nearing it."_

Kakashi thought as he stared down at her from over his book.

.

Hanabi opened her sad distant eyes and slowly set the jar she was holding a side.

"Taking a break Hanabi?" Kakashi asked while reading his book.

She turned to him and gave him a weak smile and said. "Yes, I'm going to go wash my face."

Hanabi rose and lifelessly headed to the back of the training ground the stream was.

Kakashi watched her intently as she walked out of his sight.

.

Hanabi kneeled down at the bank of the slow moving stream and stared into its cold crystal waters.

_"Naruto…where are you?...How much longer do I have to be away from you? I think I'm starting to forget who I am without you around. _

_I'm starting to forget what I am fighting for. I just want to see your face again…even if it's from a distance._

_Just show me there is still warmth in the cold dark world because I just don't know…how much longer I can take this…_

_It's only been four days, but it feels like a life time to me…"_

She thought as her trembling hand covered her sad tear stricken eyes.

.

She fought to keep her breathing from turning into sobs for a long moment.

She suddenly plunged both of her hands into the water and splashed her face with cold water to wash away her tears.

The water stung her milky white eyes and made them even more bloodshot than they were before.

She wrapped her arms around her knees and stare sadly into the shifting reflective surface of the water lost in her own memories.

Each happy memory that surfaced in her mind only brought her sadness because it only increased her longing to see the person she loved the most.

.

Kakashi walked up behind her and said. "Hanabi."

She was so lost in her memories that she did not hear him and continued to stare out at the water.

"Hanabi!" Kakashi nearly yelled and Hanabi snapped out of her memories with a start.

She looked at him wildly for a moment and then her expression slowly shifted back to a sad, distant and lifeless stare.

"You've been over her for almost twenty minutes.

That is a little long just to wash your face. Is there something on your mind?" He asked as he sat down next to her.

Hanabi rested her head on her knees and stayed silent.

"This really isn't like you. When we started this training you didn't want to stop and now you're not even trying.

You're doing everything half heartedly." He said quietly.

.

The only sound was babbling of the stream for a long moment before Hanabi hollowly asked.

"Kakashi sensei, I know this might be a stupid question, but do you know what it feels when someone you care about dies?"

Kakashi nodded his head and said. "Yes, I know that feeling all too well."

"I've never lost anyone really close to me, but I think it feels like what I am going through now. How do I deal with this pain and loneliness?

I just feel so lost and helpless. It is like nothing I do matters anymore and this feeling is never going to go away." She said sadly.

.

Kakashi turn and looked at her then returned his eyes to the water.

"I see…I know what you are going through. I've lost countless comrades and friends over the years.

It's never easy when someone dear to you is taken from you. Dealing with the pain of that loss never gets any easier no matter how much time passes.

You have to accept that pain and move on. It is one of life's most bitter lessons that we all have to learn Hanabi.

As for finding meaning in what you are doing…Well I guess there isn't any if you are going to talk about Naruto like he is already dead." He said.

.

"I-I didn't mean it like that…It's just that's what it feels like. Like something inside of me is dying." She said in a strained voice.

"You know in these past few days Naruto has been dealing with the same situation as you and I bet he even once lost sight of what he was fighting for.

No, actually I'm sure he didn't, that is just the way Naruto is.

You can't stop thinking about him and you are getting down and becoming half hearted.

Do you think Naruto is doing the same when he's thinking of you right now?" Kakashi asked her.

"You really think he is thinking about me?" She asked hopefully.

Kakashi nodded his head and ask. "Of course he is. He's thinking about the whole village he wants to protect.

He's thinking about all his friends and students, but most of all he's thinking of his Disciple.

It's what is driving him to keep training day in and day out."

.

Hanabi stared off into the distance in thought for a long moment.

"How about I make a deal with you Hanabi?" Kakashi said as he stood up.

Hanabi gave him a tired look of curiosity and asked. "What kind of deal?"

Kakashi said. "If you are able to master this jutsu I'll take you to see Naruto."

A faint glimmer of life returned to Hanabi's eyes. "You really mean that?" She asked him desperately.

Kakashi nodded his head and said. "Yes I do and if you want to master the Chidori you better put your full effort into it."

Hanabi gave him and reserved smile and when back to her place to train with renewed vigor.

.

* * *

.

The next day Hanabi threw herself whole heartedly into her training. Kakashi didn't arrive until it was nearing noon.

He slowly walked over to her and stopped in front of her.

"Have you learned anything yet? Do you see how the firefly is changing its chakra into the lightning element?" He asked her.

She opened her eyes and she said. "I think I finally see how it is doing it. It's coiling its chakra into a tight spiral pattern, like a spring.

It coils it so tightly in fact that it starts to pulsate or vibrate with tension. Then it releases it into its back and the energy makes its body glow."

Kakashi nodded his head and said. "Very good Hanabi, now are you ready to try it for yourself?"

.

Hanabi smiled at him and put up the seal of the tiger. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She said and six clones appeared.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow curiously at her and said.

"I haven't even told you what I want you to use it on or shown you what the correct effects look like."

"Oh but you have Kakashi sensei. It's like a carpet shock right?" She said knowingly.

Kakashi said. "You should be able to do that know with just the knowledge of how it works.

We will use the leaf training technique again." Kakashi held up a leaf in his hand and twirled it between his fingers.

"Watch closely to what happens when I hit it was a bolt of lightning." He covered the leaf with his other hand and there was a loud pop.

He removed his hand and the leaf was cut in half and the edges of the cut leaf were singed.

.

"Not unlike learning the wind element huh?" He said with a smile.

Hanabi nodded her head and said. "Yes I see similarity in the teaching methods. I will start my training now then."

Kakashi looked at her sternly and said. "It's time for you to get some lunch Hanabi.

I'll not have you training until you drop now that you are on a step that you can use shadow clones on."

Hanabi pointed to beside the tree were a small box wrapped in the pink cloth was sitting on the ground.

"I brought my lunch today. When I get hungry I'll stop and eat." She said.

.

Kakashi sighed as he looked down and thought.

_"I can see it in her eyes…They are saying 'I want to see Naruto again no matter what'. _

_I'll have to keep a much closer eye on her to make sure she doesn't over do it."_

Kakashi lifted his head and said. "Very well then."

.

Hanabi and her clones trained for an hour before Kakashi said.

"Ok Hanabi, dispel your clones and accumulate all the knowledge you learned thus far."

He jumped down from the tree he was in and Hanabi's clone poofed into smoke.

Hanabi slowly uncovered the leaf in her hand and it had a small black spot in the center of it.

Kakashi handed her lunch to her and said. "Good job, you are making progress. You've already managed to singe the leaf."

Hanabi wipe the sweat off of her forehead before taking her lunch from Kakashi.

She sat down and opened it. "This is much easier that learning the wind element. It took me almost a month to even nick a leaf with wind."

.

Kakashi sat down near her and said. "That is the difference between learning primary element and learning the others."

Hanabi pulled an inch long black beetle out of her lunch box and popped it into her mouth. She crunched loudly on it and swallowed before asking.

"Do you want some of my lunch Kakashi sensei? Shizan was away and I packed too much."

Kakashi face when a slight shade of green as he held up if hands with a strained smile and said. "No, no that's alright. I just ate…"

Hanabi shrugged casually and continued eating.

.

"Do you really enjoy eating bugs? It doesn't really suit the diet of Hyuuga Heiress." Kakashi asked after a long moment.

Hanabi stop just as she was about to put another large beetle in her mouth and gave him a confused look.

"What's wrong with eating beetles? It's common to eat them in other areas of the world." She said and then bit the beetle in her hand in half.

Kakashi gave her a slightly strained expression and said. "It's only common in very poor countries because food is so scarce."

.

Hanabi chuckled at his uncomfortable expression. "They are a good source of protein. I just get a craving for them sometimes.

I used to eat them all the time when I was away on Mount Myoboku. At first I hated them, but after awhile I grew to like them.

It's a comfort food for me that reminds me of my time away training to be a Sage." She said while eating.

Kakashi asked. "Didn't you say that your Sage training was fourteen hours a day? I figured if anything you'd never want to eat another beetle again."

Hanabi smiled brightly at him and said. "The training was grueling, but I also have some very happy memories from there as well."

Kakashi gave her a curious look and said. "Can I ask about these memories that are making you smile when you've been down so much lately?"

Hanabi looked up in thought while still smiling for a moment and then said.

"Well would it surprise you if I told you that me and Naruto have a house on Mount Myoboku?"

.

"Naruto built you a house?" Kakashi asked in disbelief.

Hanabi laughed and then said. "Well…kind of. The elders were always harping on me for sleeping next to Naruto.

That and they are quite a couple of characters to live around so one day Naruto decided he wanted to build his own house so we could have some space.

As you might have guessed it was a disaster. His first three houses all collapsed within hours of them being built.

Gamakichi and Gamatatsu came over and tried to help which only made matters worse.

Finally Gamabunta came to see what all the commotion was about and Naruto explained what he was trying to do.

Gamabunta understood and empathized with Naruto. He told him that even he didn't think he could stand living with the elders for long.

He showed Naruto and his two sons what to do and by the end of the day we had a small one room house to live in.

It was little more than a small room with a table, scroll shelf and two moss blankets on the floor for a bed, but it was ours.

Just before we left the Toad Clan put a name plate on the door that read 'Naruto Uzumaki and Hanabi Hyuuga's house'.

It was something so small, but it made me so happy." She smiled brightly at Kakashi.

.

"I see. So that is what you are remembering when you eat the beetles." He said.

Hanabi nodded her head shyly and said. "They said we were welcome to come back and live with the Toad Clan any time we wanted."

Kakashi asked her. "Do you have plans to one day go back there and live among them?"

"Permanently?" She shook her head and said. "We can't. Naruto wants to be Hokage and I have my Clan to think about.

One day I'll return to train the next Toad Sage and then I'll call that house my home again for a time."

Kakashi was mildly surprised at her maturity and said. "You are already thinking about training the next Toad Sage?"

Hanabi shrugged and said. "Yes, but it's just thinking at the present time.

I'm still in training myself. I just know what I am charged with as a Toad Sage that's all."

.

* * *

.

Two days later Kakashi waited by the gate to Naruto's estate reading his book when the door opened up.

Sakura wearing her white medics coat came out and said. "Good morning Kakashi sensei. Hanabi will be here shortly."

"I see you are off to get an early start at the hospital again Sakura." Kakashi said.

Sakura gave him a slightly spiteful look and said.

"Well it's not like anyone can sleep in when Hanabi is in training mode.

She is so much like Naruto sometimes that I just want to clobber her sometimes."

Kakashi sighed and said. "I know what you mean, but clobbering a Toad Sage isn't the best of ideas."

"I know…"She said sourly.

Sakura wave goodbye to him and a few moments later Hanabi came through the gate and greeted him.

.

"Morning Hanabi, let us be off." He said as he read his book as he walked.

Hanabi gave him a confused look and said. "Kakashi sensei, I know that must be a really good book, but the training ground is the other direction."

"Hmm oh, I know that. We aren't going to the Hyuuga training grounds today.

We are going to take a little hike into the mountains to train for today or did you forget that you cut the leaf in half yesterday." He said.

She smiled shyly and shook her head as they made their way out of the village.

.

They walked for almost a hour through the forest before coming to the bottom of a tall cliff.

Kakashi never stopped reading as he absentmindedly stepped up on the cliff face and continued walking.

Hanabi stopped at the cliff face and looked up at Kakashi before following.

They reached the top and it was a rocky flat area with large boulders littering the area.

Kakashi closed his book and put it away before turning around to face Hanabi.

.

"This is where we will train from today onward." Kakashi said.

Hanabi looked around in disappointment and said. "But there is nothing here."

Kakashi reached down and picked up a rock. "Oh there is something here Hanabi.

There is stone and stones are of the earth element in which is weak to lighting."

He said as he dropped the stone with a dull thud.

.

"I will now teach you the hand seals for the jutsu. They are as follows Ox, Rabbit and Monkey."

He said as he performed them and then held out his hand that was encased in dancing lightning.

Kakashi eyes never left Hanabi's as he slammed his hand into a boulder next to him.

The thundering crash sent out a small dust cloud and flying rocks. Hanabi quickly shielding her face from the flying debris.

Kakashi pulled his hand out of the large hole in the rock as the lightning still chirped around his hand.

.

"When you use lightning against earth its effect is increased nearly two fold." Kakashi said as the lightning surrounding his hand faded away.

Hanabi slowly lowered her arms and stared in surprise at the smoking hole.

"It's nearly twice as big as the hole you put in the tree." She said in surprise.

Kakashi gave her a tired look as he slumped and said to himself. "…That's what I just said…"

He straitened himself back up and said. "Ok, now it's time for you to practice it."

Hanabi gave him a slightly shocked look and said. "What? Just like that? No tips or advice or anything?"

Kakashi smiled at her and said. "You want advice already? Hmmm Guts…."

Hanabi smiled as she shook her head at the ground and said. "Right…how could I have forgotten Naruto's most important lesson."

Hanabi summoned one clone and started going over the hand signs again and again.

.

.

It was nearly four in the afternoon as Kakashi slept with his back resting against a boulder.

Hanabi's spirit marker kunais and Flying Thunder God sword were propped up on the rock beside him as his book lay open in his lap.

Hanabi and her clone were both panting on their knees covered in sweat while eying the boulder in front of them.

Hanabi collapsed onto her knees and then fell down on all fours trying to catch her breath as her clone poofed into smoke.

"This…this is on a whole other level…I've cut the leaf, but I haven't even began to charred the rock." She said as she fell over onto her side.

Her entire body burned with exhaustion. She hadn't been this tired since her Sage training.

She laid on the ground unable to move for almost ten minutes.

.

Kakashi opened one eyes sleepily and an ear plug fell out of his left ear. He stood up and yawned as he stretched.

He blinked a few times to clear his vision and looked around as he took out his other ear plug.

He quickly caught sight of Hanabi breathing hard on the ground fifty feet away from him.

He sighed as a gust of wind swept through the rock terrain.

The wind raced over Hanabi's burning body and relaxed her. Within a few moments her sides were rising and falling in a slow steady rate.

Kakashi walked over to her and looked at the rock she was training with.

He ran his hand over the smooth stone and said. "Not a mark on it and your training until you passed out too.

I guess it isn't a surprise considering who your master is."

He picked her up in his arms and carried her into a nearby wooded area.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi's head was pounding from pain. She kept trying to go back to sleep, but the sounds of noisy insects and crackling persisted in keeping her awake.

She finally gave up and opened her eyes. There was a blurry dancing orange light near her and everything else was dark.

She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and then grabbed her head as she sat up.

"Ouch my head is killing me. Did Rock Lee kick me in my sleep?" She said to herself.

"No. It's the side effects from the food pills I had to give you because you over did it. I told you to stop and eat lunch." Kakashi said sternly.

Hanabi vision slowly cleared as she looked around. Kakashi was sitting on his foldout chair by a fire.

Just behind him two tents were set up in the wooded area. The moon full moon hung low in the clear sky of twinkling stars.

Hanabi asked in tired confusion. "Where are we?"

.

"Not far from where we were training. I thought it would be best to set up camp and let you rest."

Kakashi said as he reached down and grabbed the metal coffee pot by the fire.

He poured it into a cup and handed it to her. She got to her feet and walked over to him.

"It's still a little cold out here. This should help warm you up." He said as she took the cup and sat down near the fire.

She blew on the steaming cup and took a small sip. Her face wrinkled up in disgust as she coughed a few times.

"Ack what is this stuff?" She said in revulsion.

Kakashi glance over at her and said.

"Its coffee, but I added some herbs to it to treat the side effects of the pills I gave you. Don't complain and drink it all."

She forced herself to take another sip and gagged. "I think I'll wait for it to cool off and drink it down quickly."

She said as she winced and set the cup down.

.

"It's funny how you enjoy eating bugs and yet you think a cup of coffee is so revolting." Kakashi commented.

Hanabi gave him a pessimistic look as she took another look around.

She turned to Kakashi and said. "You had this all planned out that we would camp out here tonight didn't you?"

He gave her a stern look for a moment and then sighed as his look faded away.

He leaned back into his chair and watched the smoke from the fire lazily drift into the air.

"It's more like I was prepared for it. This isn't my first time teaching a hyperactive ninja." He said knowingly with a nod in her direction.

Hanabi raised her hand to her head and started forcing healing chakra into it. "You're talking about Naruto I assume."

.

"Of course I am. You two are so different, but at times you two are so alike it's uncanny. Your personalities are nearly complete opposite.

He is rash and quick to anger and speaks his mind. You on the other hand are calm, dignified and think before you act.

Naruto doesn't care if you are the king of all civilization or the poorest beggar, he will treat them all the same.

You treat others in higher standing than you with great respect and sometimes you treat those in lower standings with near disdain.

Then again you both are very devoted to your training and do it to excess.

How you look at a situation is completely different, but in the end you both seem to come to the same conclusion." He said as he watched the fire.

Hanabi was deep in thought for a moment and then turned to him before saying.

"I don't know whether to feel insulted or complimented by your words Kakashi sensei."

.

Kakashi said. "Don't feel either. Just take it as my perspective of you from what you have shown me. Nothing more, nothing less."

Hanabi nodded at him silently. "I know how learning an element works Kakashi sensei.

Naruto taught me all about it for when my time comes to teach my students.

You give them the tools they need to perform the jutsu and let them try to do it on their own.

When they fail they will realize that you are the master and they are the student.

And by acknowledging that you are the master you give them a hint or a nudge in the right direction.

Kakashi sensei I need that nudge in the right direction now. Please point me in the right direction to find the stairs I must climb."

She said as she bowed her head to him.

.

Kakashi laughed softly to himself. "Even though you have manners you're still so much like your master Hanabi.

You whole poetic speech was lost on me…I only heard his words that I've heard so many times before…'How do I get stronger'."

Hanabi blushed uncomfortably and did not raise her head from her bow.

"Enough with the prostrating yourself before me. I'm a ninja not a bureaucrat politician." He said with a wave of his hand.

Hanabi slowly and timidly rose from her bow as she looked at him.

"Ninja do not bow to each other, only nobles do that. You don't need such pleasantries with me Hanabi.

Even so…I guess I should explain how the lightning element works to you."

He said as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees while looking at her seriously.

.

"Every element is alive in some way or another. Water is the basis of all life.

It has a countless number of very tiny creatures living in it that you wouldn't be capable of seeing without the Sharingan.

Earth the sustenance of all life has still more of these tiny creatures in it.

Air or the wind is needed by all living life forms to live and also carries these tiny creatures.

Fire or warmth is required as well to live and finally lightning the basic function that drives our nervous system.

.

Every living thing requires all five of these to live. Water, earth and air all carry life in a similar way, but fire and lightning are alive in a much different way.

Fire can spread and grow faster than any gust of wind or faster than any mountain can grow.

Fire…the devourer of life is alive itself and grows from devouring that life.

Lightning is a little bit different. Lightning is a positive force that seeks a negative force. The most common negative force is earth.

This is why it always arcs to the ground, but the instant I put it closer to another person than the ground it arcs through them.

The instant before I impact someone with my Chidori it paralyzes them making them an easy target.

This is why it is the ideal tool for assassinations."

.

"But how do I do that? My lightning is barely a spark." Hanabi asked desperately.

Kakashi smiled at her and put his hands together. "Right now you are able to do this."

There was a pop noise between his hands. "With that same amount of energy I can do this."

He pointed his first and middle finger at her and a bolt of lightning jumped from one finger to the other.

It created a defying crack of thunder that reverberated and echoed across the landscape.

Hanabi started from the sheer enormity of the sound. "Did you see the difference?" Kakashi asked calmly.

Hanabi blinked a few time trying to clear the tracers from her vision and then shook her head.

"No, it was too fast for me to see. They both seemed completely different to me." She admitted as she covered her eyes in pain.

.

"The answer is simple and you have already heard it before. The Chidori uses both chakra and shape manipulation.

Lightning is alive and cannot be totally controlled. It can however be shaped to a degree." He said.

Hanabi eyed him carefully and said. "Naruto said the same thing about the wind element.

He told me to make it thin and sharp, but the question now is what shape is best for lightning."

Kakashi only smiled at her.

"I see, so I'm supposed to figure that part out for myself then." She said knowingly.

Kakashi laughed quietly to himself as he watched the fire.

.

* * *

.

One week later.

It was a cool day without a cloud in the deep blue sky.

The sun shined brightly from over head as Hanabi and her two clones kept trying to perform the Chidori on a large boulder.

She was sweating and barely holding herself up right as her arms hung limp in front of her.

She swooned and fell over as her clones popped in to smoke. She took several sharp breaths as she thought.

_"Ergh! I've tried everything! Big, small, fat, thin, coiling the energy to the right and the left, but nothing is working!_

_My lightning still looks like a straight beam not like Kakashi sensei's jagged lightning. It moves too fast to be sharpened, but what else can I try?_

_I've only have three more days before Kakashi sensei's leave is up. If I don't learn it by then I won't get to see Naruto!"_

.

Kakashi watched her from a distant tree well out of her chakra sensory perception range and said to himself.

"I wonder how much longer it is going to take her to figure it out."

Hanabi wiped the sweat from her face with her hand and rose to her feet.

She summoned two clones and went back to training until near dusk.

.

"Let's call it a day Hanabi. I don't want you to train until you drop again.

Unless you want me to force feed you those food pills again." Kakashi said to her.

Hanabi turned to him clearly exhausted and gave him a sour look.

"No, I don't think I ever want to take those food pills again." She told him in a tired tone.

Kakashi gave her a slight smile and said. "Good, let's head back to the village for tonight. I am out of provisions for camping out here.

I've already broken down the camp and I'm sure you wouldn't mind sleeping in a normal bed for tonight."

.

Hanabi expression changed to a pained one as she turned her face away from him. "Actually can we just…" She started to say and stopped with her mind racing.

"Hmm did you say something Hanabi?" Kakashi asked.

Hanabi shook her head and said. "No Kakashi sensei." She followed him as he headed back toward the village.

_"How could I tell him that I didn't want to go home because it reminds me of Naruto…?"_ She thought sadly.

Her world only seemed to grow darker like the falling night as Kakashi led her back to Naruto's estate.

Once they reached the gate Kakashi said. "Good night Hanabi. Get a good night's sleep so we can practice in the morning."

Hanabi's mind was far away as she quietly said. "Right, good night Kakashi sensei."

.

She opened the gate and went inside the house. She took her shoes off at the door and Shizan greeted her from the arch way of the kitchen.

"Well I see you are back. How did your training go?"

Hanabi gave her a weak smile and said. "I am still working on it."

"You look dreadful and I can smell you from here. Why don't you go take a shower while I get dinner ready?"

Shizan said while holding her nose at Hanabi.

Hanabi sniffed the front of her uniform and then wrinkled up her nose at her own body odor.

.

"Yes Shizan I think I will." Hanabi said and then went up stairs to take a shower.

She came back down a little while later with her hair still damp.

She ate her food quietly and took her plate to the sink in the kitchen.

She started her head to Naruto's room, but stopped at the foot of the stairs deep in thought.

_"No….that is the last place I should go right now…I think I'll go sleep in my own bedroom for tonight."_

She thought as she sighed and shook her head before heading up stairs.

.

She opened one of the double doors to the master bedroom that had a lotus carved on its dark wood surface and went inside.

Her bed room had several dressers in it and a mermaid fountain in the far corner of the room for a shower.

Her king sized bed was covered in a black silk comforter with a nightstand next to it that had a single picture on it.

The picture was of Naruto getting hit on the head with rock with his eyes bulging out of his head that was taken on her first mission.

She walked over and picked up the picture. She eyed it for a long time, but it only increased her sadness.

She sighed deeply and set the picture down.

.

"No, I can't start thinking about him now…but I can't stop thinking about him…" She told herself as she wiped her tearing eyes on her sleeve.

"I have to think of something…anything else." She noticed another thing sitting on her nightstand and picked it up.

It was an old tattered green book.

"I'd forgotten about this. Naruto let me borrow it so long ago and I never read it. I was always too busy…" She thought as she turned the book around in her hands.

She sat down on her bed and opened the book. She began reading the first few pages to see what the story was about.

She soon found herself deep into the story of a ninja fighting in a war torn country as the hours slipped by.

.

_"The ninja's breath was heavy as he looked down in his hand at his last two remaining smoke bombs. _

_He gripped them tightly and then threw them at the assassin ninja following him._

_They exploded violently and then the clash of metal on metal rang out in the smoke screen again and again. _

_As the smoke cleared the assassin had a sword pointed at the prone ninja on a tree branch._

_The ninja panted hard and then said. "Can I say one thing?" _

_The assassin eyed him coldly and said. "I don't care to listen!" He charged forward and stabbed the ninja in the heart. _

_The force of the blow pinned the ninja into the trunk of the tree. "Die already!" The assassin told him with hatred in his eyes._

_._

_The ninja said. "Give up…" The ninja dissipated into smoke and the real ninja appeared behind him. _

_He struck the assassin in the back of the head with his palm that sent his head into the trunk of the tree with a loud crack. _

_"On me giving up!" The ninja said._

_The assassin felt onto his stomach straining to breathe and said. "Even if you bring me down…another assassin will attack this village."_

_The assassin laughed slightly and said. "As long as we are cursed to live in the ninja world, there will be no peace…"_

_The ninja stood still for a short moment and then said. "Then…I'll break that curse! If there is such a thing as peace, I'll seize it! I'll never give up!"_

_The assassin said. "Wh-Who are you?"_

_The ninja reached his hand out to the assassin then pointed to himself with his thumb and said. "My name is…Naruto." _

.

Hanabi read the final lines of the book and then turned the page.

It was blank and then she turned the next page and again it was blank.

She rushed through the next pages and they too were all blank until she came to the back cover of the book.

There was a short bio of Jiraiya and a dedication to his student Nagato for inspiring him to write the book.

Hanabi clutched the book to her chest as tears streamed down her face.

"Th-the main character….He really is… just like you master…" She said to herself as she pulled her knees in close.

"I miss you so much Naruto…" She whispered to herself as tears rolled off her cheeks and her body trembled.

.

Hanabi was lost in her own thoughts for a long time before she set the book down on her end table.

She stood up and went over to the mirror on top of one of her dressers.

She wiped the tears off of her face with a cloth and set the cloth down.

Resolution replaced the sadness in her eyes as she strapped her kunai holsters on.

_"I have to master the Chidori to see Naruto… I have to be missing something. _

_There has to be a reason why my lightning is strait and Kakashi sensei's is jagged."_ She thought to herself as she closed her eyes.

.

Flashback

* * *

.

A very young Hanabi was sitting at a desk in the corner of her father's office reading a jutsu scroll as punishment for not learning a move correctly.

The door creaked open and Hiashi walked into the room and sat down at his desk.

Hanabi looked over to her father and said. "Father I do not understand why you said that I did not perform the attack correctly.

I've read over this scroll again and again.

I have not seen a difference in the way the scroll tells me to perform the attack and the way I did it in practice. "

Hiashi pulled out a writing brush and started working on the documents in front of him.

.

"Everything is learned in steps my daughter. When you fail at one of them you should go back to the previous steps and see what you have missed.

Try relearning the attack step by step and what you have done wrong will become clear." He said without ever giving her a glance.

Hanabi's eyes narrowed at her father in thought for a moment and then she went back to the beginning of the scroll.

She read over the very first step and then looked down in shame as she found what her father was talking about.

"I see father…I did not lead into the attack with my left leg." She said quietly.

Hiashi's only response was a slight smile as he continued his work.

.

* * *

Flashback End.

.

Hanabi thought for a long moment before pulling one of her spirit kunais and disappearing.

Hanabi reappeared on the other side of town and headed into a wooded area.

The path she was following seemed to move back and forth for no reason.

It was so dark that she had to use her Byakugan to make her way through the thick woods.

.

"_I had to have missed something when I was training with the firefly, but what could it be?"_ She thought as she pushed a tree limb out of her way.

She made her way through the thickest part of the undergrowth until she came to a clearing.

The chirp of insects filled the air around the wide shallow pond. The pond was littered with Lilly pads and cat tails.

In front of her was a boulder two feet high that the top of it had been cut off to make a smooth bench to sit on.

She stepped to the edge of the water and a startled fish darted away from the bank sending small waves rippling across the top of the water.

The waves crest caught the pale moon light as the rippled to the opposite bank.

.

Hanabi's eyes were scanning that far bank intently searching for what she had come for.

After a long moment of searching she sighed and dropped her head down.

"It's too soon in the year for fireflies to be out here I see. I thought for sure Choji's special place wouldn't let me down…"

She said quietly in disappointment as she deactivated her Byakugan.

She stared off into the crystal water's surface thinking until she saw something out of the corner of her eye reflect off of the pond.

Her head snapped up as she intensified her gaze at the far bank almost like she was willing herself to see what she thought she had seen.

.

She smiled as she saw a small green light blink on the far bank and then another green blink. Soon the far bank was covered in hundreds blinking green lights.

She lightly stepped onto the water and slowly made her way over to them until she was surrounded by fireflies.

Hanabi held her hand out in front of her and a firefly landed on her palm. Her smile brightened as she said.

"Maybe this is the work of Kami. Maybe he favors me and has made the fireflies come early so I can see Naruto again."

She covered the blinking firefly with her other hand as she sat down on the bank and closed her eyes.

"Alright Mr. firefly teacher show me what I missed the last time. I'll try my best not to hurt you."

She said as she stretched out her mind in all directions to feel and sense everything that she could.

.

Kakashi was leaning up against a tree on the other side of the pond watching her.

He watched the thin dark circles grow in to sharp points that trailed down her cheeks and up her forehead.

He smiled at her.

_"I can see it…I can see what I missed before."_ She thought in meditation as she felt the firefly coil it's chakra into a tight coil until it released it into its back.

_"The moment right before it releases the chakra it's flattening it out._

_Almost like it is forcing the lightning through an area where it could only pass if it was flat not round." _

.

She thought and then she felt it from all the fireflies blinking around her.

She stood up and laughed a joyous laugh towards the pale glowing moon as she let the firefly go. It flew into the air as she said.

"I finally see what I was doing wrong. I can do it now!" She said as she raised her hand over her head and channeled her chakra.

Jagged blue lightning sparkled in the center of her palm as she laughed and increased the flow of her chakra.

The lightning in her hand grew to the point where it arched out of her hand and rained down to the ground while giving off the sound of a thousand birds chirping.

.

Kakashi shook his head as he smiled. _"I see that she finally learned to think for herself and not do everything the way I told her too. _

_She walked her own path and earned the jutsu in her own right."_ He thought as Tsunade walked up beside him and softly said.

"I see she finally mastered that jutsu Kakashi. Now you will have to fulfill that promise you made to her that I was against."

Kakashi sighed as he looked down and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I take it you came out here to check on Naruto at the Hokage training ground?" Kakashi said.

.

Tsunade watched Hanabi's lightning dancing around her as she said.

"Yes, I've been avoiding H-Three for years because Naruto uses it to train with.

I'm worried about what I will find there as I know Naruto is storing chakra in side of the grounds.

Knowing him I'll probably find an entire village's worth of them in there."

Kakashi smiled knowingly and said. "Knowing him…you are probably right…"

.

The blue flickering light around Hanabi dimmed as she released her hold on the lightning and it faded away.

She clutched her fist in front of her as conviction shined in her eyes and said. "Finally…" She turned to the direction of Kakashi and said.

"Kakashi sensei…Please let me see Naruto. Can we go see him in the morning at least?"

Tsunade gave her an annoyed look in the dark forest as she mumbled to herself. "Damned Chakra Sensor Perception..."

Kakashi laughed softly and loudly said. "And here I thought you'd want me to take you to him right away."

Hanabi raced across the pond to him leaving a trail of ripples that shot out from each of her steps.

She stopped right beside the stone bench with hopeful almost begging eyes and said. "Tonight? You really mean I can see him tonight?"

.

Tsunade sighed and then shot Kakashi an angry annoyed look before returning her gaze to Hanabi.

"I guess seeing as how we are already at the entrance to the training ground you can see him tonight. But know this, I'm still against you seeing him yet.

You are still showing signs of severe chakra addiction.

If it wasn't for Kakashi promising to take you to see him then I wouldn't allow you to see each other until after…"

Her stern face suddenly went sad as she trailed off and looked away.

Kakashi stood up from the tree he was leaning on and walked over to the stone bench.

Hanabi gave them a confused look and said. "Wait we are already that the entrance to the training ground? I don't see anything around here."

She looked all around for an entrance but didn't find any.

.

Kakashi smiled and pointed to the smooth surface of the stone bench. "It is right here Hanabi."

She gave him a disbelieving look as Kakashi stepped up onto the bench and offered her his hand.

She timidly took his hand and he helped her up onto the stone bench.

Tsunade seriously said. "Hanabi, we do not know what we will find inside H-Three.

Naruto already told me and Kakashi to stay out, that it was too dangerous even for us.

I want you to be prepared before we go inside. Also I'm going to put a jutsu on you before we go inside."

.

Tsunade walked up to her and went though several hand signs. She placed her hand on Hanabi chest were it glow of a brief instant.

Hanabi scratched the place where the Hokage touched her and asked. "What did you do?"

Tsunade climbed up onto the stone bench beside her and said.

"I used a chakra blocking seal on you. This way you and Naruto can't exchange large amounts of chakra if any at all.

We need to weaken that connection you two share, not strengthen it. This is the only way I'm letting you get near him for now."

.

Hanabi gave her a hurt and pained expression before quickly mastering herself. "Right then. How do we get inside?" She asked.

Kakashi turned to her and gave her a strained expression.

"Well about that…You should know that most people that enter this training ground for the first time get sick when they arrive.

Also you should know that you are only the third person that didn't hold the title of Hokage to go there.

Only someone at the level of a Hokage would even have need of such a place to train." He said wisely.

.

Hanabi didn't flinch and said with resolve. "I am ready to go now Kakashi sensei."

Kakashi smiled at her and said. "Very well then. Hold the kunai spirit marker Naruto first gave you to your chest."

Kakashi unsheathed his own cobalt blue kunai as Tsunade did the same.

Hanabi gave them a confused look before taking out her own kunai that Naruto had given her.

She eyed the kunai like she was grasping an old friend before pressing the flat of the blade to her chest.

.

Kakashi rapidly went through hand signs at blinding speed and the bench began to glow.

Hanabi suddenly felt weightless like she was falling and then it was like something reached out and made her fall back the opposite direction.

Her head swam and her vision went blurry. Her knees hit something hard and she took in air sharply as the pain began to throb.

She rolled off the hard object and curled into a ball. The stinging pain throbbed but not nearly as bad as her stomach churned.

She gagged a few times before getting on to all fours and emptying the contents of her stomach onto the ground in violent heaves.

Hanabi couldn't tell which way was up or down as she heard Kakashi struggle to say.

"Tsunade its worst than I feared. Put the seal on me as well."

Hanabi's world faded to black as she fell into a deep sleep.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi struggled to open her eyes as he mind still swam. She blinked several times trying to clear her vision.

She was laying on a grassy surface near the bank of a pond.

Hanabi finally realized where she was as her eyes snapped open and looked to Kakashi sitting on the stone bench with Tsunade.

"Please take me back. I will not faint this time! I have to see Naruto!" She said desperately.

Kakashi laughed slightly as he and Tsunade turned around.

"Well I don't think you want to go back just yet or haven't you figured it out? This is H-Three, Naruto is here." He said with amusement.

Hanabi looked around in confusion and only saw the place where they tried to enter the training grounds.

Kakashi laughed again and said. "Are you confused? Everyone is the first time they come here."

Hanabi grabbed her aching head as she sat up and said. "Ergh…what happened and where are we then?"

.

"We are at Hokage Training Ground Three Hanabi." Tsunade said.

"Training ground? What do you mean? This is exactly where we left from." She said with a confused look.

Kakashi said. "No, it's not Hanabi. We aren't even anywhere near the leaf village right now."

Her confused looked changed to a perplex one.

Kakashi smiled and nodded his head. He pointed up and said. "Look up Hanabi, do you notice anything out of place in the sky?"

Hanabi looked up to the twinkling blue star in the night sky and saw nothing wrong.

She watched for a long moment until her eyes went wide.

"Th-the stars, they are moving!" She said is disbelieving shock.

.

Kakashi stared up at the night sky and said. "That's right Hanabi. Those aren't stars at all. It is Naruto's chakra, it has saturated this place.

This is far worse than anything me or Tsunade thought could happen."

Tsunade looked at Hanabi and said. "Naruto wasn't kidding when he said this place is dangerous.

With that much chakra in the air there is no telling what kind of jutsu he could be practicing.

Let's hurry up and find him. I don't want to be in here any longer then we have to."

.

Hanabi closed her eyes and tried to feel the direction Naruto was in.

"I'm afraid that isn't going to work Hanabi.

Your sensory powers aren't going to do you any good when Naruto's chakra is so wide spread." Kakashi said.

Hanabi opened her eyes and smiled. "He's right over here."

She limped through the pain in her legs into the forest a short ways away.

She brushed the undergrowth out of her way and saw Naruto sitting in a cross legged meditation pose with his eyes closed.

His clothes looked very old and faded and tree mold was even growing on his right shoulder.

Tsunade and Kakashi came up behind her as Hanabi rushed over to him.

.

"Naruto…" Hanabi said with a hopefully trembling voice as she went over to him.

"Hanabi! Don't touch him!" Kakashi warned. Hanabi jumped with a start as Tsunade eyed Naruto carefully.

Kakashi went through a few hand signed and a bright glowing sphere appeared over him that lit up the area.

"Something is wrong with that Naruto…He is too young. That is the way he looked over two years ago." Kakashi said.

Tsunade gritted her teeth and leaned down to looked closer at Naruto.

"I see…So that's how you have been storing your chakra all this time…" She snarled under breath.

Hanabi looked over at Tsunade with desperate eyes and said. "So is this Naruto or not? Please tell me Lady Hokage!"

.

Tsunade stood and then turned to her. "No, it's a Shadow Clone that has been put into stasis and from the looks of it this clone has been in stasis for over two years."

Hanabi eyes went wide with shock. "Wait…but why would he do that?" She asked in disbelief.

Tsunade shot her an annoyed look as said.

"Use your head Hanabi. You can put someone into a stasis for a week and they would only age a day.

This is why we medics use it so often when someone is gravely poisoned.

It gives us extra time to deal with the toxin, but it looks like Naruto has been using it to store chakra in his shadow clones."

.

Kakashi gave her a strained smile with his hands in front of him and said.

"Leave it to the village's most unpredictable ninja to take a jutsu like that and use it for something like this."

Tsunade glared at him and said. "You better not have had anything to do with this Kakashi."

Kakashi sweat dropped and mumbled. "Why is she making me a suspect?"

Tsunade turned back to Hanabi and said. "Leave it be Hanabi. Let's get out of this forest and back on the road."

Tsunade turned and headed down the path with Hanabi and Kakashi following behind her.

.

They walked until they came to the road and started heading into town.

Hanabi looked around as they walked.

"It's strange, this looks just like the leaf village, but its quiet…too quiet. I haven't even heard an insect chirp or the wind since we got here.

What is this place?" Hanabi asked.

Kakashi continued walking beside her and said. "It's an exact copy of the village built in another time/space.

It is the perfect place to train with highly dangerous jutsu.

No matter how great the damage it cannot touch the real the real village because it's in another time/space."

.

Soon they came to the main gate and entered the dark village. No street lights were on and the houses seemed lifeless and dark.

Hanabi thought it was a creepy and unnerving place even if it did look like the Leaf Village.

Tsunade jumped onto a high building and they followed.

Their eyes went wide as the gazed around the village. Naruto chakra clones were littered all over the village roof tops and streets.

They were everywhere as far as the eyes could see, thousands and thousands of them sitting still in meditation.

To the north of them stood the Hokage monument glowing gold like a new day was starting dawn from behind it.

Tsunade blankly looked around in disbelief as the share number of them. "I'm-impossible….even Naruto couldn't gather this much chakra…" She said in shock.

Kakashi eyed the Hokage monument and calmly said. "I knew he was gathering chakra, but I had no idea how much he had gathered in the past four years."

"You knew? Why would he gather so much chakra?" Tsunade asked him scornfully.

.

"Come now Tsunade, you know very well why he would gather so much chakra. He has been gathering it to fight the Nine Tailed fox.

This is but one of many preparations he must have made for his fated fight." Kakashi said as he gazed out over the village.

Tsunade looked away with a pained expression of shame.

"Naruto….he's there." She said as she pointed to the Hokage monument bathed in golden light.

She went to leap towards it when Kakashi caught her arm.

He looked at her with a serious expression and said.

"No Hanabi. The Hokage monument is the one place we can't go to.

The concentration of chakra there is so dense that it's dangerous for us to go there even with the seal on us."

.

Hanabi gave him a confused look and he said. "We will need your help to find him though."

"My help?" She asked curiously.

"Yes, your help. If you were Naruto and could train in any place in the village where would you go?" Kakashi asked her.

"To training ground thirty-six of course but what does that have to do with anything?" Hanabi asked.

Kakashi gave her a slight smile and said. "Then we are off. Make sure not to disturb any of his chakra clones as we travel."

Kakashi lead the way as the carefully made their way over to the training ground.

They arrived a short while later. The training area was bare expect for a few of Naruto's chakra clones sitting like statues in the darkened forest.

.

"Hmph seems like he is training elsewhere." Tsunade said in slight annoyance.

"Hmm Hanabi do you two have another training ground you use?" Kakashi asked as he turned his gaze from the grounds to her.

Hanabi looked up in thought for a moment. "Sometimes we go train with Guy sensei and Rock Lee." She said unknowingly.

Kakashi thought for a long time before saying. "That seems like a long shot…Oh of course, I forgot Sasuke was with him."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Hanabi questioned him.

Kakashi smiled and said. "I think I know where Naruto is training."

.

* * *

.

The forest was dim and a small river babbled through the middle of the training ground.

The only thing in it was three large poles buried in the ground in a straight line.

Scorch marks from lightning littered the grass and trees.

Naruto was covered in sweat while he was doubled over with his hands on his knees for support.

Sasuke wore a white bandage over his sightless eyes as the lightning in his out stretched hand faded away.

.

"Naruto, I've told you many times. Lightning isn't like the other elements.

You can't just blindly learn it through guts alone. You have to understand it and become one with it to use it."

Naruto looked up from his panting and said. "I know already, 'you have to live your life in one ten thousandth of a second.'

I think I'm getting closer…just a little more."

Sasuke eyed him carefully and said.

"You learned to manipulate my lightning days ago, but you have to create lightning yourself if you want to use it in battle.

You seem…distracted. What is on your mind that is making you lose focus?"

.

Naruto pushed himself up while breathing hard as said. "It's nothing, let's get back to training."

Sasuke smirked knowingly and said. "Hanabi is here isn't she?"

Naruto laughed slightly though his exhaustion and said.

"I guess I should know better. There is no putting one over on you Sasuke.

Yeah she here and she is heading towards us with Kakashi sensei and Tsunade."

Sasuke sighed and said. "I guess we should stop for now so we can get cleaned up and give the Hokage your progress report."

.

Naruto eyes shined with conviction as he clutched his fist and said. "No, I'm already running out of time as it is.

I have to spend every moment I have training. I can't slack off even for a few minutes because if I do, I might not make it in time."

Sasuke shook his head in exasperation at him. "Very well then, I know you don't want to let your girlfriend down."

Naruto relaxed and then turned to Sasuke. "I definitely can't let her down when I asked Kakashi sensei to train her in the lightning element while I was away.

I bet she's already way passed me in using the lightning element. She is an amazing disciple. I know she has already mastered it." Naruto said and then smiled.

.

Sasuke smiled slightly and thought. _"I see Naruto…You have complete faith in her._

_It is no longer me or the Kyuubi demon that is driving you. It is her, your disciple and student. _

_There certainly is something very different about her if she was really able to replace me and the Nine Tailed Fox as your rival."_ Sasuke looked up in curious thought.

_"No not a rival…you are fighting for her not against her. That is something completely different all together._

_I wonder if she knows just how vastly important she is to you Naruto…and to us all for that matter." _

.

He smiled as he held his hand out in front of him and lightning crackled to life in his hand.

"Remember what I told you Naruto. Coil the element to the point where it has nowhere to go and then give it a target.

Be mindful of just how I am forming the chakra just before releasing it from that coil."

Naruto watched the lightning arching in Sasuke's hand for a long moment before turning to stare at his own palm.

.

He curled his hand into a fist and brought it right up to his face.

"I'm close, I can feel it." He said as he opened his hand a closed his eyes in concentration.

He gathered glowing blue chakra in his hand as he remembered what the lightning looked like in Sasuke's hand.

_"This feels right…"_ He thought as he started coiling the chakra into a tight ball.

Sasuke's words played again in his mind. _"Lightning isn't like the other elements, it is alive more so than any living thing in this world._

_It lives its vibrant life in the briefest instant and then it is gone. _

_To harness that power you have to live like the lightning does and live your life in one ten thousandth of a second…A vibrant blinding flash of light that fades away…"_

Naruto pointed his open palm down and grabbed his wrist.

.

He concentrated on his chakra

_"I see….it's so clear to me now."_ He thought as his memories raced. _"There is more to it than just coiling the chakra…_

_I have to force it through a smaller channel…,like a hole, to get it to change form."_ Naruto strained as beads of sweat rolled down his face.

Naruto coiled the chakra again and again, but it never changed form. Naruto doubled panting.

"Damn it! I see what to do, but the chakra is moving too fast for me to condense it." He said between labored breaths.

"It already takes so much concentration to coil the chakra. How am I supposed to create a path to shrink it down at the same time?

This is just too hard."

.

"I see…so you finally saw it Naruto. You are correct. The first part is to coil the chakra until it has nowhere to go.

The second part is to restrict the chakra movements when that power is released. When you restrict its movements the lightning will fight back.

It will writhe back and forth like it is trying to free itself. It is then that it will change from a chakra beam into lightning.

The steps to learn the lightning element aren't that much different than learning the Rasengan Naruto. I know you can do it." Sasuke said.

.

Naruto looked over at him and said. "Not that much different than learning the Rasengan huh?...That gives me a idea."

Naruto smiled as he raised his hands up in the seal of the tiger. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He yelled as a clone appeared.

"Alright I'm doing this no matter what!" He said with resolution in his eyes as he grabbed his wrist and held his open palm out in front of him.

He closed his eyes in concentration as blue chakra formed in his hand.

He coiled it tighter and tighter as his clone held his hands out near his glowing chakra.

Naruto eyes snapped open as he strained to hold onto his chakra that was glowing steadily brighter. "Now!"

The chakra in his hand shrank down to a tenth of its size as a tiny blue bolt quietly arched and hissed in his hand.

Naruto panted barely holding himself up as his clone dissipated into smoke.

He swayed slightly on his feet and slowly raised his head to look at his hand.

Naruto was so exhausted it took him a moment to for him to focus his blurry vision. He saw a hazy blue light dancing wildly in his blurry hand.

Naruto turned in Sasuke's direction. "Di-did I do it?" He strained to ask between labored breaths.

.

Sasuke smiled at him as he walked over to where he was standing.

Sasuke slowly reached out and cupped his hand under Naruto's and raised it high into the air.

"Naruto, now you _are_ a true Sage just like Rikudo, The God of the Shinobi. Now you have all the prime elements.

You're the first person to achieve this in almost two thousand years..."

He said as he forced his own chakra through Naruto's hand.

Sapphire blue lightning bolts arched high into the air and hit the ground around them in a ten foot area.

.

* * *

.

Hanabi, Kakashi and Tsunade had just turned off the main road and were heading into training ground three.

"You really think he will be here?" Tsunade asked Kakashi.

Kakashi nodded his head as they walked and said. "I have a hunch he will be."

The Hokage's eyes narrowed slightly at him and asked. "Why do you think he would be here of all places?"

Kakashi smiled quietly to himself.

.

Flash back.

* * *

.

Naruto Sakura and Sasuke were at training ground three near three large poles buried into the earth with Kakashi just after they had been assigned to squad seven.

Kakashi was explaining their first training exercise. "You can use any weapons including shuriken. If you're not prepared to kill me you won't be able to take the bells."

Sakura flung her hands out to her sides and said. "Those weapons are too dangerous sensei."

Naruto laughed and said. "Especially since you couldn't even dodge that eraser."

Kakashi turned to him and said. "Class clowns are usually the weakest link. You can safely ignore them, lowest scores, losers…When I say start you can begin."

Naruto growled at him in anger and charged him with a kunai.

Just before stabbing him he appeared behind Naruto and twisted his arm that was holding a kunai behind his head.

"Don't be in such a hurry…I didn't say start yet." Kakashi said as he released his grip on Naruto's wrist.

Naruto rubbed his wrist as Kakashi said. "But you came at me with the full intention of destroying me so…How can I say this. I'm actually starting to like you guys.

Get ready aaannnd start!" Kakashi dissipated into smoke.

.

* * *

End of flashback.

_._

_"That was so long ago. He openly challenged me to a fight for the bells, got caught in every one of my traps and got tied to the stump in the end…_

_Even if he was the Fourth Hokage's son, I never thought I would one day be coming to get a report from him on whether or not he had obtained mastery over all five elements._

_Truth be told I know how far fetched the idea is, yet I still believe in him and in you sensei Minato…"_ Kakashi thought to himself.

"Kakashi." Hanabi said loudly.

Kakashi's smile faded as he looked over at the young Hyuuga. "Oh…right, sorry I must have zoned out.

Well you see Hanabi, Naruto and Sasuke had their very first mission as Genin at training ground three.

This place is a mere copy of that training ground, but I think it still holds the same significance to them.

I think to them this is the first place where they called each other comrades and joined Squad Seven together as a team.

This is where it all started for them after all." Kakashi said.

.

Hanabi thought for a moment on his words and suddenly her eyes went wide when he felt something that she hadn't felt in almost two weeks.

She dashed out in front of Tsunade and Kakashi. They quickly caught up to her as Kakashi asked. "What's wrong Hanabi? Why did you suddenly dart off like that?"

Hanabi shot him a quick sideways glance and said. "Naruto, he is here."

Tsunade asked from her other side.

"How can you be so sure? We already told you that you're Chakra Sensory Perception wouldn't work here. Naruto's chakra is everywhere.

There is no way to know which one of him is the real one."

Hanabi determination shined in her eyes and said. "Because… I can feel his thoughts again.

He is concentrating on a jutsu with all his strength right now. He is clinging desperately to it."

Hanabi leaped into the trees and went on a full sprint as fast as she could.

_"So fast…"_ Kakashi thought as he struggled to match her pace yet still trailed behind her.

.

Tsunade lowered her head as she gravely thought.

_"After two weeks apart she can feel not only his chakra, but his thoughts and we aren't even in sight of him…This is very ill news indeed._

_If I had known that their connection went beyond sharing their chakra…beyond sharing their memories… to the point where they could sense each other's active thoughts…_

_I would have never agreed with Kakashi to let them meet until after he had fought the Nine Tailed Fox."_ Tsunade shook her head as she fought with her thought.

_"No…it's beyond even that now. It doesn't matter anymore. _

_Their connection is too strong. It is already too late…far too late. If you fail Naruto…Hanabi will almost certainly…die…"_

.

Hanabi raced through the trees until she came to the edge of a clearing where she landed next to a tree.

She gazed out over the glowing blue training ground.

She froze with her hand resting on the tree's trunk when she saw Naruto and Sasuke surrounded in lightning.

"Naruto…is that really you…" She said softly as Kakashi and Tsunade landed behind her. "Or am I going to wake up again and it'll just be another dream."

She took an unsteady step forward as the blue lightning in their hands faded away and Sasuke released Naruto's hand.

Naruto slumped down on his knees staring at the tiny bolt of lightning arching in his hand.

.

Naruto laughed softly through his exhaustion and said. "I-I finally…did…it." Naruto collapsed on to his back and closed his eyes.

"Naruto!" Hanabi yelled to him and ran toward him. She crashed in to him and hugged him fiercely as they rolled over on the ground twice.

Hanabi eyes were shut tight as she emotionally said.

"Don't wake up this time…Just let me stay like this a little longer. I'm always so lonely when I wake up without you…"

Tears rained down her face as she gripped him tighter.

Naruto coughed and panted hard. "I told you I'd …do it Sasuke."

Sasuke looked down at him being embraced by Hanabi with all her might and smiled. "Yes you did, didn't you?"

Naruto was slipping off into a deep sleep and said. "Sasuke…have you been using Hanabi's shampoo?

You smell just like …her. Like honey and grass clippings."

.

Sasuke chuckled to himself as Kakashi and Tsunade walked up behind him.

"No you idiot. That is Hanabi is on top of you, not me. You must really be out of it to make that mistake."

He said with amusement but Naruto was already sound asleep with Hanabi clutching at him desperately.

Tsunade's seal on Hanabi shattered under the stress of Hanabi and Naruto's chakra trying to reach each other.

Their chakra joined and Hanabi's tearful cries went silent as she found what she had been searching for, for two weeks.

Her body went limp with her arms around Naruto as she fell into peaceful sleep.

The only place she could truly sleep was in the arms of the person she had fallen in love with where she was sleeping soundly.

.

* * *

.

After Notes.

Hope you all enjoyed and yes I know it needs to be gone over more to get out mistakes.

My muse wanted to end this chapter right after Kakashi asked Tsunade to put the chakra barrier seal on him,

but I thought it was a bit to mean to stack two cliffhangers in a row on you guys.

Hopefully it will not take me as long to get the next chapter as I've already got four thousand words of it written and boy is it a dossey of a chapter.


	32. Chapter 32: Kakashi's Challange

Author's note: Sucks that there is no new Naruto because of golden week...Didn't they just have golden week at the end of December?

Sigh* sucks for me, but you all get 10,000 more words deeper into 'The Great Sage Naruto' story at least.

Hope you enjoy!

Other author's notes.

I think I'm going to break 500k words for this story :(. That is the largest size that the sight allows for its stories to my understanding.

I dislike the idea of breaking up my story into two stories sections, but it seems I'm probably going to have to.

.

Questions/Review's

* * *

.

Last Chapter

* * *

.

Naruto coughed and panted hard. "I told you I'd …do it Sasuke."

Sasuke looked down at him being embraced by Hanabi with all her might and smiled. "Yes you did, didn't you?"

Naruto was slipping off into a deep sleep and said. "Sasuke…have you been using Hanabi's shampoo?

You smell just like …her. Like honey and grass clippings."

.

Sasuke chuckled to himself as Kakashi and Tsunade walked up behind him.

"No you idiot. That is Hanabi is on top of you, not me. You must really be out of it to make that mistake."

He said with amusement but Naruto was already sound asleep with Hanabi clutching at him desperately.

Tsunade's seal on Hanabi shattered under the stress of Hanabi and Naruto's chakra trying to reach each other.

Their chakras joined and Hanabi's tearfully cries went silent as she found what she had been searching for, for two weeks.

Her body went limp with her arms around Naruto as fell into peaceful sleep.

The only place could truly sleep was in the arms of the person she had fallen in love with where she was sleeping soundly.

.

Chapter Thirty-Two: Kakashi's Challenge

* * *

.

Sasuke, Kakashi and Tsunade were watching Naruto and Hanabi sleep in each other's arms in the dim forest of the Hokage training ground.

The silent moment dragged on and the only think that could be head was Naruto's heavy breathing.

"I think we should take them out of the training grounds for now. I'll take Naruto to the hospital.

You should take Hanabi home as you're the only one here with a key to his estate." Kakashi said to Tsunade.

"No Kakashi. We will take them both back to Naruto's estate." Tsunade said as she walked over to them.

Kakashi raised an eye brow in curiosity at her. "I thought for sure you'd want them separated to further weaken there connection."

Tsunade grabbed her elbows as she looked down and shook her head.

"There is no point in separating them anymore. The damage is done. Their connection is far too strong to weaken before it's time for him to fight.

It would probably take years to weaken it enough for it to matter…They might as well spend what little time they have left together." Tsunade said sadly.

.

Kakashi walked up beside her and said. "I thought for sure you'd want to examine the seal as soon as possible."

Tsunade sadly shook her head and said. "Right now I'd just rather not know…Let's get them home."

She reached down and slung Hanabi over her shoulder as Kakashi put Naruto onto his back.

They headed out of the training ground without another word.

When they arrived at Naruto's gate Tsunade set Hanabi down against the cobble stone wall and rolled up the sleeve one her left arm.

She pulled out a red key and opened the gate before picking Hanabi up and heading to the front door.

Tsunade knocked twice loudly and waited with Kakashi beside her.

.

After a few moments Shizan in her night clothes answered the door was a blank look of surprise.

She bowed and said. "Miss Hokage, I'm sorry for my appearance. I did not know you were coming over this early in the morning."

"It's ok Shizan, I'm just here to drop off Naruto and Hanabi. They over did it with their training."

Shizan eyes went wide with shock as she said. "Hanabi?, But she is supposed to be upstairs in bed."

Kakashi gave her a strained smile and said. "It seems she snuck out to train again, but not to worry I followed her the whole time."

Shizan stepped aside from the door and bowed again to the Hokage as she said. "I apologize on behalf of her and the Hyuuga Clan for her behavior.

I will scold her for causing you trouble Lady Hokage."

.

Tsunade shot her a angry look and said. "You will do no such thing. If there is punishment to be dealt out I will be the one to do it. Don't interfere with them."

Shizan stumbled backwards from Tsunade's angry scowl directed at her in fear.

Tsunade turned away from her and headed down the hall to Naruto's room where they laid Hanabi on the bed and looked her over.

"She just needs rest. Put Naruto down beside her so I can look him over Kakashi." Tsunade said.

.

Kakashi walked over and laid Naruto on the bed beside Hanabi and stepped back to the door way with Shizan.

The Hokage took her time examining Naruto, but she did not raise his shirt to look at the seal.

She started pouring her healing chakra into his hands. "He has several minor burns from concentrated chakra, but he should be fine.

He will probably be out cold for a few days at least. I'll get Sakura to look in on him until he wakes up." She said and then turned to Shizan.

"When he wakes up send a messenger to me. Now I'm going home to get some sleep. I've got a feeling my paper work is going to be backed up again.

Come on Kakashi, let's go."

.

Kakashi quietly followed her out of the house and up to the gate.

"Why didn't you examine the seal?" Kakashi suddenly asked just as Tsunade touched to door of the gate.

She looked down sadly for a long moment and then said.

"Because I don't have to examine the seal to know what kind of shape it is in… I could feel it the whole time I was around him.

I could feel that thing's eyes on me the whole time lurking just below Naruto's surface. The seal…has started to break…"

Kakashi's eyes went wide in shock. "You…you mean?"

Tsunade turn toward him with a blank empty look and said.

"It is time…Put the sealing team on standby and notify the Anbu to be on alert."

.

"Thi-this is madness Tsunade! He's like your son and the greatest hero in the history of the Leaf Village!

You can't possibly be thinking of trying to extract the Kyuubi out of him. You can't be thinking of using operation Nine Tails! It will kill him!" Kakashi yelled at her in disbelief.

Tsunade's teared up. "What choice do I have? I am still the Hokage…Even if he is like my son I am still charged with the protection of the village as a whole.

Right now he is this village's greatest threat whether I like it or not…" She said firmly.

.

"You don't even know if sealing the demon into a criminal will even work Tsunade. If you fail then all you have done is butcher two people!" Kakashi pleaded with her.

Tsunade eyed him for a long moment in indecision before saying. "You were right Kakashi….I'm not a monster like Orochimaru. I gave up on that path long ago."

"Then you have no vessel to hold the beast in. Please give up on this path. Naruto is the only one left that could contain the Nine Tails.

If you do not change this course of action you will have far more than just Sakura and Hanabi to go though…

I will turn the Anbu against you and every other villager I can to stop you. None of them will obey your order when they hear of this.

I can't believe you of all people would lose faith in Naruto!" Kakashi stated boldly.

.

Tsunade smiled warmly at him and said. "There is another that can contain the Nine Tailed Fox Kakashi.

One from a clan that has proven many times that they were capable of becoming Jinchuurikis.

Thank you for what you said Kakashi and you are mistaken, I never lost faith in him. You'll make a fine Hokage…"

Tsunade opened the gate and left. Kakashi's eyes were wide in shock and realization at her words.

_._

_"Hokage? Tsunade…you couldn't be planning to use yourself as a vessel could you?_

_Was this all a test to see where my loyalties lie?"_ Kakashi thought for a long moment before his eyes narrowed.

_"I see…The elders must have forced your hand, but you still don't know if you can go through with this._

_You wanted me to try to stop you…but when you do sort out your feelings will you still want me to try to stop you?" _

He thought as he went through the gate and closed the door.

.

There was a puff of smoke at his feet and an Anbu appeared in front of him on his knees.

"Lord Kakashi, your orders." He said respectfully.

"Put the Hokage and the elders on surveillance. I want to know of any powerful sealers that come to see them.

I want the main gate watched as well for them." He said in a commanding voice.

"We are really going to go against the Hokage?" The Anbu asked.

Kakashi looked off to the glowing orange sky in the east and said.

.

"No, we are helping the Hokage. She is already doing all she can at the moment.

She is stuck in a political mine field right now. We are going to do the right thing even if I get added to the bingo book and have to leave the village as a criminal.

I want two Anbu squads around Naruto's estate at all times."

"What are we to do if the Nine Tailed Fox breaks free?" The Anbu said.

"You aren't here to protect the village from the Kyuubi, you are here to protect Naruto from anything the elders might force Tsunade to do.

We should have at least a few days before she is forced to make her first move. Operation Sage Protection has started." Kakashi said.

.

"Yes Lord Shadow." The Anbu lifted his head to look at him. His eyes glinted from behind his Fox mask.

"Lord Shadow huh? That is the first time you've ever called me by my Anbu rank commander…" Kakashi said.

"How far are you willing to go for Naruto? Are you willing to go from the rank of Lord Shadow to Fire Shadow?" Shikamaru asked.

"If I have to I'll get Tsunade denounced from ever being a rightful Hokage, but no I will not try to take the title of Hokage for myself. I will not have to." He said solemnly.

.

"Is that even possible?" Shikamaru asked in shock.

"Yes it is and I've got Sakura to thank for piecing it all together for me." He replied.

"But how?" He asked curiously.

"By reinstating the old ways of choosing a Hokage. If I bring my findings to the elder council they will come to understand." He said.

"Understand what Kakashi sensei?" He asked.

"That ever since Naruto ended the Fourth Great Shinobi War, by the old ways laid down by our forefathers, he has been your rightful Hokage." Kakashi said seriously.

.

"That sounds like a pretty flimsy defense to bring before the elder council when they appointed Tsunade themselves." Shikamaru said as he stood up.

Kakashi smiled and said. "They were never given the right to appoint the next Hokage in the first place Shikamaru.

Only a Hokage can choose his successor by our laws. The Hokage's had a very special test to see if someone was worthy of succeeding them.

Naruto has taken that test and passed. So the Anbu isn't doing anything wrong because we are protecting our Hokage."

Shikamaru scratched the back of his neck and said.

"What a pain…I thought we were just going to do the right thing and protect him. Now we are getting mixed up in all this political stuff.

You know the council is going to bring up the fact that the Lord of Fire has to approve of the Hokage's choice of successor.

Naruto doesn't have the Lord of Fire's approval. It will be pretty hard to get around that when Tsunade does."

.

Kakashi chuckled to himself. "Naruto probably does have his approval though."

Shikamaru tilted his head curiously at him and asked. "What do you mean?"

"Tsunade submitted her successor list for approval just after Naruto went off to train Hanabi as a Toad Sage.

The only two names on it were my name and Naruto's. During the holiday's The Lord of Fire showed up not for the festival, but to see Naruto and Tsunade.

He gave her a sealed scroll and told her to give it to Naruto when she decided to retire. There is little doubt as to what is written on the scroll." Kakashi said.

Shikamaru looked down and shook his head as he sighed. "I can't believe that we are about to try to denounce Lady Tsunade and name Naruto as the Hokage."

He said sourly. "There is no _we_ Shikamaru. I am doing all this.

I want you to inform the other Anbu Commanders and take a leave of absence until this whole thing blows over.

You still have a wife and two children to look after. I don't need you getting jailed if this thing turns sour." He said.

.

"Hmph. I'm still the Jonin Commander and I've got a job to do.

Even if you put me on leave I'm still going to do my duty and protect the Hokage…both of them.

Kurenai, Asuma and little Naruto will be fine." He said with conviction.

Kakashi laughed softly and said. "I see…so Kurenai won the argument then?"

"Not exactly. I wanted to name him Asuma, but she said it was stupid for both the kids to have the same name.

So I suggested Choji, but she still wanted to name him after her grandfather. She never did give into me…She gave in to Asuma Jr.

He told her that he wanted his little brother to grow up to be a great ninja and said he should be named Naruto after our village's hero.

She's such a pain…I still haven't won an argument with that woman…" He said bitterly as his shoulder slumped.

.

* * *

.

Tsunade closed the door to her dark office just as dawn was breaking the horizon.

She sighed as she flipped on the lights. She looked hollow and emotionally drained.

An old man with a grey beard and green glasses was sitting on the couch next to an old woman who had her hair pulled up into a tight bun.

"I see you have returned Lady Tsunade." Homura said in a deep broad voice.

"I hope you were able to put your personal feelings aside and do what is expected of you as Hokage." Koharu said strictly.

Tsunade masked her feeling and said. "Yes I've ordered the operation to start.

The sealers are being summoned as we speak, but it will be at least a few days before all twelve of them are here.

I've confined Naruto to his house and placed him under Anbu guard. The vessels have already been moved to our local jail in preparation."

.

"Very good Tsunade, but I have to inform you that the council has over ruled your notion of killing the Kyuubi.

He is far too valuable as the last of the tailed beast to the stability of the Land of Fire.

A new Jinchuuriki will be made." Koharu said.

Tsunade tried her best not to look shocked and said.

"We don't have a vessel capable of containing the Kyuubi anymore lady Koharu.

Killing the Nine Tailed Fox is our only option. Can't you two old buzzards see that?"

.

"We do have a vessel capable of containing the Nine Tailed Fox.

Albeit not from the long lived Uzumaki clan, but one from a distant line of the Senju Clan." Homura said.

"Tsunade did you really think destroying a few documents was enough for us not to know Kurenai is a descendent of the Senju Clan?

Foolish child, we have lived our whole life in this village and know all of those who's lineage is tied to which Clan's." Koharu scolded her.

Tsunade eyes went slightly wide as she thought. _"I-I didn't know Kurenai was related to the Senju Clan at all… Then who destroyed the documents?_

_It must have been Kakashi… He kept it even from me. He didn't take any chances, good job Hatake, but in the end it was feudal."_

"You can't possibly be thinking of sealing the Kyuubi into Shikamaru and Kurenai's newborn son!" Tsunade yelled with her fist clinched.

"Yes we are. It has already been voted on and approved." Koharu said coldly.

.

Tsunade turned her head away from them in anger.

Homura said. "It is like Kami himself chose him to become the next Jinchuuriki; they even share the same name.

The Kyuubi will pass from Naruto Uzumaki to Naruto Nara."

Tsunade scowled at them in anger.

"Do not look at me in such a way Tsunade. You knew one day this would happen.

This is the fate of a Jinchuuriki when their seal starts to break that the beast is resealed in another.

I do not like this situation anymore than you do, but this has to happen to protect our village." She said.

.

Tsunade slammed her fist on the wall behind her and said.

"We no longer need Jinchuuriki. We are at peace with the other nations. We don't need any more super weapons from an era long passed!

Look at all of what Naruto has done and shown us. He would never subject another living person to the childhood he had.

He never wanted another to be given the same burden he's had to carry his whole life.

His life itself has been a testament that we don't need such a thing anymore!"

.

"We are looking at his life Tsunade. He is a testament to just how valuable a Jinchuuriki can be. He has saved the village many times using that power.

You cannot deny that and don't be fooled by this peace. We are not on as good of terms with the other nations as you make it seem.

There have already been over a dozen infractions to the treaty signed after the Fourth Great Ninja War by the Land of Lightning alone.

War will one day come again to the Leaf and we must be ready." Koharu said.

"Infractions you say? Crossing the border to capture some bandits is hardly a sign of war Koharu. You are just manipulating the situation for your own ends

If you want a Jinchuuriki so badly the seal the demon into me! Or are you going to say my Senju blood is too thin for it?"

Tsunade said in outrage.

"We cannot do that Tsunade and you know it. The demon must be sealed into a newborn so they can grow together and mature the powers.

You are far too old to survive the sealing and at best you would just be a container for the demon, not a true Jinchuuriki.

But I'm sure you already knew that." Koharu bluntly stated.

.

"We know you are attached to Naruto and think of him as your son.

We didn't lightly approve of him as one of your possible successors, but the situation has changed.

We have to put the sake of the village first and the rest of the council has agreed.

Don't lose all hope Tsunade. We do have records of Jinchuurikis surviving the extraction process." Homura said.

.

"They only survived for at most three weeks and their bodies were shot. They couldn't even get out of bed let alone be called ninja's anymore." Tsunade said sadly as she trembled in anger.

"We have already told you we don't like the situation either, but we expect your cooperation." Homura stated.

"And if I don't…" She threatened.

"Then you will be removed as Hokage. Please understand Tsunade how that would make us weak to the other nations." Koharu said.

"You two are the scum of the village you know that? You never see people for who they are.

You're just like Orochimaru, you see them as a means to a end. I may not be able to stop this, but I damn sure am not helping you with it!"

She yelled at them as killing intent poured out of her. She slammed opened the door to her office in rage and pointed out the door.

"Get out of my office…" She growled between her clutched teeth as her forehead vein budged.

.

"Hmph." Koharu said as she and Homura left through the open door.

Tsunade snapped around and grabbed them both by their collars as she hoisted them off the ground. The elders struggled in shock under her monstrous strength.

With rage and conviction in her eyes to took a step toward the railing. The elders eyes went wide in shock.

"Tsunade! What do you think you are doing? Unhand us this instant!" Koharu yelled as she grabbed at Tsunade's arm.

"You have meddled in my affairs for the last time. I will be sending the Lord of Fire a request to disband the high council before dawn today." She said with absolute conviction.

Homura squirmed in her grip and fearfully said. "That still can't stop this from happening. Stop with these barbaric actions! The Lord of Fire will never agree to it."

.

"As soon as I have you two off the elder council I will get you charged as criminals for this.

I will let the entire village know exactly how and why their village hero died.

I will tell them how much you valued another Jinchuuriki over their hero and even their Hokage.

I will let them know just how far you went to get what you wanted.

I will make sure the village treats you far worse than they ever treated Naruto." She said with a eerie calm and intensity.

"Tsunade!" Koharu strained to say. "Put us down and stop with these idle threats!"

.

Tsunade pulled them towards her suddenly and their legs banged on the outside of the railing. Their heads were just over her shoulder as she resolutely said.

"Those were _not_ idle threats. They were _promises_…" She lightly tossed them out as she released her grip on them.

They wore looks of utter shock as they felt their bodies become weightless and fall down from the Hokage tower.

A crash sounded and the swearing of the elders sounded out cursing Tsunade's name as she turned around.

"I want the law scribe in my office within the hour." She told the very stunned door guard before entering her office and closing the door.

.

* * *

.

The sun shined brightly through the small window in Naruto's room. Hanabi slowly and timidly opened her eyes.

She smiled brightly when she saw Naruto's face sleeping next to her on the same pillow. She buried her face into his chest in a fierce hug.

He smelled terrible but she didn't care. He was finally in front of her again.

"The nightmare…it's finally over." She said softly.

.

Sakura stopped just outside Naruto's room when she heard Hanabi voice.

_"No Hanabi, the nightmare is just about to start…"_ She thought ominously.

Sakura put on a cheerful smile as she rounded the doorway.

"Lunch is ready Hanabi. Why don't you go eat while I check up on Naruto?" She said.

Hanabi sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes looking like a little child.

She stretched and then looked over at Naruto. She gave him a sour look and pointed him a few times.

"Did you hear her Naruto? She said it's time to eat." Hanabi said while trying to rouse him.

Sakura laughed slightly and said.

.

"He will probably be asleep until at least tomorrow morning Hanabi, but you don't need to worry about it.

The Hokage told me look after him until he wakes up. This isn't the first time something like this has happened."

Hanabi stepped over him to get out of bed and said. "I think we will need to bathe him. It smells like he hasn't had a bath since he went to train."

She sniffed her uniform and nearly gagged from the stench that had rubbed off on her.

"Knowing Naruto you probably hit the nail on the head Hanabi." Sakura said with a smile.

Hanabi turned and gave her a mischievous grin as she blushed slightly.

"How about you teach me how to give him a sponge bath a little later?" She asked innocently.

Sakura gave her a sarcastic flat look and said.

"You're a field medic at best Hanabi. Only someone with a hospital rank of nurse or higher is allowed to give a patient a sponge bath… You pervert."

.

She bit her lips together innocently as she blushed harder and said. "I never said I wasn't, but you can't blame me for trying…"

Sakura shook her head in exasperation as she sighed and said. "The food is on the table but go get a shower before you eat."

"Ok Sakura-chan." She said with a big smile and left through the doorway.

Sakura went a closed the door to his room as she thought.

_"It's been two weeks since I've seen her smile. Now she is not only smiling but making perverted jokes._

_It's like she's the happiest girl in the world right now. I think that is what's best for her."_

.

Sakura went over and examined Naruto. His face was pale and slightly thinner than normal.

She undressed him and looked him over.

_"It looks like he over did it again. I'll have to feed him food pills until he wakes up. I'll also put him on an IV drip to keep him hydrated._

_We need him to recover a soon as possible…"_ She thought seriously as she eyed his bare chest.

The nine prong seal had diminished down to only half a prong left that was protecting the broken Jinchuuriki seal.

She slowly dressed him in a clean uniform. She pulled his out trench coat around him as she got right down to his ear.

Sakura whispered. "It's almost time Naruto…And I'll be there to help you this time…I'm going to pay you back for everything I owe you even if it cost me my life."

She brushed back his hair and kissed him tenderly on the forehead. Sakura reached into her medical pouch and fed him not only food pills but also sleeping pills.

_"That should keep him asleep until tomorrow. Hopefully that will be enough time for Kakashi to put his plans into action. _

_I hope Choji and Hinata have already talked to their fathers about this."_ She thought to herself.

.

* * *

.

Hiashi Hyuuga was sitting at his desk while taking to Choza Akimichi.

"Well, enough with the pleasantries Hiashi.

Why have you summoned me to your home when we could have easily talked at the council meeting tomorrow?

I do not mean to sound disrespectful my old friend it just seems out of character for you." Choza said formally.

Hiashi tilted his head to the side in curiosity as he state up straighter.

.

"I was informed you had come to see me Choza. I too thought it was out of character for you to come visit me here." Hiashi said carefully.

Choza leaned back in the overstuffed red leather chair on the other side of Hiashi's desk and said.

"Then it seems someone else wanted for us to meet. Do you have any ideas on who would want that?"

The door clicked as the knob was turned and the door creaked slowly open.

"It was us father." Choji said with Neji and Hinata beside him.

.

Hiashi interlocked his fingers and rested them on the desk as Choza looked over his shoulder at them.

All of them wore grave and serious looks.

"Well then come in. I know for certain members of my own Clan wouldn't resort to trickery without just cause."

The Hyuuga Lord said with confidence.

The three stepped inside and Neji put up a privacy seal.

Hiashi raised a curious eye brow at them and asked. "You really think we need a privacy seal in our owe home Neji?"

"Yes uncle, we are taking no chances." Neji said as he took his place next to the others.

.

"Well then, let us hear your concerns then. Choji speak." Choza told his son.

"Yes father. This is about Naruto and his seal degrading.

The high council has deemed Naruto's seal too unstable and has summoned a sealing team to reseal the Kyuubi into another host.

They plan to seal it into Naruto Nara." Choji said.

Hiashi's expression never changed but Choza eyes went wide with disbelief.

"Tell me my boy…are you lying? Surely you jest about this.

Naruto is the great hero of the village many times over and likely our next Hokage." Choza said and then turned Hiashi and asked.

"Did you know anything about this Hiashi?"

.

He stiffened visibly and said. "No, not directly, but I overheard rumors last night. I've always feared that one day this might happen…"

"Feared? Like you are going to let this happen? I, for one, will not let something like that happen Hiashi." Choza said intently.

"What can we do Choza? They are the high council that presides over our laws. We are in the village council that presides over its day to day activities.

Would you have me march my Clan down to the Hokage tower and take up arms against them? Look at things from their point of view.

This is how they have always handled the Jinchuuriki. As regrettable as it may sound without committing treason we can't do anything about it." Hiashi reasoned.

Choza narrowed his eyes at him in slight anger as he said. "I never took you of all people for a spineless coward Hiashi.

That isn't just some ninja they are going to kill to keep the Kyuubi in their grips…

It's Naruto, great hero to our village, our next Hokage and most importantly and most likely your future son in-law." He pointed at him with each of his last four words.

.

The three ninja's behind Choza eyes went wide in shock.

Choji said in disbelief. "Naruto…"

"Proposed…" Neji said in shock.

"To Hanabi?" Hinata said while blushing shyly.

.

Hiashi gave them a exasperated and tired look as he hung his head. "No, he has not proposed to Hanabi. Those were just rumors from almost a year ago…"

"Hmph I don't need rumors Hiashi and I wasn't talking about them. It's obvious those two are in love with each other.

You could summon your entire Clan to keep them part and they would just tear them to pieces to get back together.

Or did you forget that your daughter could probably go toe to toe with Lady Tsunade now and Naruto is already the most powerful ninja of his time."

.

The Hyuuga lord shook his head before returning his gaze Choza and said.

"How powerful they are does not matter. I cannot let Naruto marry Hanabi even if he asks because Naruto cannot have children."

Choza wave off his comment with his hand and said. "Hinata can give the Clan children. She is well into her child rearing years and is already seeing Konohamaru.

Or do you have a problem with your daughters ending up with direct descendents of former Hokage's?"

Hiashi sighed deeply and said. "You know very well, just from my standings as a council member, I'd be overjoyed to have either of them as a son in-law.

But I've groomed Hanabi for over ten years to be the Heiress to the Hyuuga Clan.

I can't suddenly give up on her and switch all my hope to Hinata who is ill suited for the task.

As long as Naruto is a Jinchuuriki he cannot have children so I cannot let him marry Hanabi and he knows this."

.

"You stubborn old man, haven't you ever been in love? Can't you see what is right in front of you?

If you make it to where she can't stay with Naruto in the Clan she will just leave the Clan.

If you are worried about Naruto being a Jinchuuriki then when the seal breaks help him fight it so he can give you heirs." Choza reasoned.

Hiashi rolled his eyes sarcastically at him as he crossed his arms and said.

"Oh yes. Let me just go beat the daylights out of the Nine Tailed Fox when Naruto's seal breaks even though he will die.

Even though his father, the greatest of the Hokage's, could only seal it to protect the village-"

Choji chuckled softly as Choza and Hiashi looked over at him curiously.

Neji joined in as Choji started laughing. After a moment they were laughing so hard that Choji had tears in his eyes.

.

Hiashi eyed them coldly from over his crossed arms and said. "I don't see what is so funny…"

Choji wiped a tear from his eye and said. "Kakashi sensei's plan is going to work just fine if you two can argue that well at tomorrow's meeting."

Hiashi and Choza eyed him carefully and looked to each other and then back to him.

Neji stepped forward and said. "Let me explain what the plan is…"

The three of them spent nearly an hour going over Kakashi's plan.

.

"So you see uncle Hiashi and Mr. Akimichi that is his plan." Neji finished.

They both were blinking blankly at the whirl wind of information and the enormity of what they were asked to do.

"Can we count on you two?" Choji asked.

"I-I will need some time to think this over." Hiashi said in a rare stutter.

Choza took only look at the conviction in his boys' eyes and the large man said.

"You three can count on me. This is what the founding Hokage's wanted, so the High Council be damned.

Naruto is my Hokage and I'm very proud that he is."

Neji smiled brightly and Choji jumped for joy.

.

"You three run along. You only needed one of us to agree and I'm sure I can keep the council tied up for a few days even if Hiashi doesn't come around.

Or my name isn't Choza Akimichi!" He said and then laughed.

"Let's go tell the others Neji." Choji said joyfully.

Neji nodded at him and said. "Right I'm sure they would wish to know."

They quickly left together in high spirits. Hinata however stayed. She neither jumped for joy nor laughed.

She only stood there eying them with the same serious and grave expression she had entered the room with.

The door shut with a soft metallic click as Choza eyed her curiously before saying.

.

"Didn't you hear me Hinata? You can go, I've agreed to the plan and there isn't anyone Hiashi names as a friend more than me.

I'll convince him, you have nothing to worry about."

Hinata looked down and said. "I mean no disrespect Mr. Akimichi.

I know you have my father's utmost confidence in you even above many members of our Clan.

Otherwise he would have never let you babysit me and Hanabi while he was away, but there is something I must tell you father…"

She said as she gazed intensely into her father's unsure eyes.

.

"Dad…before you make your decision you should know this…If the High Council gets their way and extracts the Nine Tailed Fox from Naruto…Hanabi will die with him…"

Hiashi's eyes went wide at his eldest daughter.

_"I've never seen her more serious then right now. She hasn't called me dad since before her mother died._

_There isn't even a flicker of doubt in her heart and I don't even need my Byakugan to see that…" _He thought soullessly_._

"You know that they are connected don't you father? That connection is stronger than you ever dreamt it could be…

Even without them using the forbidden jutsu they are constantly connected. If you stab Naruto it is the same as stabbing Hanabi…"

Hinata's milky white eyes filled with tears as she feebly held her trembling hand in front of her face.

She tried to control her breathing but it still came in sharp sobs as he trembling legs could no longer hold her.

.

She collapsed on to her knees as unable to hold back her tears any longer. He covered her teary eyes with her hands and begged her father in sobs.

"Please…just this once…be a father first…an-and a councilman second. _Please_…" Her breaths came in sharp sobs and her nose mucus ran down her quivering lips.

"Just-just don't kill my….little sister!" Hinata doubled over in a bow as she wailed and begged him with all her might.

Hiashi stared blankly at her in shell shock before looking at Choza with a lost look as to what he was supposed to do.

Choza smiled at him and nodded his head in Hinata's direction.

The Hyuuga lord's strict heart of cold logic finally melted as he realized what a monster he was in the eyes of his daughter.

Hiashi looked down and pushed himself up out of his chair in shame at himself.

He walked over to her as she continued to beg him in sobs. "Please don't-don't take her away from me…I know we have never gotten along…but-but I still love her!"

Hiashi got on his knees before his eldest daughter. "I know she-she doesn't remember mom! She was to-too young to remember her, but-but Hanabi is all I have…left father."

Hinata wailed as she shook her head and her tears streamed off her face raining on to the floor.

.

Hiashi gently grabbed Hinata shoulders and forced her to sit up while she was breaking down.

"_**Please**_…father… I know you always hated Naruto…but-but I love them both! _**Please**_ don't let them kill my little sister!"

She begged him in tears as she was forced to look her father in the eyes.

The quivering pain in his daughter eyes struck him deeper than any sword or blade ever could.

Hinata swallowed hard as she tried to choke back her un-chokable tears and sobbed.

"No two people in this world deserver to-to be together more than them!…No one should-" He embraced her as she begged him.

_"Mara…I see now what you meant all those years ago…I've been a horrible father just as you always warned me about. _

_So horrible in fact that Hinata thinks that I would knowingly send Hanabi to her death…_

_Mara my late loving wife, I'm sorry that I haven't been able to fill the void of your death even now._

_They don't seem me as a loving father to this day…I know that it is my fault now."_ Hiashi thought as he hugged Hinata close as she cried.

"Father, please don't take away Naruto's faith. Please don't take away my sisters hope for happiness!"

.

"Shhh Hinata, everything is alright now my dear." He said softly as he stroked her hair like he used to do when she was a child.

She sobbed as he said. "I would never do anything to harm Hanabi, not because she's the Heiress to our Clan, but simply because she is my daughter…"

Hinata gripped him tightly and she closed her eyes with all her might trying to force back her tears.

She took in three sharp sob and swallowed hard before asking in a tremblingly voice. "D-Do you really mean that…father?"

He nodded his head and said. "I would never lie to you. Also I do not hate our Hokage.

After all he has made both my daughters happy at one time or another, which is more than I can say I've done in a long time…"

Hinata grip started to lessen as she said. "Father….you-" Her body went limp as all the stress and worry left her body and she drifted off to sleep.

.

"It seems she has cried herself out my old friend." Choza said quietly as Hiashi carefully laid his daughter out on the carpet.

Hiashi stared at his daughter soullessly in disbelief. He saw his every mistake as a father in her puffy pink eyelids and cheeks that were wet with her tears.

"To think I was such a poor father to her. She didn't even cry that hard when her mother died…" He said hollowly.

"Hmm I don't think you're as bad of a father as you think Hiashi. I just think you wanted sons and Mara only gave you daughters.

You never let them be daughters and treated them like sons. Hinata was always so happy around me when I babysat her.

Hanabi however takes after you and always seemed serious." He said kindly.

.

Hiashi covered his eyes with his hand as he shook his head at the floor sadly.

"Right now I feel like I make the Kyuubi look as noble as the Fourth in comparison Choza…

I don't even feel like I have the right to call myself a father anymore." He said.

.

"There is no need to go that far my old friend, but you should call someone in here to take her to bed so she can rest." Choza said from his nearby chair.

Hiashi shook his head and said. "No…I'm going to start treating her more like a father instead of a Clan member starting right now."

He picked her up in his arms and turned to face the big man.

"I'm going to take her to her room myself. When I get back we will talk about how we are going to make the council see that Naruto is the rightful Hokage that he is."

Choza laughed softly and said. "Oh come now Hiashi, you know our best strategy is to stall for time. You know how to play good councilman bad councilman as well as anyone.

We can't both be the good councilman. You will have to fight me for it. The usual then?"

Choza held his fist out in front of him.

.

Hiashi sighed and said. "I guess I admit your point, but I can hardly play with my daughter in my arms."

The large man smiled at him and said. "Then on your honor Hiashi…One …two…three." Choza flattened his hand out palm down and smiled at him.

"Well old friend, what was your play?" Choza asked with confidence.

Hiashi sighed as he shook his head and said. "Rock…I don't see how you always win Choza."

Choza laughed hard before saying. "For all the wonderful gifts you get from those eyes of your, there are times when others can see you more clearly.

It's because you always pick the thing you are most like Hiashi, the rock."

Hiashi nodded his head in understanding and said. "Well I'm working to change that starting right now Choza."

Choza leaned toward him and curiously said. "And will you become more like the paper or the scissors?"

He gave his a slight smile before turning around and said. "I will become more like a Dad Choza…"

The big man smiled as Hiashi left to take his daughter to bed.

.

He carried his daughter down the hall and up one story of the house not the least bit embarrassed by the shocked looks of his clans men that saw them.

He was nearly to her bedroom when one of his clan's men was so stunned that he was frozen in shock in the middle of the hallway.

Hiashi came to a stop in front of the young man barely in his teens.

"If you wouldn't mind Faraika could you please move aside so that I can put my Daughter to bed?" He said calmly.

The boy shook himself out of his shock quickly and stepped over with his back to the wall as he bowed.

"I-I'm sorry Lord Hyuuga."

He walked by him with Hinata in his arms and said. "Not to worry. As you were."

.

He fumbled with the door awkwardly while supporting Hinata's weight until her managed to open the door.

He entered her room and sat her down on her large four poster white bed with a fluffy white comforter.

He pulled the blankets up over her and tucked her in to bed like he did when she was a child.

Hiashi leaned down and kissed her on the forehead and said. "Good night my daughter. You have nothing to worry about now.

I will uphold the wishes of our forefathers and make sure Naruto is given his rightful place in the village.

He proved without a doubt on the day he single handedly ended the Fourth Great Shinobi War that he was not only the strongest ninja in the Land of Fire, but in all the nations.

A part of me felt like he should have been named Hokage then but I was too worried he would make a mess of things.

.

I was even relieved when those rumors died down because I felt like if I chose him over Lady Tsunade I would be betraying her.

I no longer feel that way. It has been obvious for a very long time that Naruto has always been the strongest ninja in our village.

He is our Hokage and even if I must fight a battle of words against that fact to protect, him I will."

Hiashi reached down and cupped his hand around his daughters sleeping face.

"Now that I look at you as a dad instead of the Lord of the Hyuuga's I can see you are the only woman I've ever seen more beautiful that your mother.

You look just like her though. I can see why Konohamaru is so taken with you…or knowing him maybe not.

He was always a little weird…like his master." He said with a soft laugh as to not wake her and then left her room.

.

He closed the door gently and turned down the hall. The same nervous Hyuuga was still bowing nervously by the wall as he walked by.

He suddenly turned around and said. "Faraika!"

The young man jumped with a start and then trembled waiting for his punishment for his transgression while bowing with his eyes clutched closed.

At the very least he expected a month of hard stable work for his wrong doing.

Hiashi respectfully said. "Good night young man."

"Ummm go-good night Lord Hyuuga." He said shakily.

.

* * *

.

It was a few minutes before the normal village council meeting the next day.

Hiashi Hyuuga and Choza Akimichi where waiting at the door to the council room with the other council members and their aids.

Choza leaned over to him and quietly said were only they could hear. "You ready for this old timer?"

Hiashi stiffened up straight and quietly said. "I may have to play the bad guy here, but don't think I am going to make this easy on you Choza."

He laughed to himself and said. "If you did I'd have motions to have you removed as a fake Hiashi."

His only response was a mutual smile as the doors to the council room opened and everyone shuffled inside.

The thirteen council members took their seats around a large oval table. Behind each over of them their aids stood with a large stack of paper work and notes in their arms.

At the head of the table sat the two elder council members, Koharu and Homura.

They took their seats with their aids behind them at attention.

.

Koharu banged a wooden stick on the table and said. "I now call this council meeting to order."

The room fell silent as a stuffy looking man in his fifties approached her with a stack of scrolls and handed her one of them awkwardly.

She opened the scroll quickly and said. "The first matter to address for today is a dispute on the water distribution on the southern river.

The outer lying farmers are complaining that the main village is keeping too much of the water for themselves.

They say they do not have enough water for their crops. We will now hear arguments from the village council. What say you on this topic?"

.

Hiashi and Choza turned what would be a standard thirty second decision into a forty-five minute exhausting debate.

"Come now the village can do without twenty-one percent water. It just ends up flowing down stream any way." Hiashi said.

"Twenty-one one percent is far too much and surely you know that Lord Hyuuga. I'll only agree to nineteen percent and not a drop more." Choza debated intently.

Homura's eyes narrowed at them for a long moment before saying.

"Then we will compromise and call a vote for twenty percent more water from the south river to go to the outer lying farms since you are both so passionate about this topic.

What say you council members?"

Several members had to be awoken to even cast their vote before it was passed.

.

"The next thing up for debate is the restriction of woolen sheep per acre of land.

The current limit is twenty-eight per acre and a new activist rights group wants it reduced to twenty-five.

Why say you members of the council?" Homura said loudly.

"Hmph." Choza snorted at the idea. "Twenty-five per acre? It should be more like fifteen! We shouldn't be trying to starve the beasts to death."

Hiashi slammed his fist down on the table and said in outrage.

"Fifteen are you insane? I did not come here to accuse the Akimichi Clan of being wasteful, but we of the Hyuuga Clan easily manage thirty-five per acre.

Are you sure you are planting the right grass for them?"

.

Choza looked at him and said. "You dare accuse my Clan, of all the Clans, of not feeding their live stock properly?"

"Well it certainly seems that way when you can only get fifteen sheep per acre where as I can get thirty-five…" Hiashi stated.

The morning hours dragged by slowly as Choza and Hiashi bogged every little thing down in debate.

Shibi had just taken over for his father on the village council a week ago. He seemed passive on the outside but thought to himself.

_"They sure are going at it today. I wonder what has gotten into them." _

.

The door to the council room opened as they were debating the river shipping lane taxes. Kakashi stepped inside with an annoyed looking Tsunade.

They stopped speaking as Koharu held up her hand calling for silence.

"Lady Hokage and Kakashi Hatake, for what reason have you come to today's village council meeting?" She said stiffly.

"I have no idea why Kakashi dragged me down here. He only insisted that it was a matter that I had to be present for." She said with an annoyed glance at him.

.

The council turned to Kakashi and Koharu said. "Well Kakashi, for what reason have you interrupted this meeting."

"There is a matter I must bring before the council." Kakashi said and Koharu nearly cut him off by replying.

"Then you should file the correct forms so it can be fitted into the schedule at a later date. We can't very well stop the meetings for every minor thing that comes along."

Kakashi grinned slightly at her and said.

"This matter is fairly urgent, unless you think bickering over property lines is more important than Naruto's breaking Jinchuuriki seal…"

.

Shocked looks of disbelief and dread rounded the table as Kakashi said.

"I thought as much. Lady Tsunade you might want to have a set. We will likely be here awhile…"

Homura stood up and said. "That matter is already known and it is being handled by the high council. The village council has no authority over that matter."

Murmurs of worry and dread passed in between the council members.

"That is the exact reason I have come, to see if the high council even has the authority to handle that situation at all." Kakashi said.

Homura warned him. "You are playing a dangerous and pointless game Kakashi Hatake.

We were appointed to the high council by the Third Hokage himself to handle these exact types of problems."

.

Kakashi held his hand up in front of him and said.

"I did not come here to attack your right to be on the high council Elder Homura only the high council authority to decide this matter."

Koharu sighed quietly and said. "Very well Kakashi Hatake we will hear you out, but this had better not be a waste of our time."

She motioned for the two guards standing at either side of the room and they left. They returned promptly with chairs for Kakashi and the Hokage.

Tsunade only seemed to be in a foul mood as she thought.

_"I'm counting on you Kakashi…You better have thought of a good way to stop them from resealing The Nine Tailed Fox."_

They took their seats and Koharu pointed her open palm face up at Kakashi and said. "You have the floor Hatake Kakashi."

.

Kakashi calmly said. "Please refresh my memory speakers of the village council. Where do you get your authority from?"

Koharu gave him a stiff response. "You, of all people I should hope, know very well that we get our authority from the Hokage.

We of the high council can only be appointed by the Hokage as counselors in trust.

It is our job to oversee new laws that have already been approved by the village council for ninjas and only ninjas.

If a proposed law is deemed fit by us it is passed on to the Hokage for approval. It is also the high council's job to preside over the village council as their speakers.

As their speakers we are only allowed to bring problems before the village council and we are not given a vote on those problems.

.

We are also charged with how those laws are upheld and what punishment is to be given should those laws be broken.

However most of the time we let the village council or assigned people handle that task for us as two people can only do so much for the village.

We can request for more or less taxes from the village council, but they are within their rights to deny our request.

The village council is charged with handling the day to day activities of the village.

Unlike us who are appointed by the Hokage they are appointed by the Clans.

.

It is the village council that appoints the yearly budget for the village and handles the collecting of taxes.

It is them that monitors our economic state and decide the village's tax rate.

They are also charged with just how many ninja missions our village takes on and the level grade of missions.

Though they are normally too busy to handle that charge personally and have appointed others to do it for them.

They also handle our imports and exports to the village by deeming what is and what is not acceptable as goods in our village.

Their day to day activities normal consist of settling disputes between the Clan's.

They settle everything from the smallest property line disagreements to the largest economic disasters of nationwide food shortages.

.

Seeing as how I probably know what direction you are heading to Kakashi, I'll also explain what the rolls of the Hokage, the ninja and the Lord of Fire are as well.

The ninjas are our nation's soldiers and are called to complete missions for a momentary sum to support our village during peace times.

This sum helps to lower our tax rate on our citizens and gives our village prosperity. This is their main duty to our village.

Whether it is a time of war or peace they are our village's protectors and are charged to guard our lands at home or even abroad if needed.

During a time of war they are expected to fight and die in the service of our nation. They are our countries military might and are called on whenever the need arises.

.

The Lord of Fire is the head of the civilian population. The Lord of Fire is charged with governing the civilian population.

He is given even more power than our Hokage. He is charged with the entire country's economic stability, the civilian laws and treaties with foreign lands.

The Lord of Fire is still a civilian, yet he is given the power to order one ninja alone, our Hokage, which makes him the head of the nation.

If the Lord of Fire should hand down an order to the Hokage they are duty bound to follow that order personally and only personally.

This does not mean that the Lord of Fire can order the Hokage to declare war on another nation however.

The Lord of Fire can only order the Hokage to do something alone. He has no rights to take control of our Hokage's power for himself.

That said this right of the Lord of Fire has never been exercised not even a single time in the history of our nation.

It has always been the Lord of Fire and the Hokage working together to decide what course of action to take during trying times.

.

And now for the Hokage…The title given to the strongest ninja in our nation and our nation's head of military power.

She answers directly to the Lord of Fire. The Hokage is the most powerful person in our nation not only on paper, but in the working world we live in.

The Hokage is given a right that surpasses even the Lord of Fire. It is only the Hokage that can declare war.

The Hokage is our supreme protector of, not only this village, but our entire nation. She is charged with this nation's safety and well being.

It is only through her efforts that this nation remains safe and at peace. There is only one exception to this and that is when the Hokage is unable to perform her duties.

It is only in these times of emergency that the village council, the high council and the Lord of Fire can unanimously agree to appoint a temporary head to the military.

They are allowed to appoint a steward Hokage, like Danzo was during the war with the Akatsuki.

Now Hatake Kakashi I've finished giving you a refresher on how exactly how our nation works.

What is it that you have brought before us to challenge our ruling?" She finished as she looked down her nose at him.

.

Kakashi scratched his chin in thought as he stood up. His chair screeched on the polished wood floor as it was pushed back.

"So let me get this straight…You get your power from the Hokage if I heard you right?" He asked.

Homura crossed his arms and said. "That is correct Hatake Kakashi…"

"And how did Lady Tsunade give you this power?" He asked curiously.

Homura leaned back in his chair and said. "She signed an agreement to keep the Third Hokages council of Elders as her own shortly after taking the title of Hokage…"

Kakashi nodded his head in understanding and then reached into his vest. He pulled from its folds a very old scroll and stared at it in his hand for a long moment.

The scroll's once white paper was a dark tan from over a century of wear and its metal rod that the scroll was rolled on was tarnished even though it was well cared for.

Kakashi held the scroll seriously out in front of him in a fist at the Hokage and the elders.

.

"Very well then…I Kakashi Hatake, hero of the village, student of the Fourth Hokage, head of the Hatake Clan and most importantly fellow ninja of the Land of Fire…

Challenge Lady Tsunade's claim to the title of Hokage..."

He said deadly serious as he opened his hand and the scroll containing the secret test to become the rightful Hokage written in the very first Hokage's handwriting clattered to the table.

Looks of unbelievable shock came over the council as the scroll slowly rolled down the length of the polished table revealing a secret that was only meant to be seen by the Hokage's.

It stopped just before falling off the table in front of Lady Tsunade.

The elders stared at the scroll so stunned they couldn't even speak as Kakashi pointed at Lady Tsunade as said without a flicker of doubt in his eye.

"You are not the rightful Hokage Lady Tsunade…"

.

* * *

.

After notes: God I've been writing 20k word chapter so long that this one seems so short. My line spacing corrections only took me like 35 seconds!...which is really short.

My muse yet again humbled me and blind sided me with this chapter.

I wanted this chapter to quickly progress to...something that I hope will happen in the next chapter, as soon as possible.

Yet alas my muse showed me that the elder council members are not just bit characters in the story and hold power themselves.

I personally would have over looked this detail and continued with the story, yet I did not understand the feelings of the high council members.

Until next time I hope you keep reading and watching me and my muse grow as a author.


	33. Chapter 33:Kyuubi's Plea to a Mortal

**Chapter 33:Kyuubi's Plea to a Mortal**

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Author's notes:

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Questions/review:

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Last Chapter:

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He pulled from its folds a very old scroll and stared at it in his hand for a long moment.

The scroll's once white paper was a dark tan from over a century of wear and its metal rod that the scroll was rolled on was tarnished even though it was well cared for.

Kakashi held the scroll seriously out in front of him in a fist at the Hokage and the elders.

.

"Very well then…I Kakashi Hatake, hero of the village, student of the Fourth Hokage, head of the Hatake Clan and most importantly fellow ninja of the Land of Fire…

Challenge Lady Tsunade's claim to the title of Hokage..."

He said deadly serious as he opened his hand and the scroll containing the secret test to become the rightful Hokage written in the very first Hokage's handwriting clattered to the table.

Looks of unbelievable shock came over the council as the scroll slowly rolled down the length of the polished table revealing a secret that was only meant to be seen by the Hokage's.

It stopped just before falling off the table in front of Lady Tsunade.

The elders stared at the scroll so stunned they couldn't even speak as Kakashi pointed at Lady Tsunade as said without a flicker of doubt in his eye.

"You are not the rightful Hokage Lady Tsunade…"

.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Kyuubi's Plea to a Mortal

* * *

.

Tsunade face showed no expression on the outside, but smiled on the inside as she thought to herself.

_"Well done Kakashi…This should keep them bickering at each other for weeks. It should give me all the time I need to convince Naruto to reinforce the seal…"_

.

Homura broke the stunned silence first. "What you have just proposed could easily be seen as an act of treason Hatake Kakashi…" He warned him.

Kakashi tilted his head slightly and said. "The First, Second, Third and Fourth Hokages would disagree. I didn't come here with this claim without doing my homework first.

You really should read that scroll before throwing out threats like that.

In it contains the way our First Hokage chose the Second Hokage and that way of choosing a Hokage persisted all the way up to the Fourth Hokage.

After the Third Hokage died this scroll was lost. It was only supposed to be passed on from one Hokage to the next. It was meant for their eyes only.

In side this scroll is the test one is to be put through to become Hokage as laid down by our forefathers."

.

Choza grabbed the edge of the scroll and pulled it over to him and began reading it old text.

Koharu looked at him stiffly and said.

"Regardless of what is written on that scroll, Lady Tsunade was agreed on by the Lord of Fire and confirmed by both the village and the high council as our Hokage.

So your little play at grabbing the title of Hokage for yourself and stopping us from making a new Jinchuuriki ends here."

.

Kakashi raise an eyebrow at her curiously and said. "I did not come here to post my claim before the high council elder Koharu.

I came here to post my claim before the village council which, by your own words, you do not get a vote on this claim or its outcome."

Choza eyes darted across faded scroll and then finally he set it down. He looked out over the table at everyone and said.

"Kakashi isn't trying to make himself Hokage…According to this scroll the rightful Hokage is none other than Naruto Uzumaki…"

.

The elders glared at him in anger as Choza said. "This scroll is a detailed account of just how Hashirama tested his little brother to become Hokage.

Then the Second Hokage added to the scroll and wrote down how he and his older brother tested Hiruzen Sarutobi to become Hokage.

Sarutobi later added to it an even more detailed account of how he tested Lord Jiraiya and Minato with the exact same test.

Jiraiya failed but, as you all must be aware of, Minato succeeded in passing the test and became our greatest Hokage.

The final part of the scroll is where Minato names Hatake Kakashi and his own son as his apprentices to take the test."

.

Homura crossed his arms and said. "And how are you so sure he has passed this test Choza?"

Choza smiled and said. "That part cannot be denied as Lady Tsunade has already passed him herself when she named him the Keeper of the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

There is an exhausting list of qualities and requirements to even be considered to take the final test, Naruto passed them all."

Hiashi asked. "And what per say is this finally test?"

Choza looked over at him and said. "The person taking the test must make at least five shadow clones and train with them for an entire day."

Hiashi scratched his chin in thought before saying.

"That is an interesting way to test for a Hokage. Only someone with chakra levels on par with a Hokage could hold a jutsu like that for an entire day.

But why train with them?" He turned to Kakashi and asked. "Do you know why they would want their apprentices to train with Shadow Clones Kakashi?"

.

Kakashi slowly nodded his head before saying.

"Yes I do. It's the source of a Hokages power and the secret of the Shadow Clone Jutsu. To figure out that secret is what the final test to become Hokage is all about.

I will not tell you all of its secrets. There is a good reason that even in this scroll handed down only from one Hokage to the next that it is not written down.

Even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn't because Naruto is the Keeper of the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

I would need his permission and I know he would never grant me that permission."

Choza said. "Hmmm if what I've understood is correct is it not possible that you might be the rightful Hokage Hatake Kakashi?"

.

Kakashi shook his head and said. "No, indeed I figured out the jutsus secret before Naruto, but I lack the chakra to use it the way he and our former Hokages used it.

I ultimately failed the test. The rightful Hokage by the old ways is Naruto."

Hiashi leaned back in his chair and said.

"It seems this whole claim against Lady Tsunade's right to be Hokage rests solely on whether it was legal for us and the Lord of Fire to appoint a new Hokage when the third died.

Either way Lady Tsunade is a Hokage, but the question is whether she is a full-fledged Hokage or a Steward Hokage."

Choza nodded at him and said. "This certainly is a matter of great importance. We should hear all the evidence and come to a conclusion on this matter."

Koharu eyes narrowed at Kakashi before saying. "You can bog this council meeting down all you like Hatake Kakashi, but the order to reseal the fox is still in effect.

If you think you have bought time for Naruto then you are sadly mistaken.

You have only locked yourself down in this debate while the sealers are gathered."

.

"I'm afraid you are wrong elder Koharu. Naruto as of right now is under the protection of the Anbu.

You cannot touch him or would you risk a open civil war?" Kakashi said seriously.

"You have no right Kakashi. We of the high council are above you in rank and power.

Under what grounds would you have precedence to disobey us?" Homura said.

.

Kakashi held up two fingers and said. "Two reasons…The first reason is that as the Lord Shadow of the Anbu I am swore to protect the Hokage with my life.

Right now who exactly is the rightful Hokage is in question.

I cannot allow you to reseal the fox and leave Naruto to die if there is even the slightest chance he is our Hokage.

The second is that if he is the true Hokage then you two as the high council lose all power as he would have to select his own high council.

And I seriously doubt he would choose you two for the job…"

.

Koharu looked at him in outrage and said. "Hatake Kakashi do you realize the grave situation the village is under right now!

Should the beast break free our entire village could be destroyed again!

Threaten us with civil war all you like, but we will do what we have to too protect this village.

If we must we will answer for our action after the fact. The village must be preserved."

.

Kakashi eyes bored into the elders as he said. "You might want to watch what you say elder Koharu and Homura.

You don't have the numbers under your command that you think you do.

Those in the Anbu follow my orders and right now it is unsure of who the Hokage is, so as of right now I take orders from no one.

Should you decide to try to take Naruto by force you will find that he is very well guarded by ninja that would choose his life over lady Tsunade's.

He is inside the safest place in the village, his estate that still has active traps put up by the Fourth Hokage.

Should you actually breach those defenses you will have three Sages to deal with. Every one of them is willing to lay down their life to protect him.

.

The first just got back from a mission this morning. I made sure to send him straight to Naruto's estate for extra protection.

Konohamaru Sarutobi, grandson of the Third Hokage, a full-fledged Monkey Sage like his grandfather and trained by the Great Sage himself as his apprentice.

From being in the same squad as Hiruzen for so many years I'm sure you know what a Monkey Sage is capable of…

Next you will have Tsunade's own Disciple to deal with. Sakura Haruno, a Slug Sage who uses the same monstrous strength and fighting style as lady Tsunade.

She is also the second best medic in the Land of Fire…only Tsunade herself is greater.

Lastly and most importantly you will have to face his strongest protector.

.

Hanabi Hyuuga, the Demon Fist of the Hyuuga Clan, the Disciple of the Great Sage.

She is the youngest Sage in the history of our village and she is the youngest ever to master time/space Ninjutsu.

She wields our village's most famous sword, the Fourth Hokage's Flight Thunder God and she is an expert at using it with the Yellow Flash jutsu.

She also has her spirit marker kunais modeled after Minato's and knows how to use them.

.

Her assassination abilities far outstrip even my own. She also is connected to Naruto to such a degree that she can tap into his near limitless charka pool.

Oh and something else I should mention…She now has my Chidori in her arsenal of weapons too.

She could probably go toe to toe with Lady Tsunade in a fight and win if she was serious.

But you must think I'm over playing my hand." He stated with a casual shrug and then reached into his pouch.

He pulled out a fist sized crystal ball and rolled it onto the table. It stopped in the center as he said.

"This is a recording of their last mission together. Watch carefully what happens when you hurt one of Hanabi's teammates…"

.

The orb glowed to life as it projected a recording on the ceiling. The same three seconds played again and again.

Konohamaru stabbed through the heart and a split second later Hanabi disappeared and reappeared holding her sword in a reverse grip as the ninja's head violently flew into the air.

Blood from the decapitating wound gushed into the air as the head landed nearly twenty feet away.

The council members watched in blank horror, even Hiashi Hyuuga was stunned watching his daughter on the recording.

.

Kakashi broke the long silence and said. "All your jutsu will become meaningless before Hanabi should you cross her…She is a pretty calm and collected person.

That is unless you try to harm someone she cares about…then the demon is released and she will kill you without pause.

I, however have refrained from telling her just what you two on the high council are up to.

Not because I particularly like you, but because I could not guarantee your safety.

Even Naruto himself can't hide from her so you two would stand no chance before her."

Kakashi said and then looked up at the recording of Hanabi decapitating the ninja playing over and over on the ceiling.

"You can imagine what she might do to you if she found out…" He said and many of the council members trembled at the sheer thought of crossing her.

.

"So you are really set on this course of action Hatake Kakashi?" Homura asked while sweating nervously.

Kakashi looked over to him and calmly said. "My hand is played. It is now you of the high council to decide what to do.

You can attack and start a civil war in the village or you can let the village council decide this matter without bloodshed.

It is your call elder Homura and elder Koharu."

Koharu looked down her nose at him is disdain and said. "You seem quite confident Kakashi, but when this is all over you will still stand trial as a traitor for these threats."

"Threats? I have no need for them. You armed me with the greatest weapon you could by trying to throw Naruto's life away for your selfish desires.

You have made many enemies from that one action. All I have to do is tell them your plan and the ninjas of the village will flock to protect their hero.

You are at a stalemate and just don't want to admit it." Kakashi said.

.

Tsunade sighed as she stood up. Her chair screeched on the wooden floor and she headed to the door.

"Lady Tsunade! Where do you think you are going?" Koharu scolded her.

She turned her head over he should to look at them with a tired annoyed look before saying.

"Hokage…Steward Hokage, it makes no difference to me.

I still have too much paperwork to do for me to be sitting around here listening to you all snap at each other.

I'll be in my office should you all decide who is the rightful Hokage come let me know. Kami knows I'd love a vacation from the job."

She left through the door with a hidden smile on her face.

.

_"You have far exceeded my expectation Kakashi. They will probably be tied up for a month with this._

_You're skill at taking away their option of force was so bold that it even worked. You certainly are Minato's apprentice that is for sure…"_

.

* * *

.

Two days later Sakura walked into Naruto's room. Naruto was still resting as Hanabi was reading a scroll at Naruto's messy desk.

Naruto's face was still pale and thin looking.

"Hanabi, it's time for dinner. You might want to hurry before Konohamaru scarf's it all down without you." Sakura said quietly.

Hanabi slowly set her book down and turned to her. "It's been three days Sakura…How much longer will he sleep?" She asked.

Sakura gave her a weak smile and said. "I don't know for sure, but his vital signs are looking better every day.

I'd have to guess that he will wake up within another day or so."

Hanabi gave her a disappointed look like a child and said. "I hope it's sooner than that. It's so boring when he is out like this."

Sakura sighed and said. "Yes, I guess it is Hanabi."

.

Sakura and Hanabi entered the dining room where Konohamaru was already stuffing his face.

Shizan was giving him a disapproving because of his lack of manners.

"Hello Shizan and Konohamaru. How is the food today?" Sakura asked warmly as she took her seat.

"It is pretty good, but Konohamaru wouldn't know that because he eating too fast to even taste it." She said while eyeing Konohamaru with disdain.

Hanabi giggled slightly as she sat down and picked up her chop sticks. She took a few bites of food before asking Konohamaru.

"How did your last mission go? Sorry I forgot to ask when you came here two days ago."

.

Konohamaru swallowed hard and said.

"Whew that was good…oh my mission? It was nothing special. We just guarded a shipment of goods to Otaka.

It was completely boring."

Hanabi smiled at him and then went back to her food. "How is your training coming along?" She asked.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "It's not, I can't even practice it here because the area is too small.

Man why did Kakashi sensei tell me I needed to wait here for a few days." He said bitterly as he crossed his arms.

.

Sakura turned to him and said. "You know very well why. There are rumors that someone might try to attack Naruto while he is resting.

It is highly unlikely anyone could even get inside of here, but he is just being safe."

Konohamaru mumbled to himself.

"Safe she says…Anyone that would try to attack Naruto has a death wish…This is absurd to interrupt my training for this."

.

"Hanabi please make sure to eat your fill. You have been looking a little thin since you went out to train with Kakashi sensei." Shizan told her.

"I will Shizan." She replied respectfully.

Konohamaru gave her a confused and curious look before asking. "You went out to train with Kakashi sensei? So what did you learn?"

Hanabi blinked a few times at him and said. "Oh I'm sorry I forgot to tell you. Kakashi taught me the lightning element while you were away."

Konohamaru leaned in closer to her and overly casually asked. "So…how far did you get into mastering it?"

She smiled as she bit her lips together shyly. "I…actually mastered the Chidori…" She admitted.

Konohamaru's jaw fell open as he stared at her in disbelief before mastering himself.

"No-no way! You couldn't have already! Aww man, now you have more elements than I do! It's just not fair. How am I getting so far behind you?"

He complained loudly as he crossed his arms with a pouting look on his face.

.

Hanabi laughed softly at him and said. "Well lightning is my main element Konohamaru. It's only natural that I would pick up on it quickly."

"That's it!" He said as he pointed at her with intensely in his eyes. "After dinner let's have a sparring match!"

Sakura and Shizan both said at the same time. "Absolutely not!"

Hanabi laughed so hard she nearly fell out of her chair.

"Konohamaru, we are still on a mission. You aren't allowed to waste chakra." Sakura scolded him.

Konohamaru's eyes narrowed with a put out look on his face as Hanabi struggled to control her laughing fit.

"Besides Naruto wouldn't be happy if you trashed his estate, neither would I. I live here as well." Sakura said knowingly.

.

They finished eating and Sakura collected the plates.

"I'm going to turn in early everyone." Sakura said as she took the plate to the kitchen.

Shizan yawned and said. "I'm feeling kind of tired myself. I stayed up late last night. I too shall take an early leave to bed."

"I think I'll go back to reading my lightning element book before bed." Hanabi said before heading back to Naruto's room.

Konohamaru was still in a sour mood and said. "My stomach kind of hurts, I think ate too much. I'm going to lie down."

.

Sakura stood alone in the kitchen where the only sound was the running water and her hands scrubbing the dishes clean.

She dried them and set them back in the cabinet before turning around to head up to her bed room.

Sakura slowly climbed the stairs as she thought.

_"I'm sorry everyone, but I have to keep you all out of what is about to happen. _

_I hope I didn't give Konohamaru too much sleeping drought, but I had to make sure he stays knocked out until we leave. _

_I should have about two hours before it takes its full effect on them._

_Hanabi…I know you might hate me for the rest of your life for this, but this is something the original members of squad seven has to take care of alone…"_

_. _

Sakura went up stairs and suited up in her ninja gear. She carefully checked and rechecked every weapon, herb and scroll she would be taking with her.

She packed her bag with enough food for all three of them for a week. She took along a map even though she knew the way to the Sand Village by heart.

She closed her eyes and went over her plan again and again in her mind until the two hours had passed.

The house was silent as she slowly crept down stairs and entered Naruto's bedroom.

Hanabi was sleeping near him on the floor curled up in a ball. Sakura took one look at Naruto and thought.

_"His breathing is getting slightly faster…He will wake up soon. I have to get Hanabi back to her room and make sure Naruto doesn't see me tailing him."_

She set her pack outside the door and picked Hanabi up in her blanket. She carried her up stairs to her bed and tucked her in.

.

Sakura stared at her face for a long moment before brushing her hair out of her eyes.

"I know you are one of the strongest ninja's in the village Hanabi. And I know you love Naruto with all your heart.

Please forgive me for this and be strong…" Sakura reached down and hugged Hanabi while she slept.

She stood up and walked over to the turn before turning back to look at Hanabi.

"Next to Naruto and Sasuke, you were my greatest friend even if we did not know each other that long. Goodbye Hanabi Hyuuga… We will probably never meet again…."

.

Sakura turned a closed the door behind her. She went back down stairs and dug in her pack for a moment.

She pulled out a syringe that was already filled with a clear liquid. She eyed the syringe for a moment as she softly said to herself.

"Alright Naruto, I'm going to use every bit of what Lady Tsunade taught me to help you."

She walked over to him and injected him in the arm as he sleep. She quickly grabbed her pack and went outside of the house.

She headed to the far left side of gate and hid in the walls shadow. It was nearing midnight and the half moon shinned brightly in the sky.

.

Sakura watched Naruto through his bedroom window from the great distance.

"It's almost time Naruto. You should wake any minute…Then we will leave to fight the greatest battle we have ever faced…The battle for your soul…"

She said without emotion or doubt. She had long ago accepted what this day might bring.

.

Naruto only saw blackness, but heard heavy breathing that almost seemed to growl. The breaths grew louder and louder with each passing moment.

Naruto searched the darkness but couldn't find where the noise was coming from.

Two glowing red eyes opened before him as the outline of the Nine Tailed Fox became clear.

_**"Naruto…it is time…"**_ Kyuubi's voice boomed in his head and her last word echoed in his thoughts.

He slowly opened his red eyes and took no notice that he was floating two feet off of his bed.

_**.**_

_**"You can sleep no longer…We must go…"**_ Ruby told him as her words echoed in his mind.

He floated off of the bed and on to his feet in front of the closet.

Naruto showed no emotion as he strapped on his ninja gear and set the Thunder God Sword to its place at his hip.

He spoke no words for there were none to say and they both knew it. They had already agreed to this long ago.

Naruto stumbled like he was drunk out into the night clutching his breaking seal.

Sakura followed him from a distance as to not be seen, but she was seen.

There were six squads of Anbu following them from the shadows intent on protecting their hero.

.

* * *

.

In the village council room the debate of who the rightful Hokage should be was in full swing.

Hiashi led those that felt Lady Tsunade was the rightful Hokage were as Choza led those that felt Naruto was the Hokage.

"How many times are we going to go through this Choza?

Lady Tsunade is the rightful Hokage. She is the granddaughter of the First Hokage and was appointed by the Lord of Fire." Hiashi said.

"Oh my old friend, but how can the Lord of Fire appoint her?

It states that only a Hokage can appoint his successor and the Lord of Fire needs to approve of the choice.

There is no law or document that gives the Lord of Fire that power." Choza countered.

"We have also been over that Choza. That was why both councils of the village appointed her.

How else could we have done it when the Hokage's secret test was lost to us? Would you have preferred we had chosen no Hokage at all?" Hiashi said.

.

"That still makes Tsunade a Steward Hokage Hiashi, surely you see that.

Naruto fulfilled all the requirements and has passed the Hokage test set down for him by our former Hokage's.

He is our rightful Hokage." Choza stated.

"He has not fulfilled all of the requirements to become Hokage. He never received approval from the Lord of Fire." Hiashi said.

"You saw how much respect the Lord of Fire had for him with your own eyes at your holiday party.

The only ones that spoke to him as his equal were Lady Tsunade and Naruto. He didn't even scold him for his speaking to him that way." Choza countered.

.

"Naruto friendly speaking with the Lord of Fire does not account for being approved to become Hokage." Hiashi said in exasperation.

Shibi head was on the table in misery as he thought.

_"Kami…it's been three days of this. They just keep going around and around. Why did I have to get promoted to the village council?_

_This is like voluntary torture…"_

.

Shibi was not alone, most of the other council members were clearly not happy to still be debating this same subject.

Some were tired, some others eyes had long ago glazed over and still some were sleeping in their chairs.

Hiashi and Choza continued to go back and forth for what seemed like forever.

"Enough!" Koharu said. "We have heard every detail of this debate so many times we could all recant it in our sleep!

Hiashi will not relent until approval from the Lord of Fire has been shown.

Choza will not relent because should Naruto be the rightful Hokage it would strip the High council of being able to order the resealing of the beast.

This debate is obviously hung. As speaker of village council I call for a vote tomorrow morning.

Unless anyone has anything new to add we will adjourn for the night."

.

The door to the council room opened and everyone turned to see Kakashi standing in the doorway.

"What is it now Kakashi? If it doesn't pertain to this debate I ask that you leave. We were just about to adjourn for the day." Koharu said in a tired voice.

Kakashi smiled and said. "Then it seems I've made it just in time. Yes, it does pertain to this debate."

Groans of tired council members wishing only to go home filled the room.

.

"No need to sound displeased. This will only take a moment." He said as he pulled out a royal red Kage scroll.

Koharu gave him an exhausted look and said. "How is that supposed to help this debate Kakashi? That is an official Kage scroll from the Lord of Fire to the Hokage.

You would need Tsunade to open it for it to be of any relevance if it's any at all. You had best hurry then because we are voting tomorrow morning."

Kakashi smiled as he tossed the scroll onto the table.

"Well it is of relevance because Lady Tsunade can't not open that scroll." He said knowingly.

"Kakashi I'm in no mood to play a guessing game. Just make your point so we can all go home. We are all very tired." Homura said.

.

"You know how the Kage scrolls are sealed I take it. The scroll is sealed with a Hokage seal followed by the mark of their Clan.

So a scroll sealed for Lady Tsunade would literally ready 'Hokage Tsunade Senju'. This scrolls seal however does not read that way."

Kakashi said.

Hiashi picked up the scroll and read the seal. His eyes went wide in shock.

"Well we don't have all day Lord Hyuuga. What does the seal read?" Koharu said in a tired tone.

"It reads…Hokage…Naruto…Namikaze. This a true Hokage scroll for Naruto using his true name.

This is without a doubt the Lord of Fires approval for Naruto's right to become Hokage."

He said soullessly as the scroll slipped from his hands and clattered to table.

Kakashi smiled at the exhausted elders that scowled at him.

_"Now you are powerless to stop him…You can no longer stand in the way of the 'Child of Destiny's' path._

_Not that you or anyone else in this village could stand in his way anyway."_ He thought to himself.

.

* * *

.

Naruto struggled in pain to keep moving forward in the dark empty streets while clutching the breaking seal on his chest.

Sakura shadowed him from far behind him while unseen Anbu guarded his every step from the shadows.

Naruto was leaning on the sides of building and fighting to take each step as he moved closer and closer to the Hokage tower.

.

* * *

.

Tsunade normally hated her paper work but found that tonight she didn't mind it so much.

The door to her office was open and no Anbu guard stood at the entry way.

A cool breeze came through the door and out her open window.

She quietly went through proposals and filled out replies like it was any other day.

She felt nothing, not happy or sad or worried or even anxious.

She felt calm and ready. She knew this feeling well. She had felt it so many times before.

It was always just before a very dangerous battle that she knew that she might not walk away from.

A calm that comes from accepting that you might not come back alive.

The calm before the storm.

.

She carefully went over a mission request and marked down a squad to handle it all the while a sound grew closer and closer to her.

The sound could only be described as someone dragging something hard against the railing surrounding the steps going up the Hokage tower.

The sound would emit and then stay quiet for a few second; then again the sound would come and fall silent.

Tsunade worked carefully on her paper work until the sound was right outside her door.

.

Just outside the door Naruto red demonic eyes looked at the open door to Tsunade's office.

His clawed right hand was on the railing for support while his left held the painfully breaking seal.

He took three sharp breaths and then drug his claws up the railing. The metal screeched as his claws left marks in the metal and he gripped the railing once more.

He pulled himself up the last step and onto the small platform outside her office. He staggered and had to catch himself from falling on the door way.

He regained is balance and slowly moved into her office clutching the seal.

Tsunade watched him fight for every step he took until he stopped in front of her desk breathing hard.

.

"So…you have come Naruto." Tsunade said quietly.

He threw his head back and stood up straight. Tsunade could see Kyuubi's chakra burning brightly in his red eyes.

But also in his eyes held his determination that would never give up no matter how hard things got.

"Yes…mother…I have come." Naruto strained to say while catching his breath.

She looked at him and did well to contain her sorrow. "I think you should know that the village council is taking a vote tomorrow.

They are going to vote on if you or I is the rightful Hokage…It's most likely they will name you as the rightful Hokage Naruto…"

.

Naruto gave her a few strained laughs though his pain as he squinted at her.

"What the hell do those old farts know?…You're the Hokage and I'm not going take the title through some underhanded means.

It's doesn't matter what the council thinks. The passing on of the title of Hokage is between the Hokage and their successor.

It's doesn't matter what they think at all! They can decree until their blue in the face for all I care! You're still the Hokage until you give me the title yourself!"

He said even in his voice was the undertones to the foxes rage.

.

_"The rage he is holding back in his eyes…it must be unbearable…How can even he do such a thing?"_ Tsunade thought sadly.

She looked down as she clutched her elbows as tears of pain welled up in her eyes.

"Mother I just came to say goodbye." Naruto said.

"Please…" She said in a trembling voice. "Don't go…I'll make you Hokage right now. Jus-Just _please_ reseal the fox…I know you can do it…"

She begged him as she looked up and tears rolled down her face. "Please." She said so honestly with all her might. "Please don't go…"

.

Naruto shook his head and said.

"I can't…do that. I have to fight Kyuubi or I'll break my Nindo…I already promised my great uncle Nagato…If there is such a thing as peace then I will seize it."

"Naruto!" Tsunade yelled at him in pain as she stood up from her chair.

"You have no chance of killing the Nine Tailed Fox! Even your father, the greatest of the Hokage's, couldn't land a single wound on the beast!

That's why he sealed it! That was the only option he could make!" She yelled at him in anger through her tears.

.

Naruto's pulps narrowed into cat slits as his anger and offence at Tsunade rose.

"I'm NOT trying to kill the Nine Tailed Fox …" He looked at her in outrage until his eyes glowed crimson.

He raised his right and above his head as it became encased in flaming red chakra just as he brought it down on her desk.

His clawed hand seared through a two inch stack of her paperwork rendering it to ash and burned his clawed hand print deep into her desk.

**"I'M TRYING TO REDEEM HER!" **Naruto's voice and Kyuubi's spoke as one in an ear splitting angry roar as his hand smoldered on her desk.

.

Tsunade looked like at Naruto had stabbed her through the heart she was so stunned.

"_Such…power…They spoke as one…I've never felt such frightening power before…The Nine Tailed Fox is female?_

_He's-He's trying to …REDEEM HER?"_ She thought soullessly as Naruto's intense stare and growling breath was on her.

She backed away from him in timid fear before mastering herself against the far window.

"Naruto you are INSANE! How could you ever think anyone, even yourself, would be capable of such a feat?

How could you have mercy against a being of pure evil and hatred? If you are going to fight him…_Her, _then at least then fight with your full power and not to redeem her!

This isn't a human you can turn into a friend like Gaara!" She screamed at him in tears and shock as her trembling voice begged him.

.

"No…I will not. I could have easily killed Ruby long ago, but as you know I would have died as well.

I seek true peace not only for humans…but for all!" Naruto said as he turned towards the door and started moving away.

"Naruto…" She said as tears slid down her face and she smiled.

"If you defeat or kill the Kyuubi demon you will be the Hokage.

There will no longer be any doubt as to who is the strongest, but I'm betting the title of Hokage that you won't succeed…"

Tears rained down her smiling face as she said. "After all…I've never had any luck at gambling…" The sadness and doubt shined through her smiling face.

.

Naruto turned his head over his shoulder and looked at her with wild demonic eyes that boiled with an eternity of pain and hatred.

He turned fully around and pointed his clawed hand at her. "I'll take that bet! You just keep my seat nice and warm…When I get back, I'LL BE THE HOKAGE!"

He said confidently. Tsunade couldn't even bare to watch him go. She covered her eyes and wiped the tears out of them.

Before she realized it he was gone and the only thing telling her that he was ever there was the screech of his demonic claws on the railing as he made his way slowly down the tower.

She felt hollow and empty as she stepped out the window and made her way to the opposite corner of the Hokage tower.

Kakashi was sitting on the ledge of the tower watching Naruto leave.

She sat down next to Kakashi and wrapped her arms around her knees as she watched the tiny glimmers of red chakra twinkling out of Naruto from the distance.

Small flames of red chakra floated through the breaking seal and around him and he dragged his body forward.

.

"Are you ok Tsunade?" Kakashi asked quietly.

Tsunade shook her head silently on her knees before looking over at him.

"You were right Kakashi…I couldn't stop him. His destiny is too strong.

Everything I've been planning for years to try to keep him here fell apart the moment I saw his eyes.

I couldn't do anything…I just felt so powerless." She said in a lost manner.

.

Kakashi watched Naruto's figure grow smaller as he moved further away.

"Don't worry Tsunade. He will be back. He _is_ the next Hokage after all, but that isn't what he is fighting hardest for." Kakashi reassured her.

"Then what is he fighting so hard for?" Tsunade asked as she looked over at him.

"Surely you already know that Lady Tsunade. It is obvious. He calls you his mother.

He thinks of Sasuke, Gaara and Konohamaru as his brothers and he even considers the Third to be his grandfather.

What he wants more than even the title of Hokage is what he never had.

He wants a family of his own and I'm sure you know who he is going to look to provide that family for him.

It is for her that he will fight hardest for and that is the reason he will return to us." Kakashi said.

"He is not coming back." She smiled hollowly at him through her blood shot eyes. "At least that's what I bet him…"

.

* * *

.

Naruto dragged himself down the street clutching the burning seal as he struggled against the pain.

_"Damn it! I'm still too weak!...I didn't have time to master the other two sub elements…_

_Without them the jutsu is useless…I just don't have any more…time." _Naruto thoughts and then shook his head to clear his thought.

_"No…I can't ask for help this time…It's all up to me…I'll just have to manage somehow…"_

He thought as he approached the main gate.

.

"You didn't think I was going to let you go alone did you Naruto?" Sasuke said as he walked out from beside the shadowy gate way.

Naruto panted hard while holding the breaking seal as the red chakra like flames slowly floated around him.

He had one of his eyes closed trying to endure the pain as Sasuke said.

"Naruto, I meant what I promised you…If you couldn't master everything you needed for this jutsu then I would come to fill in the parts you couldn't do."

Naruto panted hard for a long moment in thought before saying.

"I'm sorry Sasuke…I can't take you with me…Not this time. I have to do this alone."

Sasuke smiled at him and said.

"No Naruto, I've already decided to come with you.

I'm going to make amends for all the wrongs I have done by helping you."

.

Naruto said in a strained pained voice. "You can't go…Sasuke. You'll die from being exposed to the fox's chakra before you could ever help me… I can't put you in danger."

Sasuke laughed softly and said. "I already told you that I wanted my death to be more meaningful than to rot away in an old house as a blind man.

I know you hate the idea of fate and destiny, but the fact remains the same…You and I, our fates are connected and we will always make each other stronger."

Naruto gritted his teeth and said. "You're damned right I hate the idea of fate. You make your own destiny! That is why you have to stay here!"

"And you made yours the day you decided to never give up on me my friend. You are hardly in any condition to argue with me so let us be off."

Sasuke said calmly as he turned around and walked through the gate.

"Besides if anyone saw you right now they would think you were some kind of monster and flee while screaming.

If nothing else I can keep them away from you or warn them you are coming."

.

Naruto stood still as he watched Sasuke walking up the dark road for a long moment before saying quietly. "Thanks Sasuke…"

Naruto started slowly moving forward again down the road.

Sakura followed behind them from a great distance as not to be seen.

.

The six Anbu squads that had been shadowing Naruto the whole time watched them go. Among them the rookie nine, Neji, Rock Lee, Tenten and even Ino were sent as his protectors.

Shikamaru took off his fox mask and said. "Squad Seven is finally reunited after all these years and they are leaving on their most dangerous mission yet."

He turned his mask around in his hand and stared at the fox picture on it. He looked down from the top of the building he was on and said.

"Either the Nine Tailed Fox will be no more soon or we will never see them again…Let's send our heroes off with honor."

.

Shikamaru stood up and placed his right fist over his heart while looked out the gate at Naruto's fading light.

The rest of the Anbu stood up from there shadowy hiding place and saluted them in the same way as Sakura crept out the gate behind them.

"I've never wanted to stand by your side more than right now Naruto, but I know I'd only get in your way…

I guess the only thing I can do for you is wish you good luck…" Shikamaru said and then bowed his head.

"Well said." Kakashi said from beside him with his fist over his heart as Razorwing flew over his head carrying a official Kage scroll for Gaara.

The fastest hawk in both the Fire Nation and The Wind Nation flew slightly out into the night.

.

* * *

.

Naruto neither ate nor slept as he traveled to the Land of Wind.

He just kept moving forward with a driving purpose that burned like the chakra coming out of him.

After hours of walking in the night he thought. _"I-I just don't know…if I have the strength…to keep…going."_

Naruto swooned and almost fell forward, but a flaming paw shot out of his chest and braced itself on the ground holding him up right.

Another flaming paw shot out of his back and braced itself on the ground as well.

The light from the paws lit up the surrounding area with an eerier red glow.

The two fox paws moved to his sides and helped him to keep staggering forward.

Sakura saw everything happening from two-hundred feet behind him. _"It's really happening…The fox has already started to come out…"_

She thought sadly.

The further they traveled the more of the Kyuubi's chakra came out of him.

By dawn the fox's chakra ears were coming out of his head and by dusk the whole spectral head of the fox surrounded his own.

.

Two days later.

Sasuke was walking down the main road with white bandages over his empty eye sockets and a walking stick in his hand.

He heard a familiar sound that he had been hearing for days. The clack of wagon wheels on the road coming from just around the next bend.

Soon a merchant cart with a squad of Sand ninja's came up the road in the waning hours of the night.

They were likely just making a delivery to one of the nearby towns.

Sasuke stepped in front of the cart and held up his open hand. "Halt!" He said.

The tallest of the ninjas came before him and said. "I don't know who you are, but if you're a bandit then you're picking a fight with the wrong ninjas."

"I am no bandit. I am Sasuke Uchiha of the Land of Fire.

I've only stopped you to tell you that it is in your best interest to take your cart into the woods and wait for the red lights to pass."

.

The large ninja laughed as he crossed his arms and said. "And if we don't are you gonna make us little man?"

Sasuke tipped his walking stick forward and started moving up the road.

"No, I didn't come here to pick a fight with Sand ninja. I just came to warn you that you are putting your life in danger should you not heed my warning."

Another of the ninja said sarcastically and teasingly. "What, are you gonna tell me some big scary monster is heading up the road?"

Sasuke continued on as he said. "The scariest monster to could possibly imagine is heading up this road.

It is being held back by the strongest man in all the five nations, The Great Sage and hero Naruto Uzumaki.

You will know when it is getting closer by the red glow it gives off. I will tell you only this.

If you do let your curiosity get the better of you, do not attack it unless you want it to turn you into a pile of ash.

Just make sure to get your cart off the road before it does that to you though. Naruto is fighting hard enough without your cart in his path."

.

"And if such a beast is heading for the Sand Village you should know we are duty bound to inform the Kazekage-"

The large ninja said before Sasuke cut him off while still walking away.

"The Kazekage already knows we are coming. He is the one that invited us or didn't you know that the Kazekage owes Naruto three life debts.

I'm done talking to you. You will understand soon enough since you do not believe me."

Sasuke said as he slowly made his way out of the forest and into the open desert night.

.

One of the shorter ninja's turned to the large ninja and said. "Akori are you really going to believe that blind man's gibberish?"

Akori turned back towards the road and said. "Come on. You know there is no way that man was Sasuke Uchiha, the man that held the world hostage.

Sasuke wouldn't dare step out of the Leaf Village for fear of being killed. And the Great Sage Naruto would never bring a beast to the hidden Sand.

He and Gaara are like brothers. Come on lets go. There is no need to delay any further over the words of an insane blind man-"

He stopped in mid sentence as he eyes went wide while staring up the road.

A dim red glow was shinning from the ground up the road from a nearby bend in the path.

The glow moved up and down like someone carrying a lantern while walking. Brighter and brighter the glow became as the moments passed.

Akori said in sock and fear. "Get the cart off the road now…"

.

One of the others gave the lager man a confused look and said. "What?"

"Get the cart off the road now!" He yelled frantically as he grabbed the horse pulling the cart and forcibly led it off into the grass.

"Boss what's gotten-" One of the others started to say before catching sight of the red glow himself.

The ninja froze as the light grew brighter and brighter until the massive front paw of the Nine Tailed Fox stepped into view.

The earth hissed and smoked under the paw. Soon another massive paw came into view and then the entire spectral from of the Kyuubi rounded the bend.

The chakra beast's body burned in crimsons red chakra and it towered even above the tallest trees. Naruto dragged himself forward underneath it while incased in its chakra.

.

Each step they took burned their prints into the ground. The prints would glow for a moment and then quickly harden into glass.

Their footprints of glass stretched out behind them for miles. Every twenty feet there would be a print from Kyuubi on each side of Naruto's footprints.

Slowly they moved forward and pass the four ninja frozen in fear at the sight of them.

It only took them six minutes until they were out of sight, but it was the longest six minutes of Akori's life.

Sakura walked slowly up the path behind them to the side of their smoldering foot prints.

She would normally wait to stop to help the Sand ninja, but she knew she didn't have time.

She was readying her thought and nerves for the battle to come.

She continued on without ever giving them a look.

.

They walked out into the blowing sands of the desert a hour before dawn.

They reached the great sand cliff outside the evacuated Sand Village just as the eastern skies started to glow pink and gold.

At the great fissure that lead through the cliff Kazekage Gaara stood waiting for them without any fear in his eyes.

Naruto stopped and lifted his head up to look at Gaara. "I made it…" Naruto said in a strained demonic voice while hold the seal that was nearly broken in pain.

Gaara nodded his head and calmly said. "Yes you did, old friend. I see that you were right… Ruby kept her word just like you said she would."

Gaara turned his head up and looked right into the eyes of Kyuubi before saying. "Thank you for keeping your word. You are honorable just like he said you were."

.

The Nine Tailed Fox lowered its massive head down to Gaara's level.

**"I do not need thanks from a mortal. I have my pride. Know this, if I didn't have a agreement with my host I would rip you to shreds right now.**

**Not because you were a host yourself but because your people have imprisoned my kind for ages. One day you will answer to **_**ME**_** for your people's actions.**

**You have time however. You are not my first target after I achieve my freedom."** Kyuubi's voice boomed as its eyes burned brighter.

.

Gaara and Sasuke never flinched after hearing Kyuubi's true voice for the first time, but Sakura jumped with a start as she was walking over to them.

_"It's been so long since I've seen them all together like this…The leaf's famous Squad Seven reunited to face the most powerful of the tailed beast…_

_Sakura and Sasuke are ready to die to help him. I can tell they are. I worry for you though Naruto, I see something in your eyes that I never thought I would see…doubt._

_There is no doubt in the fox's eyes. I only see determination. I hope the Kyuubi wasn't the source of yourself belief and never give up attitude."_ Gaara thought.

.

"Is-Is everything ready?" Naruto asked before collapsing onto his knees while panting hard.

He nodded his head as Sakura timidly came up and took her place next to Sasuke.

"Yes Naruto. I've evacuated the village just encase. Only me and my chronicler are left in the village." Gaara looked at him for a long time and then said.

"You have made it farther than anyone else could have hoped to make it with a breaking seal…I will help you by making the last leg of your journey for you."

.

Gaara put his hands together as he closed his eyes. He summoned a great amount of chakra inside of him as the ground started to quake.

He strained with all his might and lifted the four of them up into the air on a giant sand disk.

Gaara opened his eyes and said.

"This sand will take you to the heart of the desert Naruto. The only thing I can tell you is I believe in you my friend.

Defeat the fox and become a Hokage like no other."

Naruto looked down at him from high in the air and said through gritted teeth. "Remember your promise…Gaara…!"

.

"I would die before I broke that promise Naruto! Never lose heart, never forget who you are fighting for Great Hero of the Five nations!"

Gaara yelled back to him with pride as the sand disk rose higher into the air and speed off over the cliffs heading for the heart of the desert.

After they were long out of sight Matsuri carefully walked out from the fissure between the cliffs and asked.

"Master Gaara is everything going to be ok?"

.

Gaara looked to the dawning sun and then turned to her.

"Even Kami doesn't know that Matsuri. There was doubt in his eyes, but not in his heart.

Even now he is fighting for that glimmer of hope." Gaara said as he turned back toward the village.

"So the Great Sage's strength rest on his feelings for Hanabi?" Matsuri said and then smiled.

"I think we are going to be just fine then master."

.

* * *

.

They speed over the desert for most of the day. The sun was nearing dust in the western horizon.

Sasuke stood at the front of the disk facing forward in silence. He merely waited for the arrival of the battle with unwavering resolve.

Sakura seemed troubled since they left Gaara at the cliff fissure. She kept glancing over at Naruto on his back under the Kyuubi and up to the demons eyes.

Kyuubi only face forward like Sasuke awaiting the battle to come in unmoving silence.

Something inside of Sakura was eating away at her until she finally found the courage to ask.

.

"Kyuubi…" She spoke to the demon, but she didn't not move or reply as the moments dragged on.

"Kyuubi! Why are you so calm when all we know of you is hate and destruction? Why are you willingly going to a battle field to fight Naruto?" She yelled to the fox.

**"I am not hard of hearing human girl… As for how your people see me…well let us say it is their own fault I'm like this.**

**You should understand well enough already why I haven't attacked anyone and have come willingly to fight my host at the battle ground of his choosing." **

Kyuubi's massive voice boom without ever looking at her.

.

Sakura shook her head and said. "No I don't understand! Can't you just leave him in peace…both of you have already suffered so much together. Why must you fight each other?"

"**You are incapable of understanding that answer human girl. You are not an eternal and you have no idea what it means to have everlasting life."**

The fox said without giving her a glance.

Sakura yelled up at her. "No, I couldn't imagine what that is like, but it doesn't explain why you are so set on fighting him. He can't even stand up! What point is there in killing him?"

The Kyuubi chuckled manically at her and said. **"You think he can not fight? You foolish human. You understand so little that is happening before you very eyes.**

**Even in his current condition he could level the most powerful of your kind's villages. I know every facet of his being and I could kill him even now with barely any effort."**

"Then why haven't you? What are to so set on fighting him in the middle of the desert?" Sakura asked.

.

**"Because he is the first human or mortal that has earned my respect in a very long time. Do not think that Naruto doesn't want to fight me as well.**

**He has been training himself knowing that sooner or later this day would come. You think you know him so well yet you do not."** Kyuubi said shortly.

"I do know him. If he didn't have to fight you he wouldn't." Sakura said confidently.

**"I'll have you know he wanted to leave you with Gaara before we left. It was only because of me that you were allowed to come this far.**

**Are you still going to tell me you know what is in his heart?"** Kyuubi asked her.

Sakura looked down in sad indecision for a moment and then said.

"So you're telling me you have some reason that you wanted me to come along? Well forget it! I will not help you!" She yelled at the fox.

**"It is not me you will be helping…"** Kyuubi said ominously as the speed across the desert.

.

A few moments later the disk of sand slowed down and started drifting downward.

Sakura caught sight of something glinting in the fading day light.

As they drifted closer to the ground she saw what it was. It was one of Naruto's cobalt blue spirit marker.

The sand disk touched a dune and crumbled away leaving them all out in the middle of the hot desert.

There was nothing around them but sand. No plants or life could be seen, only dune after dune of endless sand as far as the eye could see.

.

Naruto was laying on the ground encased in red chakra. "Ergh!" He said in pain as he clinched his teeth.

**"We are here Naruto…it is time for me to come out fully. It is time for you to keep your promise and release me."** Kyuubi said to him as she towered over his body.

Naruto strained to lift his arms into hand signs and with all his strength he said. "Nine Prong Seal Release!"

Naruto screamed in pain as the red chakra around him started flowing into the Nine Tailed Fox's spectral form.

Sakura looked at him writhing in pain with despair sinking into her heart.

She reached out her hand and went to take a step toward him when Sasuke caught her arm.

"No Sakura, you cannot go to him. There is nothing you can do for him right now. You just have to wait until this is over." Sasuke said calmly.

Sakura looked over at him with tears welling in her eyes and he lips trembling and said.

"Ho-How can you expect me to wait Sasuke?…He's dying over there! Don't you care at all what is happening to him?"

.

"Of course I care Sakura. This is exactly why Naruto didn't want you to come… He knew you wouldn't handle this well.

You have to keep calm, otherwise you will not be able to help him when the time comes.

If you run to him now and touch the fox's chakra you will be turned to ash." Sasuke said calmly.

Naruto convulsed wildly as he arched his back and screamed in both his voice and Kyuubi's demonic voice.

His ear shattering roar of pain echoed off the sandy dunes for miles around as the chakra started moving out of the seal faster.

Sakura resolved herself to stay by Sasuke's side and shed her tears of despair quietly.

.

A few minutes later the bones of the Kyuubi's feet started the sprout and slowly grew up its body.

After twenty minutes the bones of the last tail had formed and the muscles started to form around its skull.

Two hours later the final tail finished growing its hair and the last of the Kyuubi's chakra left Naruto. The Nine Tailed Fox was whole once more.

Naruto fell limp and lifeless on to the desert sand. Sasuke remind calm and composed the entire time.

Sakura worried for him at first but now gazed on his body soullessly in shock unable to move or look away.

.

The Nine Tailed Fox body was not encased in glowing red chakra and its fur was a light amber color.

Its many tails were not writhing behind it like snake about to attack, but laid flat fan out on the sands behind it as it sat up.

Kyuubi's eyes did not glow crimson red with hate, but they were a vibrant green like the deepest of forest during the summer.

Although she would normally be an imposing sight towering over one hundred feet into the air, she seemed diminutive with her head hunched over low looking at Naruto.

She looked at him almost sadly like he was a friend she played to rough with and killed him by mistake.

No one moved for a long moment as a gust of wind howled across the desert landscape while all of them watched Naruto's unmoving body.

.

Naruto skin was deathly white and his closed eyes were sunken into his head. No breaths came to his silent body.

His once prominent black whisker marks on his cheeks had faded away.

Charred cracked trails of blood went down each corner of his mouth to the edges of his cheeks.

_._

_"He-He's dead….He died…His body couldn't take it after all…Naruto…No one deserved a happy life more than …you." _

Sakura thought and wanted to cry, but she had already given him every tear she had and could only cover her eyes and sob softly.

Kyuubi stared at him for a long moment before turning her massive head and eyes to Sakura.

**"Sakura…"** The Nine Tailed Fox said, its voice was not hateful, but light, wistful, enchanting and almost beautiful as it radiated its sadness and desire.

Kyuubi looked at her with lost eyes and begged her. **"Heal him…"**

The fox's words echoed in her mind over and over shaking her very being as her eyes went wide in disbelief.

.

* * *

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After notes. Hope you all enjoyed.


	34. Chapter 34 Ruby's Howl

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Questions/reviews.

* * *

_**Hadhodrond  
2011-05-16 . chapter 33**_

_**I've read the whole thing from beginning to end over three days, and while many people comment on your mistakes, I will say that if your story sucked I would have quit reading. More **_

_**importantly this story rocks, and I want to know what happens next...so you should post more... With the number of spelling mistakes you make I wonder if the program you type in is auto-**_

_**correcting your words and messing them up. Perhaps reading this out loud before posting can help with that. As for plot...there is nothing to contribute, you seem to have a good direction, and **_

_**stick to the canon characters, which i must praise you for because I can't remember names at all. Keep going!**_

Thousandson's first impression: "Woohoo negative review… I must have messed something up that needs to be fixed!"

*eyes glancing over review again* "DOH! It's a positive review that I misread!" LoL

As for the program I use it is Microsoft Word Professional 2007 and yes its auto correct 'format as you type' is both a blessing and a curse.

For the most part it is a blessing yet some time…like example.

"She went through the tunnel as her will went with her."

Ends up auto corrected as.

"She went through the tunnel as home went with her."

Yeah sometimes the program makes me do a double take and makes me wonder while scratching my head what the heck I meant in the first place. LoL!

Lednacek  
2011-05-09 . chapter 33

_**Nice chapter. No stupid cliffhanger. i like it. Ruby for Kyuubi is lame. You could have been more original.**_

Umm who are you and what have you done with the Lednacek that has been viewing my chapters since well before chapter twenty?(if I'm not mistaken[Actually I looked it up it was chapter 6!)

As for Naruto's pet name for Kyuubi. Don't take Kyuubi and Ruby in English sounding so similar as merely 'lame'. Look at Naruto's character as well as Kyuubi's.

…. If you were Naruto and you were looking upon a massive beast of hatred glowing crimson with chakra. What name would you give her and why?

Naruto could have described her a thousand different ways. Yet in my mind as I lived as Naruto for my story I saw her best described as a burning ruby fox.

Hints his pet name for her. When he calls her this it angers her, yet she cannot hurt him or she would hurt herself so she must tolerate it even though she is an eternal.

He called her this (even though it is not actually in my written story yet is a valid point to your comment) even before he realizes the Kyuubi is female.

He is ribbing her as one of 'the guys' when he calls her this. She greatly dislikes being tied to something that humans consenter beautiful.

Naruto, though her ribs with his pet name, had a much deeper meaning for it. Kyuubi is the reason he has never broken his Nindo and he knows this.

He is humbled by it so when he calls her "Ruby" his is not only ribbing her, he is thanking her for all her help all with a single word.

_**Stargategod  
2011-06-19 . chapter 28**_

_**another good chapter, i found this passage funny because of a spelling error**_

_**the rest of the shuriken spoofed into Konohamaru's as well and charged him**_

_**lol he spoofed**_

_**i also found the scene of hinata and hanabi kissing funny.**_

Doh! Thanks for the correction. I'll go fix it later.

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Authors notes: Well I haven't done this in awhile. A song inspired a lot of this chapter and helped me write it.

I highly encourage you to listen to this song that helped me as you read this chapter. It greatly enhances the story.

The song is The Ludlows (I just typed it into youtube and listen to it there).

Have you ever teared up or cried while reading this story? If the answer is yes you might want to get some tissues.

This is another one of those tearjerker chapters.

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Last Chapter

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The Nine Tailed Fox's body was not encased in glowing red chakra and its fur was a light amber color.

Its many tails were not writhing behind it like snakes about to attack, but laid flat fanning out on the sands behind it as it sat up.

Kyuubi's eyes did not glow crimson red with hate, but they were a vibrant green like the deepest of forest during the summer.

Although she would normally be an imposing sight towering over one hundred feet into the air, she seemed diminutive with her head hunched over low looking at Naruto.

She looked at him almost sadly, like he was a friend she played too rough with and killed him by mistake.

No one moved for a long moment as a gust of wind howled across the desert landscape while all of them watched Naruto's unmoving body.

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Naruto's skin was deathly white and his closed eyes were sunken into his head. No breaths came to his silent body.

His once prominent black whisker marks on his cheeks had faded away.

Charred cracked trails of blood went down each corner of his mouth to the edges of his cheeks.

_._

_"He-He's dead….He died…His body couldn't take it after all…Naruto…No one deserved a happy life more than …you." _

Sakura thought and wanted to cry, but she had already given him every tear she had and could only cover her eyes and sob softly.

Kyuubi stared at him for a long moment before turning her massive head and eyes to Sakura.

**"Sakura…"** The Nine Tailed Fox said, its voice was not hateful, but light, wistful, enchanting and almost beautiful as it radiated its sadness and desire.

Kyuubi looked at her with lost eyes and begged her. **"Heal him…"**

The fox's words echoed in her mind over and over shaking her very being as her eyes went wide in disbelief.

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Chapter Thirty-Four: Ruby's Howl

* * *

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A gust of wind howled over the desert and across Sakura's frozen face.

Kyuubi's pleading voice came again. **"Sakura…Please. There isn't much time… His life grows dim. In another moment his life force will fade away."**

_"So-So this is what the fox meant by helping. She wasn't talking about helping her at all…She was talking about helping Naruto…"_

Sakura thought in stunned realization.

Sasuke reached down and put his hand on her shoulder and said.

"Sakura! You have to help him…This is why you came isn't it? Sakura!" Sasuke shook her by her shoulders.

Her head rolled limply on her shoulders, but her blank stare continued.

.

_"How…How could the Nine Tailed Fox want me to heal Naruto?….Doesn't she want him dead…Is-Isn't he already dead…" _She was lost in her soulless thoughts.

"Sakura it's not like you to choke like this. Naruto needs you now!"

Sasuke said intensely as he reached his hand back behind him and slapped her across the face.

The powerful strike sent her on to all fours as it echoed across the landscape.

Sakura's left cheek started to swell up red and she shook her head to come back out of her thoughts.

She took in several sharp breaths before looking forward to Naruto's chakra charred body.

"Go…Help him Sakura!" Sasuke yelled at her firmly as he pointed to Naruto.

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Sakura slowly rose to her feet with a sad empty expression on her face as she walked over to Naruto's body.

His unmarked face was pale white and his eyes were sunken into his eye sockets.

The skin on his hands had been seared away and she feared she would find far worse damage around the seal area.

Sakura kneeled down to him in front of the most dangerous being in existence without any fear for her own well being.

The only thing that mattered in her empty eyes was the friend she had to save even if it cost her her life.

She cupped her hand on his pale cheek to check for a pulse. Even in the heat of the desert his body was rapidly cooling.

If it was anyone else, even Tsunade, she would have pronounced them dead and not even have tried.

But the one thing she had learned from being his teammate was to never give up on him.

.

She held out her pointer finger and it glowed blue with chakra.

She grabbed a hold of the front of his black skin tight shirt and used her chakra scalpel to cut it open.

She turned her head and winced at the damage far worse than she feared. Naruto's chest had sustained heavy chakra damage.

What was left of the original seal the Fourth Hokage placed on him remained untouched.

Most of the rest of his chest had not only the skin but the muscle burned away.

His exposed rib bones shimmered in the fading light as she swallowed hard trying to master herself at the sight of the grotesque wound.

She took a long deep breath and released it slowly as she placed her hands over the wound and green chakra flowed out of her hands.

.

The muscle and skin started to regrow slowly. Sakura forced herself to distance herself from Naruto and all that he meant to her.

She forced herself to see him as just another patient and do what she had to too save his life.

She entered an almost robotic like state while healing him as the eternity of the minutes ticked by.

Naruto body still remained unmoving. No breath or life came to his once vibrant eyes.

Sakura touched both hands to the green diamond mark on her forehead as she asked.

"Kyuubi…you have healed him so many times even when anyone one else, ninja or Jinchuuriki, would have died. Why is it that now you need me to save him?

Couldn't you just heal him yourself? Doesn't your healing power far out strip my own?"

.

**"No, I cannot…We were once one chakra network. Now we are two. I never healed him like you think. He simply was linked to my regenerative capabilities. **

**When we were one it was very unlikely that anything would be able to kill him because of that. **

**Now that we are two he is cut off from that ability so I cannot help him anymore.**

**Even if I could I would not help him, not because I do not want to, but because of our agreement."** Kyuubi told her.

Sasuke gritted her teeth as she swallowed hard. She shook her head sadly in confusion as she continued to focus on her green diamond seal and said.

"I just don't understand! You want Naruto alive yet you would refuse to heal him if you could? You make no sense what so ever!

You contradict yourself at every turn!"

.

**"No…"** The Nine Tailed Fox said as she shook her head at Sakura and said.

**"I do not. You fail to understand me. You are not an eternal so you have no idea of the meanings behind my words.**

**You can't comprehend the answer to the question you have asked me. **

**You have precious little time as it is to save his fading light yet you still waste time questioning me."**

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"Sakura just focus on the task at hand. You don't need to be an eternal to understand her words. They both want this fight.

Neither of them would aid the other because to aid your competitor would be taken as a sign of disrespect Sakura." Sasuke said while slowly walking up to her side.

Sakura closed her eyes in concentration and took a deep breath while both her hands pointing toward the green diamond mark on her forehead.

"It's still stupid. It's just like all the times I couldn't stop you and Naruto from fighting. I just feel so…helpless." She said with a trembling voice full of frustration and sadness.

Sasuke sighed and said. "Then take it as fate Sakura. This is the fate the Kami gave them the day they were born.

When these two beings became one the wheels of fate were set into motion that one day they would face each other in combat.

That is their destiny Sakura."

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Sakura shook her head while still drawing up chakra. "No Sasuke…Of all the lessons Naruto taught me there is one I'll never relent from. 'You make your own Fate!'"

She said with conviction as her eyes snapped open and her body was incased in green healing chakra that danced wildly around her body.

"Sakura…What are you doing?" Sasuke asked in shock.

Sakura had already closed her eyes in concentration again molding the chakra around her with her sheer willpower.

She stood still for a long moment forming the chakra into the shape that she needed it in before saying.

"Kyuubi…I don't possess Naruto's greatest power…I can't forgive you. I still hate you no matter how hard I try to see things from Naruto's point of view!

However you did give me the perfect parting words to tell him how I feel. How to express just how much I care for him and how to truly say how much I'm sorry.

This is what you gave me so… I thank you for that." She took in a ragged deep breath as Sasuke thought.

"_The way she is saying that…It sounds like she is about to use a forbidden jutsu that is going to cost her her life…I must be prepared to use' that jutsu' if I must."_

.

She steeled her breathing and gritted her teeth before emotionally saying. "Sasuke…please give Naruto a message for me!"

She begged him without ever breaking her concentration.

Sasuke swallowed hard and then softly said. "Of course Sakura…I'll tell him whatever you wish…"

Sakura began to sob as she strained to say.

"Tell him…Tell him that I always loved him best! That I am sorry that was a stupid fool for hurting him for all those years!

Tell him that when I realized that he was the one I loved the most that the only thing I could do to show him that love was help him and Hanabi's relationship.

When he asks why I did this tell him that I don't want him to feel a ounce of sadness for me. Tell him… 'A life for a life. My debt to him is repaid.'

Just-Just tell him that I love him and that I'll be watching over him from above…

And if we are ever born again into this world together that I will make him the happiest person in the world.

Please…just-just tell him that I love him and…" Sakura coked on her sobs for a long tense moment before being able to continue.

She took in a long unsteady breath and looked over a Sasuke with swollen blood shot eyes and said.

"And tell him that after he beats that stupid demon fox he better…live every day of his life to the happiest he can with….Hanabi! Sasuke…"

.

Sasuke nodded solemnly at her pained smile and said. "I…understand Sakura. I will tell him this for you."

She turned back to Naruto and closed her eyes while the green chakra surrounding her danced like flames.

_"This is it…I can finally pay you back for all the times you protected me. _

_This is why I became a Sage…for this single moment, all for you and your dream for having a family of your own._

_Even if you die I'll bring you back. _

_._

_I watched elder Chiyo carefully when she used her Life Reincarnation Jutsu on Gaara just encase I ever needed to use it on you._

_First I have to heal the damage from the seal breaking…This is just too much damage for me to heal it without transferring and breaking my seal._

_If it was just one of these jutsus I would have complete confidence in myself but…_

_To use my sacred Slug Sage Power Jutsu and a powerful Transfer Jutsu and finally to mix what is left of my chakra with my life force and feed it to him…_

_Even lady Tsunade has never attempted so many high level medical Ninjutsu in a row. No one has tried it because it would mean certain death._

_Yet try I must…I'm nervous to give up my life but I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid to give you my life Naruto…The only thing I'm afraid of is failure._

_Just this once I cannot fail, no matter the cost, no matter how much it hurts and no matter how much I want to give up._

_If not then giving my life to you will have all been in vain. I can't let that happen no matter what!"_ She thought as she shook her head in worry and frustration.

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Sasuke watched her grit her teeth, shake her head violently and suddenly her look became distant.

_"She is warring with herself…This isn't like her. What is she possibly thinking inside her head?"_ He thought as she suddenly went into a trance like state.

Her conviction returned to her as she moved her hands palm out into a diamond shape surrounding her forehead Sage Mark.

She mumbled incoherently like am insane person.

The green diamond Sage Mark on her forehead slowly split in two and the two green triangles slowly and with great effort moved to her palms.

She panted heavily from the massive amount of chakra she was spending to move the dense seal.

Once the diamond shaped seal that had been split in half was in the center to each of her palms she moved them to Naruto's forehead.

The burning green chakra flowed out of her hands as the two halves of the seal slowly moved towards each other.

Her breathing became more labored the closer the seal became to being reformed.

She strained with all her being leaning more on Naruto's head then merely touching it as the two halves of the seal joined together once more on Naruto's forehead.

She opened her eyes and smiled weakly at the green mark on his forehead.

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_"So that is what she is planning to do…She is going to use Tsunade's forbidden jutsu. How did she ever move such dense chakra without destroying it?_

_Even Lady Tsunade couldn't do that, yet she somehow managed. I hope she has thought this through._

_Every jutsu has a risk and the risk will likely be shared by both of them. _

_I don't know how Slug Sage chakra works, but I know Toad Sage chakra reacts violently to those that can't control it._

_I hope Slug Sage chakra is different. She very well might die from chakra exhaustion and he might die from being unable to handle the chakra._

_Sakura, you have to be the gutsiest medic in all the five nations to be confident enough in your abilities to even attempt this._

_You truly are the best medic of our generation…You are surpassing Tsunade before my very eyes."_ Sasuke thought humbled in awe.

.

Sakura caught her breath for a moment and wiped the sweat from her tired face.

Sad conviction settled her stormy mind into a calm. She put her hands together in a hand signed and said.

"Sacred Seal Release! Mitotic Regeneration!"

The green diamond shaped seal on his forehead glowed white for a brief moment and then it grew into a gothic symbol that encompassed his entire face.

Sakura's hands trembled and shook as she tried desperately to control the chakra in Naruto.

His wounds began to smoke and heal at a rapid pace. Muscles regrew around his exposed ribs as the skin started moving inward to cover the damaged areas.

Even though Sakura was fighting for her life to control the jutsu Sasuke marveled at how quickly the grotesque wound healed.

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_"So this is Tsunade's famed jutsu that can heal any wound. I had no idea that it was this powerful, but it must carry an equally powerful risk._

_The green inferno of chakra around her is rapidly being eaten away. It must take massive amounts of chakra to use. _

_She already looks like she is nearing her breaking point… Where does she find the strength to keep going on like that…?"_

Sasuke thought and then his expression went wide in shock.

_._

_"Her-Her arm…The wound Naruto gave her when he fought Orochimaru…It's fresh again. I see…What a terrible risk this jutsu has. While it heals Naruto it un-heals her._

_Sakura…you really do intent to give your life to Naruto don't you?"_ Sasuke concluded as he tilted his head down.

Naruto's wounds closed just as Sakura's will faded. She screamed in pain and fell over on top of Naruto.

Sakura's arms and lungs felt like they were on fire and she panted while trying to catch her breath.

The bright green chakra that surrounded her body that had once been a roaring flame now barely glowed around her outline.

.

_"Damn it! Even breaking my seal and using Mitotic Regeneration wasn't enough! _

_His face is still shallow looking, devoid of any color and his heart hasn't restarted!_

_He's been down for over two minutes…I have to hurry!"_ She thought in a panic while battling her heavy eyelids.

Sakura strained to right herself several times, but only succeeded in rolling off of Naruto.

Again she struggled to get onto all fours when Sasuke walked over to her and pinned her forearm to the sands.

"Sakura! Enough! Stay still! You have done your part. If you do anymore you will kill yourself." Sasuke said in a commanding voice.

Sakura shook her head and looked at him with a desperate plea in her devastated eyes.

"No Sasuke! Yo-You don't understand!...His heart still isn't beating! I have to save him!"

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Sasuke gave her a kind expression and said. "I may not be a renowned medical ninja, but I have something you do not have and I will use it to help him."

Sasuke held his hand out in front of him and a small blue bolt of lightning crackled to life in his palm. He kneeled down at Naruto's side.

Sakura could hardly move and could only grab one of Naruto's wrist and pulled it over to her ear while she prayed to Kami to hear a heartbeat.

He turned his hand over and pressed the bolt into Naruto's chest over his heart.

His body lurched as his back arched and then went limp as Sasuke released his lightning.

Sakura hear a soft whoosh as Sasuke breathed air into Naruto's lungs three times.

Sasuke again placed his hands over Naruto's heart and jolted him with lightning.

_._

_"Basic first aid…That's what Sasuke is doing and he is combining it with his lightning element trying to restart Naruto's heart!"_ Sakura thought hopefully.

Sasuke set up a steady rhythm of shocking him and breathing air into his lungs all the while Sakura listened for the sound she hoped beyond hope that she would hear.

Her hope was fading his each passing second.

"Come on Naruto! Is this all it takes to take down the great Hero of the Five Ninja nations!" Sasuke yelled at him in frustration and then took in a deep breath and filled his lungs with air.

"I thought you were going to become the 'Greatest of all the Hokages'! Isn't that your dream!" He yelled and took another deep breath and breathed air into him again.

"I thought you were a ninja that always stood back up no matter how many times you got knocked down!" He yelled and then breathed air into him again.

"Are you not really the man that was so powerful that you ended the Fourth Great Ninja war and saved even me from the darkness!

Are you not the one that chased me for years when everyone else had given up hope of redeeming me?

Are you not Naruto Uzumaki the man that will one day become HOKAGE!" Sasuke screamed and held his hand high over his head.

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* * *

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Naruto felt light like he was slowly floating into the air. He was surrounded by a bright pale blue light.

He heard the distant cries of a woman slowly getting farther away.

"That voice…I know that voice…wait whose voice is that? I thought I knew for a moment." He thought in muddled confusion.

"The-There is something I have to do…But who am I and what was I supposed to do? I think it was really important…" He thought trying to remember.

The fading yell of a man echoed in the distance.

"That voice… its Sas…I-I just forgot. I had the answer and then it just slipped away.

Whose voice was that? Was he a friend or an enemy? Maybe my brother or father?

His voice was so familiar." He thought intently.

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The fading man's voice came again, but the only word he could make out was Hokage.

"Hokage?...What is a Hokage? Is that me? Is that my name?... If I'm Hokage then what did I do? Was I a fisherman or a sailor or a carpenter? I-I can't remember anything.

All my memories are slipping away…" He thought as he seemed to be drifting further away from the voices.

He saw an image in his mind of a woman with silky straight black hair, white eyes and she was wearing a white uniform.

"Wh-who is she?. She is beautiful…" He said and reached out to touch the image. The image drifted further and further away from him.

"Who is this person to me? Why does looking at her make me feel all these strange and intense emotions? No come back! Don't go away!

Who are you? Who am I?" He yelled as the image drifted and started fading away.

"PLEASE TELL ME! WHY AM I HERE?" He yelled as the image disappeared.

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* * *

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No small bolt of lightning flickered in Sasuke's hand.

His hand illuminated the darkness around them and sent the shadows dancing away from his powerful Chidori that raged in his hand.

He slammed his hand down on Naruto's chest and the lightning arched and hissed through his body. The force of the blow sent Sakura rolling across the sands.

The lightning in his hand slowly died down as Sakura turned over and gaped at them in shock.

"Naruto…NARUTO!" She yelled and crawled over to him desperately.

Sasuke slumped on his knees and was breathing hard when Sakura made it over to him.

"Naruto…" She said in a lost voice as she laid her head on his chest.

Her face was full of despair with a glimmer of fading hope in her swollen eyes.

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The seconds ticked by like an eternity as she listened almost willing herself to hear any sound from inside his chest.

The wind blew a cold gust of air across the desert dunes that swept her hair out behind her.

"Naruto…please…come back to us." She prayed sadly as she shut her eyes tightly. "Please…"

The silence across the landscape was deafening as time moved slowly forward.

The more time drug on the more Sakura despaired. "He-He really isn't coming back…He died…He is dead…

I-I knew it was a long shot, but I hoped against hope that you would survive the extraction of the Kyuubi.

This is just too cruel…You are finally freed from being a Jinchuuriki and then you die.

You were such a bright light. You were such a good and selfless person even when everyone hated you.

What kind of God would give you such a horrible fate! It's not right! It's not fair!"

Sakura yelled as her body trembled and she broke down in to sobs while beating on his chest in frustration.

.

Her wailing cries caused Sasuke to cringe for a moment before he looked down solemnly and knew it was over.

He wanted to comfort her but all he could do was reach out and place his hand on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck and cried inconsolably.

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* * *

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Naruto looked though the endless pale blue light searching for the beautiful girl with white eyes.

"Where is she? Where did she go?" He looked for her franticly, but every where he looked turned out to be a endless nothingness.

"I…I can almost remember her. What is her name though?" He thought in intense concentration trying to remember her.

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Flash back.

* * *

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Naruto was sitting at a very large and ornate dining table covered in a long white table cloth.

Fine china had been set out and fancy gleaming brass three candle holders were on the table along with freshly cut flowers.

Beside him there was a girl like the one her had seen in the image, yet she was slightly different, slightly older.

A stiff looking man entered the extravagant dining hall through a door near the back of the room.

He wore a white robe with a piece of cloth tied around his waist to hold them together.

Behind him followed a young girl approaching her teens in a white robe like the older man.

.

Her hair was glossy, brown and straight. She walked with confidence and grace.

Her eyes were also white and held a serious, yet polite look.

The man walked to the head of the table and the young girl took her place to the man's left, but did not sit down.

Naruto and the older girl were seated to the man's right.

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"Good evening Naruto. I am happy you have accepted our invitation to come over for dinner.

Neji is out on a mission and he cannot join us today." He said and then looked over at the young girl standing by her chair.

"Ah yes. You two haven't met yet. My daughter, please introduce yourself." He said with his open palm pointed at her.

She bowed slightly to the stiff man and then turned to Naruto and bowed to him.

"Good evening Naruto Uzumaki. I am Hanabi Hyuuga, Heiress to the Hyuuga Clan. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

She said respectfully.

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* * *

End of Flashback

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Naruto's expression went wide with realization. "Hanabi…Hanabi! I remember! I remember her! I'm…Naruto…Naruto Uzumaki."

He said as memory after memory flooded his mind.

"I'm the son of the Fourth Hokage…I'm a ninja of the Village Hidden in the Leafs. I'm the Great Toad Sage!" He said.

As the memories of his life passed before his eyes the pale blue light around him would pulse white and then dim back to pale blue.

Several times this happened and he felt his being slowly being pulled down.

"Hanabi is my Disciple…Konohamaru is my apprentice…Kakashi is my Sensei." He said as he sank down faster and faster.

"I'm a member of Squad Seven with Sakura, Sasuke, Sai and Hanabi!" He said with growing confidence as the pale blue light faded to darkness.

"My dream is…" He floated down with the nights twinkling stars behind him towards a open desert.

"TO BECOME THE GREATEST HOKAGE!" He yelled.

A huge Nine Tailed Fox, a sobbing pink hair girl with red swollen eyes hugging an unmoving man on a sand dune and a blind man with his hand on the girls shoulder was the last thing he saw.

His world faded into darkness.

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* * *

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"I am the Fifth Kazekage Gaara of the Land of Wind.

I chronicle this event not as one of the five Kages, but only as a friend to the greatest man I have ever met.

Naruto reached the Sand Village's great passage some time ago. He was weary and tired but his indomitable will still held firm.

I spoke with him, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno and even the Kyuubi fox herself briefly.

Sakura tailed him in secret while he took Sasuke along willingly.

.

The Nine Tailed Fox's spectral form towered over Naruto connected by a beam of ever flowing chakra coming out of him and into the fox.

The Great Sage and the Nine Tailed Fox have an agreement that neither of them will break.

The Kyuubi demon is everything written about it and much more and yet in some way it is much different.

She is filled with hate and malice to the point of it being stifling to be near her, but I also sense something else.

She was massive, bigger than even I imagined. She's written about as being a mindless beast of destruction, but I do not think that is entirely true.

I thanked her for helping Naruto make it to the Land of Wind and she told me how she wanted the rip me to pieces, yet she wouldn't because she would not break her promise to Naruto.

So she can not be a mindless beast…She has honor and pride and she will not break her word.

.

In that way her and The Great Sage Naruto are alike. I never thought that anyone, least of all one of the tailed beasts, would achieve the hardest to receive and maintain title.

It is the title Naruto alone has held for so many years alone. His title of 'The Man of the Golden Word'. Naruto has never broken his word not even once.

It is one of the main reasons why all of the ninja nations and even the samurai name him as a friend and comrade.

In the fox's eyes I saw an unbelievable amount of inhuman hatred, malice and bitterness and yet she fought all of those emotions just to keep her word to him.

She is a terrifying sight to behold, yet she also speaks golden words that will not be broken.

I see her much less as the raging beast from the stories told to frighten children and much more like a very angry and prideful being.

Our words were brief but meaningful. He reminded me of my promise to him and I will keep that promise when the time comes even if my life is forfeit.

I have sent the Great Sage and Hero of the Five Nations to the heart of the desert using my jutsu to help ease his journey.

.

They all arrived a short time later in the heart of the desert for Naruto's final battle.

He couldn't even stand as the power over the Kyuubi slipped out of the seal holding it as it broke.

For hours he writhed in agony as the Nine Tailed Fox emerged from his body.

Even from miles away I can clearly see the giant form of the Nine Tailed Fox on the horizon.

After it was all over he laid still and unmoving like a corpse.

Sakura used a forbidden jutsu that I cannot name for fear of breaking a Slug Clan law, but even from the great distance away from it that I was,

it burned like emerald flame in the distance that was visible to me without using any jutsu.

She healed his body with the jutsu yet he still remained still.

Sasuke attempted to revive him using basic first aid and using his lightning element.

It appears he too has failed. His teammate Sakura has lost herself and cries mournfully while embracing him-"

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"Gaara…" Matsuri said sadly with tears forming at the rims of her eyes.

Gaara had one hand over his left eye concentrating on his Third Eyes jutsu that he was using to watch them with started at her voice.

He was standing on the top of the Kazekage tower overlooking the desert landscape.

"Gaara…how can you just…Just relay the facts like that? Don't you feel anything master? Aren't you talking about Naruto?

Isn't he the person you have been striving to be like? Isn't he the man you respect most?"

Matsuri questioned him in sadness as the tears broke the rims of her eyes and slid down her face.

Gaara turned around slowly from the ledge on the flat of the Kazekage tower and looked at his heart broken disciple.

In her left hand was a half written scroll that she had been writing down Gaara's words on and in her right hand was a writing brush that hung limp at her side.

To almost all his face would seem placid, un-readable, and devoid of the emotions he was feeling but she could see frustration and confusion in his eyes.

He lowered his hand from his face.

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"Yes… There is no one I respect more than Naruto Uzumaki. There is no one that I wish to be more like than Naruto Uzumaki.

There is no one I owe more to than Naruto Uzumaki." Gaara told her quietly.

"Then why, why are you doing this?" She shook her head sadly as she asked.

Gaara turned back toward the horizon and the shadowy silhouette of the Nine Tailed Fox in the distance.

"What more can I do? Naruto has already chosen the ninjas he will be taking into battle.

I was not among them. All I can do is evacuate the Sand Village and give him a place to fight the Kyuubi, which I have done.

The only thing left is for me to record his greatest battle." He said with a hint of hurtfulness in his voice.

.

Matsuri looked down in sad thought and then said. "Master...You sound a little…"

"Bitter? Yes Matsuri, if I had to put a word to how I feel right now it would be bitter. Naruto…

A Jinchuuriki, the last of his kind and me, a former Jinchuuriki, I thought of all people he would take me into battle with him for this fight that he would want me there the most.

He could easily ask all the ninja nations for help with his trial and have armies flocking to his aid, yet he does not. He refuses to ask for any help.

I understand his reasons to a degree. The average Jonin would easily fall in this kind of fight. Only an extra ordinary ninja would be of help.

I am the strongest ninja in the Land of Wind, I am the Kazekage, yet I am not extra ordinary enough for him to take me with him.

For him to let me help him in his time of need. To give back something to the man who has given me so much.

Is it because I'm the Kazekage that he didn't ask me to go? You could easily take over as Kazekage...I wonder why…" Gaara said as he looked up to the twinkling star in the night sky.

.

"Master...I know why he didn't ask you to go." She said honestly and tenderly.

Gaara turned back to her with glimmering eyes and a lost expression before asking.

"How can you know his reasons when even I don't know them?

If you know then please tell me why I am forced to sit here helplessly while my greatest friend battles the hardest fight of his life.

Tell me why I must endure the hardest thing I've ever had to do, to sit here and do nothing…just because he asked me to."

.

Matsuri smiled at him beautifully as the tears fell down her face. She was overcome with Naruto's true reason and said.

"Master…Don't you know the reason? How could you have forgotten when it was the both of you that taught me the reason?

Don't you remember?"

.

Flashback.

* * *

.

The fighting arena was a complete mess after Matsuri and Naruto battled at the Chunin exams.

"Bu-But you said you'd kill Gaara if I didn't rescue him from you." She said in confusion as her hands and lips trembled.

Naruto nodded his head as he replied. "I said I'd kill Gaara of the Red Sands…I don't know a Gaara of the Red Sands.

I once met a man called Sasori of The Red Sands, but as far as I know that is not a title your master carries."

.

Matsuri laughed a laugh of relief. She laughed for a long moment before saying.

"I knew it. In the heat of battle I couldn't trust it, but I knew that wasn't Gaara." She told him through her tiredness.

Naruto gave her a curious look as he walked over to her. "How? My clones are perfect." He asked her intently.

She nodded her head slightly. "Yes your clone was perfect. Right down to which leg and hand is his dominate, even how he moves and talks…all perfect."

She said with a smile even though her ripped up hands and broken ribs were causing her to tremble in pain.

He eyed her intently and asked. "Then what made you suspect it was a clone?"

The smile faded from her face and she wore a longing look of wonder.

"It's the way you look at him…I've never seen two people look at each other the way you two do.

What do you see when you look at Gaara?" She asked in a lost manner.

.

He gave her a slight smile and kindly said. "Forfeit the match and I'll tell you."

She gave him a short sarcastic laugh through her pain before saying. "I can hardly hold myself up right. There is no way I could fight you anymore even if I wanted to."

She looked over at the proctor hiding in the doorway of the fighters prep room and said. "I forfeit. I am not his equal in combat, knowledge or jutsu."

She collapsed on to her back as her will to hold her trembling body upright faded.

.

Naruto held the blue kunai to his chest and closed his eyes in concentration.

He disappeared for no more time than an eye blink and was standing with Gaara by her side.

He took his arm out from around Gaara's shoulder and leaned down next to her. He looked sincerely over at Gaara.

"That's it…That is the look I am talking about. I've never understood it. It's like you two are…looking at each other savior.

Please tell me what you see that I cannot?" She asked honestly and longingly for the answer.

.

Naruto reached down and gently held her hands. He poured his healing chakra into her grass stained, earth soiled and ripped up hands.

As he healed her he said sincerely. "I see hope when I look at Gaara."

"Hope?" She questioned him.

He continued to heal her hands and closed his eyes and nodded at her. "Yes I see hope when I look at him."

"What do you mean though? Why do you see hope that would cause you to look at him in such a way?" She asked in confusion.

Naruto finished healing her hands and her trembling stopped. He placed her hands in the center of his stomach on his black under shirt and said.

"You know WHAT I am…right? And you know what Gaara used to be? You are one of the few blessed with this knowledge?" He asked her clearly not sure if she knew.

She nodded her head a few times. He told her. "Do you know what happens to us when we are released from that burden that we carry?"

.

She teared up at the mere thought of it and nodded her head again.

"Now you see. Gaara is the only one of our kind that was ever released from it… and lived."

"But-" Naruto cut her off and kindly said. "It was elder Chiyo making amends for her passed deeds.

I only provided the chakra for her so she could use the jutsu. She was the hero that day…not me."

He answered her unasked question as two medical ninja's set a stretcher next to her.

"Master Gaara?" She asked. Gaara held up his hand to stop the medics from taking her away.

"What do you see when you look at Naruto." She asked so sincerely yet still longingly and curiously for the answer.

.

Gaara took a long deep breath. "I am not as gifted with words as he is, but I will tell you as best as I can….I too, see hope when I look at him."

"Master, please explain this as he did." She begged him with a curious look on her face.

"As you asked." He said with a slight bow of his head to her. "I used to be the perfect Shinobi.

I was a mindless killing machine that the leaders could use to kill anyone they saw fit to send me after.

I never failed or got hurt during my missions. I felt that true power only came from relying of one's self.

I defined my existence by beating or killing other Shinobi. It was only after we fought that I learned true power comes from protecting those precious to you." He said.

She asked. "How did he change your mind Gaara? What did he do you turn you away from being a mindless killer into someone that protects others?"

.

After a long moment of silence he said.

"He did the same thing to me that he did to you today. Naruto has a way of teaching the ones he fights as he fights them.

He has a way of changing people. The day that we fought, I had yet to find my equal in combat.

I had only been touched a few times in my life and no one had ever come close to defeating me.

I toyed with him at first, but his eyes changed and it was then that he fought me earnestly.

.

He was protecting his team members and I was relying only on myself. He fought me with a strength and determination I had never seen before.

No matter how many times I knocked him down, he kept getting back up to fight me again.

Even after all our chakra was spent and we could hardly move he still crawled toward me to attack me again.

I tried to kill him, but he was only trying to defeat me. I then asked him what makes him so strong and he told me.

'True strength only comes from protecting those precious to you.'

That day he defeated me and I changed. I no longer wished to be a mindless killer.

I wanted to protect people the way he did. I wanted to see people the way he did.

I wanted to become truly strong. Strong like the ninja I admired most,… like Naruto Uzumaki."

.

* * *

End of Flashback.

.

"Master how could you have forgotten when it was you and Naruto that taught me the answer that day at the Chunin Exams?

It's in the way you look at each other…its hope. He sees hope in your eyes. He sees the hope of your people that are depending on you.

He sees the hope he gave you that day he defeated you and changed you just like he did to me.

He sees you as a brother he never had. A brother with the rarest ability to share that hope with others making them understand each other's pain and suffering.

Don't you see master? You are just too valuable for him to risk." She said emphatically to him.

.

Realization came to his eyes and he smiled slightly.

"I see…How could I have forgotten his reason? You are right Matsuri…You are right."

He said as he looked down and shook his head slightly ashamed of himself.

He sighed and then turned back to gaze out over the desert.

The desert looked like the rolling waves of the salty ocean that had been frozen in time.

The moonlight cast a pale bluish light over the landscape and made the sand dunes glow.

The wind blew grains of sand in large clusters across the pale glowing dunes like schools of fish swimming though the sea.

The clusters that had been caught up in the wind skirted across the dunes creating a rippling pattern going down the mountains of sand.

Gaara gazed out upon his homeland in awe and wonder.

.

Matsuri started when he finally spoke again. "I was always a little jealous of the Leaf Ninja's.

They live in marvelous lush green forests. They often get to see the rain while we so rarely see it.

They have trees that skirt the clouds themselves. Trees that can bare enough food from a single one of them to feed an entire village for days.

While we must scrimp and save every resource just to survive another season in this harsh desert.

I always thought they were blessed while we were cursed. The desert always reminded me of my own heart, barren and devoid of anything.

But in this moment I feel very different about the desert.

This is the first time I've come to see my homeland as more beautiful than any forest or any other place I've ever seen.

Still…" Gaara looked from sandy desert dunes to the giant canine form hunched over looking at a fading emerald light on the horizon.

Matsuri had a smile playing at her lips as she walked over and stood beside Gaara gazing out over the desert night.

.

"I'd give it all up to be a few steps closer to him right now.

I'd gladly die to help him. I'd give nearly anything to be standing next to the greatest man in the world as his equal."

He said as turned to Matsuri with a smile that was both bittersweet and kind.

Matsuri looked out over the desert dunes with the same look of awe and wonder that Gaara had.

"I guess that makes me a pretty bad Kazekage. Saying I'd gladly die and leave my people all for the sake of a man that isn't even from the Land of Wind." Gaara said.

Matsuri slowly shook her head while watching the emerald light that was miles away and said. "No Gaara…That is what makes you the greatest of all the Kazekages."

She smiled at him as she looked over at him and honestly asked.

"You said 'Nearly anything'. Does that mean there is something you wouldn't give up to be by his side right now?"

.

Gaara nodded his head and said. "Yes, there is something that I wouldn't part with even to be by his side right now."

"Well…What is it master?" She asked him curiously.

Gaara cast his smile across the landscape and said. "You knew Naruto's reason when I had forgotten it and you don't even know the answer to this?

Foolish Disciple, the answer is you…"

Matsuri's face went blank with shock as she held her limp hand in front of her mouth.

.

"Ma-Master did you just mean-" She stuttered as her cheeks turned pink before he spoke again.

"The gleaming emerald light has faded and darkness reins across the pale moon lit desert once more.

The giant Nine Tailed Fox still looks to the place where the light had once been unmoving.

Small white flashes appear every few seconds in the place where the emerald light had once been…"

Matsuri turned her blushing cheeks back toward her scroll and started nervously writing down her master's words once more.

_"Something weird has gotten into Gaara…His even talking in that poetic way Naruto does… Still I wonder what he truly meant."_ She thought while writing.

.

* * *

.

The giant Nine Tailed Fox's expression could only be conceived as great sadness. Its massive furry tails were flared out behind it like a fan lying on the desert sands.

Sakura's sobbing wails carried far out into the desert night as Sasuke was lost trying to comfort her and quell his own sadness that he was choking on.

Little did they know that the saddest among them was not even a human, but a fox.

Sakura and Sasuke had no words to convey their sadness, but the eternal Nine Tailed Fox did.

She turned her massive head to sky and called out to the moon.

.

**"AAAARRRROOOOO! AAAARRROOO!"** She called out again and again.

Her great cries of sadness carried even as far as the Sand Village miles and miles away where Gaara and Matsuri heard them.

**"AAAAAARRRRRRROOOOOOO!"**

Her massive howl conveyed an eternity of sadness in a single sound that even words couldn't capture, yet it echoed into the night for what seemed like forever.

Sasuke lost himself to the massive sound he couldn't ever fully comprehend.

_"Your howling is beautiful and yet sadder then I could have ever been…I've never heard a sound like that. _

_It's flowing through my body making me understand her great sadness."_ Sasuke thought as he was frozen in place from the sound.

**"AAAAARRRRRRRHHHHHHOOOOOOOOO!"**

_"It-It's like she's pouring a life time of sadness into her howl and calling it out to the moon._

_Is this really the Kyuubi demon? How could a demon cry like that?"_ Sasuke thought as Kyuubi's howl touched him.

Since he gave his eyes to Naruto his tear ducts had remained dry. Not a single tear did he shed even for himself after the war.

**"AAAAARRRRRRRRHHHHHHHOOOOOOOO O!"**

The Nine Tailed Fox emitted an infinity of sadness and despair to the moon as Sasuke's empty eyes sockets shed tears that soaked his bandages.

.

Sakura's sobbing wails only became stronger as she clutched his body and cried.

She cried and cried as Kyuubi howled into the night.

"Sakura…" Sasuke said hollowly. "We should-"

.

.

.

.

Sakura's eyes few wide open with a trembling start.

_"Di-did I hear what I just…thought I heard? Please…let me hear it again! Let me hear that beautiful sound again! Kami please don't be playing some cruel joke on me…" _

She thought desperately, hoping against hope that she didn't imagine it.

She moved her body down from his neck to his chest as she gripped his side tightly with hope and desperation shining in her puffy swollen eyes.

.

*Ta-thump*

She clutched him tighter. _"Please…Just please let me keep hearing that sound…"_ She thought with desperation and hope that grew even more.

*Ta-Thump, Ta-Thump*

She shut her eyes tightly and gritted her teeth as her entire body tensed up. _"Please…Please don't let me be hearing things to give me false hope…"_

* Ta-Thump Ta-Thump…Ta-Thump Ta-Thump Ta-Thump*

.

Sakura was frozen in disbelief as his heart beat set into a steady rhythm. She couldn't even move she was so stunned.

Her body rose when his muscled chest took a in breath and fell when he released it.

A smile of radiant joy appeared on her tear stricken face as she looked over to Sasuke.

"H-He's alive…He's ALIVE!" She yelled to him with sheer joy in her face as her voice echoed across the desert.

She had long since given up all her tears, yet tears fell from her cheeks in two tiny rivers of red.

Sakura's tears of blood fell onto his white over coat as she gave up trying to choke them back.

Naruto…Thank you! Thank you so much!" She embraced him with all her might.

.

_"Impossible…He-He's alive."_ Sasuke thought soullessly.

Sakura took in several sharp breathes to calm herself even though her crimson tears never ceased to fall on Naruto's chest.

She pushed herself up right while straddling his waist. His chest rose and fell again that only brought an even more joyous smile to her face.

She place one hand over the other over his heart and closed her eyes with a smile as she quietly said. "Thank you…"

Sakura struggled to combine her life force with her chakra and started forcing it into him.

_"I'll give you everything I have Naruto. I will give you my memories of who I am and who I have always been. _

_I will show you that I always like you best…even when I couldn't admit it to myself, even when I was infatuated with Sasuke…_

_I see now I was actually in love with you…" _She thought as she streamed what little chakra and life force she had into him.

.

Within a few moments the color started returning to his face.

The orb of chakra Sakura was holding over him gradually grew smaller and smaller as she closed her eyes in concentration.

_"I know it's like a few drops of chakra when you are a raging river, but I want you to have them even it only increases your chances by a fraction of a percent." _

She thought as she saw sparkling stars in her vision.

She knew the stars were the start of her nervous system shutting down as the cells in her brain died.

Yet she did not tremble or strain. She was happy beyond words to give her life to him.

_"I guess it is time for good bye Naruto…We had a lot of great adventures together, but you'll have to continue them without me._

_The only thing I have left to tell you is I love you…Fare…well."_ She thought and she focused the last of her chakra into him and waited for death to take her.

She watched her memories as she gave them to Naruto. She waited and waited until her eyes snapped open when a memory that was not hers was shown to her.

.

She saw Naruto's Rasengan clashing into a Chidori that it seemed she was holding in front her with a waterfall behind her at the valley of the end.

She suddenly became aware of a hand on her back over her heart.

"Sa-saske! What are you doing?" She said in shock.

He smiled and said. "You didn't think I was going to let you die did you?..."

He continued to use the Raw Chakra Transfer on her.

Sakura struggled slightly and said. "Sasuke…you can't. You have to save your chakra! What about the fight?"

"Naruto would be very sad indeed if I let you die. How would he fight if he was filled with despair?" He said as he forced his life force through her.

"Bu-but what about the side effects of that jutsu? How do you even know it!" She yelled in a panic as she tried to shake Sasuke's hand off of her back.

.

Sasuke smiled sincerely to himself and said. "Fear not Sakura. I don't plan on force feeding you my chakra until you fall in love with me again.

Nor could I, I don't have Naruto's nearly endless supply of chakra."

Naruto stirred and broke their argument as they gaped at him. He moaned and turned his head.

"Ru-Ruby…are…are you all right?" He said in his delusional stupor without ever opening his eyes.

Sakura's eyes went wide as she broke the jutsu and thought.

_"Ruby…I thought he would say Hanabi's name or maybe even mine,…but Kyuubi's name?"_ Sakura thought in stunned shock.

"Ruby…I-I thought I heard you howling…Are you in pain?" He said caringly in his troubled sleep.

_"Naruto…Just what kind of relationship do you have with the Nine Tailed Fox?"_ Sasuke thought soullessly as he looked from Naruto to the giant towering fox.

.

* * *

.

After Notes: Wow my muse seriously blindsided me with Ruby's character there.

I don't think I even came close to expressing just how sad and beautiful her howl was compared to what my muse showed me.

.

I didn't get the chapter out as quickly as I wanted to because I got hooked on a Manga that I just couldn't stop reading.

You may have already read it as it is a classic, but if you haven't I highly recommend it.

It's called Glass Mask.

.


	35. Chapter 35: To Be Eternal

.

Question's/Reviews:

* * *

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**cloudstrife117  
2011-06-25 . chapter 34**

**I just found this story today and was completely disappointed. **

**This is a bad ripoff of the only good Naruto/Hanabi pairing, the Ice Princess of Konoha by JonnyG. Your chapters are really long but they are full of a lot of pointless dialogue. **

**The last chapter is a prime example. Too many point of views and your authors note was downright lame.**

**Bad story dude.**

.

Okay I always make a point of answering my bad reviews first as they tend to tell me what I am doing wrong as an author.

As for the story of 'Ice princess of Konoha by Jonny G' I can honestly say that I never attempted to read it before your review.

I read a few pages of his work before stopping, not because it wasn't a good story, but because I felt you are right.

Me and Jonny G. think alike. He has a greater vocabulary of words than me. I will not doubt this.

I only want to tell my story as it was shown to me without another story influencing me. I never said that I was the only one that had a handle on Hanabi's character.

Yet then again you are a new reviewer to me. If you thought the story was bad then way did to read all the way to chapter 34 before reviewing it?

You tell me I have too many points of view. Yet if you had read them all you would have understood how each of them weaves themselves into the story.

**.**

**Lednacek  
2011-07-05 . chapter 34**

**Very nice chapter. Even though i don't like memory flashbacks they worked now. **

**The Gaara stuff is a bit too philosophical. For time I thought you would let him die. That would be a great end to the story but I guess you want to go for a happy ending. **

**I thought Sasuke was blind, how does he know what she is doing? Very good ending on the chapter. **

**No stupid cliffhanger just a simple question that makes you really look forward to read the next one. I still maintain the opinion that Ruby is a lame name.**

Gaara being too philosophical? Ha I nailed my muse with the same opinion!

All I can say is that he has likely grown in his time as a Kage, but I agree with you he did seem slightly OC.

As for Sasuke knowing what she is doing, well…Nah, I'm not going to answer this here as it is already answered in this chapter.

But very good for picking up on that. If you read carefully you might have already picked up on the answer.

As for Kyuubi's nick name. *shrugs* To each his own.

**.**

**Stargategod  
2011-06-27 . chapter 21**

**I got to say I'm rereading this story and I feel cheated that we didn't get to see a fight between Hanabi and Naruto, **

**I'm sure the judges would have made a acception and allowed Naruto or Tsunade to heal her.**

**Would have been a great fight.**

The judges certainly would not have made an exception for Hanabi.

The Chunin exams are a substitution for open war.

Besides if they both fought seriously like it was a battle to the death Naruto would win in the blink of an eye.

One yellow flash and it would be over. Not the most interesting thing to read.:(

.

Authors Notes:

* * *

.

Ok I know you all want to read the epic battle between Naruto and Kyuubi that the whole story has been building to.

But Naruto went through the same situation that Gaara did when his tailed beast was removed.

He is severely weakened at the moment. He will not be jumping up and heading straight into battle like some cheesy cartoon hero.

If you were expecting the fight to start in this chapter I'm going to squash your hopes right now.

It doesn't and if that's the only thing you want to read then skip this chapter, but you will miss some important things.

.

This is kind of Kyuubi's chapter. She is going to show you that she is a eternal right down to how she takes forever to make her point.

No joking, I seriously want to cut some of her dialogue down a bit, but then again I can't because it fits her character.

.

Last Chapter:

* * *

.

"Sa-Saske! What are you doing?" She said in shock.

He smiled and said. "You didn't think I was going to let you die did you?..."

He continued to use the Raw Chakra Transfer on her.

Sakura struggled slightly and said. "Sasuke…you can't. You have to save your chakra! What about the fight?"

"Naruto would be very sad indeed if I let you die. How would he fight if he was filled with despair?" He said as he forced his life force through her.

"Bu-but what about the side effects of that jutsu? How do you even know it!" She yelled in a panic as she tried to shake Sasuke's hand off of her back.

.

Sasuke smiled sincerely to himself and said. "Fear not Sakura. I don't plan on force feeding you my chakra until you fall in love with me again.

Nor could I, I don't have Naruto's nearly endless supply of chakra."

Naruto stirred and broke their argument as they gaped at him. He moaned and turned his head.

"Ru-Ruby…are…are you all right?" He said in his delusional stupor without ever opening his eyes.

Sakura's eyes went wide as she broke the jutsu and thought.

_"Ruby…I thought he would say Hanabi's name or maybe even mine,…but Kyuubi's name?"_ Sakura thought in stunned shock.

"Ruby…I-I thought I heard you howling…Are you in pain?" He said caringly in his troubled sleep.

_"Naruto…Just what kind of relationship do you have with the Nine Tailed Fox?"_ Sasuke thought soullessly as he looked from Naruto to the giant towering fox.

.

Chapter Thirty-Five: To Be Eternal

* * *

.

The winds swept the desert dunes under the twinkling stars of the night as Kyuubi slowly turned her giant head down from the moon to look at Naruto.

Her echoing howls of sadness still rang out in the distance.

Naruto sat up and grabbed his throbbing head with both hands.

.

"Owwee…My head is killing me." He said as Sasuke continued to gape at the Nine Tailed Fox in stunned wonder.

Sakura's blood teared eyes quivered like she couldn't believe her what she was seeing as she said. "Ho-How do you feel Naruto? Are you really ok?"

Naruto's tense expression faded as hands slowly moved toward the single trigram left of the Jinchuuriki seal that his father put on him the day he was born.

He traced its dark outline on his stomach gently with his finger tips.

His eyes became lost, shocked and confused as to what had happened to him.

.

"I…I feel…lonely…" He said in a lost voice as he closed his eyes and shook his head while trying to understand all the things he was feeling.

"Lonely?" Sasuke asked in confused surprise as he tilted his head at him.

Sasuke expression went blank. _"He's…lonely? Of all the things I thought he'd say, mainly 'I'm hungry', but he says that he's lonely?"_

Naruto wrapped his arms around his stomach and curled into a ball.

"I feel like a piece of my soul is gone…Like I'm not whole anymore. It's such a strange feeling, this feeling of being all alone…

It's unlike anything I've ever felt before…" He said as confusion and a hint of fear shined in his eyes.

Sakura looked at him blankly not knowing what to say.

.

Naruto held himself for a long moment as a gust of wind blew over him.

"It's…It's like I'm not me anymore…It's kind of a scary feeling." He said in timid fear as he looked at the ground in front of him.

Realization came to Sasuke's face.

_._

_"He's lonely… I see! He can no longer feel Kyuubi's presence inside of him. So now he feels like he's all alone…_

_They have always been together and now they are two separate beings. That is why he said that he felt like a piece of his soul was missing…_

_That's what that look in his eyes means."_ Sasuke thought as he looked at Kyuubi's eyes.

_"It's the same look that is in Kyuubi's eyes though not as pronounced…They…miss each other. They miss being one…" _

Sasuke thought as he looked into the soft emerald eyes of the Nine Tailed Fox.

Sakura stuttered as she tried to comfort Naruto. "I-I…Umm well-"

Sasuke placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder and gave him a understanding smile.

.

Naruto turned his lost deep brown eyes to Sasuke.

Sasuke reached out his hand and covered his eyes for a moment and henged his eyes to blue before pulling back his hand.

_"Those eyes look much better when they are blue…"_ He thought honestly.

.

"You aren't alone Naruto. You haven't lost anything." He said as he slowly raised his arm and pointed at Kyuubi.

"What you are looking for...is there." He said emphatically.

His quivering lost eyes started to fill with glimmering hope and he turned his head.

He marveled at Ruby as he looked her up and down in awe for a long moment.

He shifted his weight as he planted both his hands on the ground. His muscles tensed as he rose to his feet.

Sasuke rose with him. He swooned and Sakura when to catch him, but Naruto caught his balance first.

Her eyes were full of concern for him and she could only watch him blankly.

.

_"Wh-what is he going to do? Is he about to go all out on the fox right now?…_

_Should I ready my weapons? Should I prepare my jutsu? What should I do?"_ She thought in an unmoving and nervous stare.

Naruto turned his lost eyes filled with wonder back toward Ruby and started staggering forward.

The Nine Tailed Fox tilted her head curiously at him as she watched his exhausted body moving closer to her.

Naruto was dragging his feet and his shoulders where slumped as his breath quickened, but he continued onward.

_"What are you doing Naruto? She could attack at anytime!"_ Sasuke thought blankly in horror.

Naruto leaned forward as he neared her left paw.

He quickly stumbled the last few steps and fell onto the pace between her clawed toes.

.

Sakura turned to Sasuke with a perplexed look and quietly asked. "What _is_ he doing?"

Sasuke only returned her confused expression before turning back to Naruto and Kyuubi.

Naruto's breaths came in labored gasps, but the lost look of wonder and longing never ceased in his eyes.

He grabbed the top of one of her toes and strained to pull himself up.

His arms extended straightened to lift his body up and he then turned around to sit on her giant toe before standing up slowly.

He swooned slightly and fell to his knees at the base of her ankle. He took in several breaths trying to clear the haze out of his head.

He then looked up at Ruby's shin that towered before him and raised his arms out wide over his head.

.

Kyuubi tilted her head even farther to the side and her look of curiosity only deepened.

Naruto fell forward and embraced her furry shin. Her leg was so big that his arms didn't even reach a third of the way around it.

Naruto turned his head and rested the side of his face on her leg and he closed his eyes as a sense of peace came over his face.

_"That…That look on his face. He looks so peaceful and serene, like a child clinging on to the warm embrace of its mother._

_The whole time since he's woken up it was like he couldn't breathe. It was like he lost his breath and yet it's like he just found it._

_He found it by embracing Kyuubi." _Sakura thought blankly.

.

He rubbed his face into her fur. "Yeah…This feels a bit better…This fells …right …So…soft."

He said as his body relaxed into her fur and he started to drift off to sleep.

"Hey Sakura-Chan…I'm… hungry." He mumbled as his body went limp against the fox's leg.

The moments slowly went by and no one moved.

They all stared a Naruto's peaceful sleeping face in the pale moonlight as they tried to take in one of the most unbelievable and unpredictable things he had ever done.

His breath came in a slow rhythmic beat as his head was nearly covered in her soft long fur when the wind blew.

.

Kyuubi raised her head and looked back at the moon. The moon's reflection shined in her emerald forest green eyes.

**"You are certainly the sappiest and strangest mortal I have ever met Naruto…But you make quelling my rage much easier. **

**You may rest and regain your strength there if you like, I do not mind as much as I thought I would.**

**Rest well Naruto for you still have your promise to me to keep.**

**If only all the morals of this world were like you…Then I'd have nothing to fear."** Ruby said softly and honestly.

.

_"Is-is this how Naruto sees Kyuubi? I-I had no idea she…could even be like this._

_She doesn't seem like a hateful rampaging monster at all…She looks, dare I even think it, beautiful."_ She thought blankly.

Sakura came out of her daze and slowly a smile appeared on her face.

She reached into her pack and softly said to herself. "I'm so glad I remembered to bring it."

She pulled out her camera and carefully lined up a shot of Naruto sleeping.

The flash went off and a click sounded as she captured the moment.

She went to put her camera away, but took another look back at Kyuubi sitting still in the moonlight while gazing up at the moon.

"I don't think she would mind…" She whispered to herself as she took a picture of the Nine Tailed Fox looking at the moon.

.

* * *

.

Lord Hyuuga sat next to a hospital bed that Hanabi was sleeping in. It was nearing twilight and only the glow of the moon shined though the window.

Hiashi stared at his sleeping daughter's face in silence for so long that even when day turned to night he didn't even turn on the light.

A gentle knock on the door sounded and then Tsunade carefully entered the room.

She looked slightly haggard and tired as she walked up beside him.

"Hiashi…" She said softly. He was lost in his own thought and did not respond to her.

She placed her hand on his shoulder and he started slightly.

"Hiashi, why are you sitting in the dark?" She asked softly.

He took in a deep breath as he closed his eyes and shook his head at the floor. He opened his eyes and put on a respectable face.

"I am only worried for her." He said slightly shakily.

.

"The drugs I am using to keep her sedated will not harm her Hiashi or do you disagree with my reasoning's?" She asked.

He hollowly shook his head and said. "No, I quite agree with your reasoning. Keeping her sedated is what is best for now.

If she were to wake up she would go after Naruto and there would be nearly nothing we could do to stop her.

Should Naruto perish in battle it may lessen the shock of his chakra network being torn from her to a degree that she might survive."

She looked at him emphatically and said. "Then why do you where such a long face?"

.

Hiashi shook his head again and sadly said.

"I am only feeling that I have been a very poor excuse for a father.

All the mistakes I have made seem to surface at once when I watch her sleeping here.

If I could just go back in time and do a few things differently…I might have made their lives so much better.

If I could just go back and let them be little girls a bit more often then I might have had a happier family.

Now all I can do is sit here helplessly and worry and doubt if our Hokage will be coming back."

.

Tsunade gave him a weak smile while fighting to keep herself together.

"He is not our Hokage until he returns Hiashi and you shouldn't be speaking of that outside the council chambers."

Hiashi sadly said. "Of course he is our Hokage. I only managed to stall the proceedings until he gets back and opens the scroll.

Every one of the council members knows full well what is written in it.

I greatly disliked playing the bad politician during the proceedings, but I had no other choice.

Now all I can do is pray for his success when I feel like I have went against him even though it was for his own well fare."

.

Tsunade flipped on the lights and picked up Hanabi's medical charts from the side table. Hiashi winced his eyes until they adjusted to the light.

"Her vital signs are all looking good. She is resting comfortably." Tsunade said professionally.

"Tsunade…Have you ever looked back at something you have done and thought to yourself 'What was I thinking?'" He asked her while remembering.

Tsunade gave him an exasperated look and said.

"Hiashi this isn't like you. Both your daughters grew up to be fine Shinobis.

Hanabi even achieved the rank of Sage before her sixteenth birthday…"

.

"I wasn't referring to that. I was just remembering a time shortly after I agreed to let Naruto use one of my training grounds to practices.

I remember sitting at my desk when an enormous sound rattled my office. I went outside and I saw a smoking crater where a small mountain used to be.

I remember walking out to the training ground and not being the least bit surprised. I lectured Naruto at length for what he had done.

Looking back on it I feel very stupid. He leveled a mountain, a useless pile of rocks to me, and I berated him for it.

If it would have been any other ninja I would have been left in awe and fear.

Yet since it was Naruto, that I always expect the unexpected from, I went to lecture him." He said and shook his head in disbelief of his actions.

.

"When I look back on it I see myself as someone that had a suicide wish. I can't believe I did that on so many levels.

I would never walk up to someone else with such power with harsh words without fear for my life.

It was right before my eyes again and again and yet I failed to see it until it was thrust before my face when I could look away.

Naruto, the son of the Fourth Hokage, is clearly the strongest ninja in the Land of Fire and more than worthy of being our Hokage.

The only person I can berate is myself for not seeing it sooner." He said clearly ashamed of himself as he hung his head.

.

Tsunade let him sit in silence for a long moment before he finally found his voice again.

"Is there any news on Naruto?" He asked without ever lifting his head.

"Just a few more reports from frightened travelers that saw him heading to the Sand Village.

They are being treated for shock in the psychiatric ward down on floor two after seeing Naruto while is Jinchuuriki seal was breaking.

In the last few hours refugees from the Sand Village has started to come in.

They brought word that Kazekage Gaara evacuated the whole village.

Most of them went to smaller villages in the Land of Wind, but some of the higher ranking ninja's and council members were sent here.

We can only expect more of them to come tomorrow.

I've placed Choji in charge of housing them since Shikamaru already has his hands full with leading the Anbu." She said.

.

"Does Konohamaru know anything about what is going on?" He asked more out of obligation then curiosity.

Tsunade sighed deeply and said. "No, thankfully. He thinks Naruto is just away on a mission and that Hanabi is sick in the hospital.

Kakashi has been keeping him occupied for now, but he is starting to get suspicious."

"Why not sedate him like you did with Hanabi?" He asked.

Tsunade shook her head and sighed in exasperation.

.

"That is easier said than done. He already has the second highest immunity to drugs in the village; the only one that has more tolerance then him is Naruto.

No drug I use will put him out for long. Then there is the problem of administering the drug to him.

He is dim witted, but not that dim witted. We would have to force him to take the sedative and he isn't the pint sized Genin he used to be.

He is a full fledged Sage now with the mentality of a ten year old at times. He isn't known for holding back because Naruto is his master so he never had to.

Open conflict with him is too high a risk.

.

Kakashi told me he most likely could beat him into submission, but he might be spending a extended time in the hospital afterwards.

The whole idea was deemed too risky. Should the worse happen we will need everyone at their best.

Losing Naruto would be a huge political blow to our nation.

It is because of him that many of the smaller nations we have wronged in the past have decided to let go of their differences with us."

She said while looking at the wall from beside him.

After a long moment Hiashi said shrug of his shoulders. "What good will he be if he hears that his master passed away? He will be distraught and useless.

Please don't forget Naruto has used that forbidden jutsu on him as well. He might need to be put under sedatives for his own protection."

.

Tsunade shook her head and said. "No, that is not necessary. Naruto only used it on him a few times to test out the jutsu.

He didn't use it to the extent he did on Hanabi. I've already tested him.

I asked him one day to tell me what direction that he thought Naruto was in after I sent him out on a mission. He failed miserably.

Hanabi, however, got it right down to the slightly degree on her first try. She wasn't guessing she knew what direction he was in.

Konohamaru is in little danger if any from the jutsu should Naruto...pass away." She looked away in pain after saying the words.

.

"That doesn't mean he isn't in any danger. He grows wiser by the minute.

Eventually he will find out the truth and I think it is best for him and everyone else if he is sedated.

If the worst should happen we can tell him at the right time so he doesn't go berserk." Hiashi said as he raised his head to look at his daughter once more.

"Hmph you talk about him like he is wild beast." Tsunade said in slight offence.

Hiashi looked understandingly at Hanabi's face and said. "Sometimes they do act like wild beast, very powerful wild beast."

.

Hiashi thought for a long moment before straightening himself up and turning towards her.

He stood up and confidently said. "Send me. I can bring him back here. I only need one clean blow and he will be out for at least six hours.

Then you can administer the drugs and keep him under until we know the outcome."

Tsunade shook her head at him sadly and said.

"He only needs one blow on you as well and unlike you he doesn't know his own strength.

You would fight to knock him out, but he would strike blows at you like he would strike at Naruto.

You have already seen the kinds of blows he is capable of striking when he is serious or did you forget about his fight with Hanabi at the Chunin exams?"

.

He smiled proudly at her and said. "The Third Hokage taught us that the most valuable people in the village is the next generation Tsunade.

Because it is out of them that our next Hokage will come from."

Tsunade sighed and said. "Valiant words from a noble Hiashi, but he taught us to protect them from others not themselves.

His teachings specifically state that we cannot fight their battles for them. We are only to keep them safe and let them grow.

No, what you are planning to do is just like throwing your life away. Think about how Konohamaru would face Hanabi if that were to happen.

That has to be one of the most foolish things I have ever heard."

.

"It is only foolish if you do not believe in me." He stated smartly.

Tsunade took in a deep breath of exasperation and then bared down on his shoulder with her might.

Hiashi was driven to his knees almost instantly.

The floor creaked and moaned under him as Tsunade pressed on his shoulder to just before the point that it would break bones.

His teeth clinched and his muscles tensed as his eyes watered in excruciating pain, but his pride would not let him yell out loud.

.

Tsunade sadly yet firmly said. "The best place you can be is right here next to your daughter right now. I will not let you foolishly throw your life away.

Now that I have made my point, I must go-"

A bolt of lightning flashed thought the near sheer white curtains of the hospital window just as she heard the sounds of giant wings fluttering.

Tsunade eyed the darkness through the curtain in anticipation, hopefulness and dread as she unknowingly released her grip on the Hyuuga Lord.

Hiashi fell on to all fours panting and coughing from the pain as his head swam.

Tsunade continued to gape at the curtained window as she heard the sound of it sliding open to the side.

A gentle breeze blow the bottom of the curtains into waves as another flash appeared and then thunder rolled.

Heavy sheets of rain sounded from outside from seemingly nowhere as Tsunade swallowed hard as she nervously approached the window.

A gust of wind blew the white curtains aside an instant before another bolt of lightning flashed blinding her.

.

She winced her eyes closed from the blinding light, but she knew what she had seen sitting on the window seal.

The creature was a giant at over three feet high. His feathers were of the deepest color black that glistened in the faintest of light.

The curtains had cast themselves over his image when her sight returned a moment later.

She hastily went over to the window and cast the curtains side with such force that they were torn from their rod.

Another flash of lighting illuminated the village from behind as she looked to the window seal frantically with worry in her eyes.

.

The noble creature stood at attention looking straight forward. Its bright yellow eyes were keenly intelligent and his powerful hooked beak was a glossy black.

Most normal animals are merely tools to a ninja, yet a few are honored with the rank of Genin and are considered fully fledged ninjas.

Of all of the animals given the honored rank of Genin only one of them ever achieved a higher rank.

The bird was so large that he was often mistaken for a large black eagle.

His wing span was over twelve feet wide and all who knew him could tell who he was at a glance.

Around his neck, on a worn leather strap, was a shining metal plate with the symbol of the rank of Jonin.

Beside the symbol for Jonin on the plate was a symbol of a hawk in flight with a message tied to its leg.

Razorwing, the fastest messenger in all the five nations, sat still perched on one leg on the window seal.

He held his other leg out and on it was an official scroll tethered to his leg.

.

It took Tsunade a moment to steady her racing heart before slowly reaching down and carefully untying the scroll.

The scroll felt heavy in her hand as she looked at the Kazekage seal on it. There was also another symbol by the seal.

It was a symbol she knew well, but had only seen a very few times during her reign as Hokage.

The symbol was of an opened scroll on a desk with a large lavish quill on it.

It was the symbol of the high chronicler that was only put on something that held great historical significance.

Only a high chronicler or a Kage was allowed to use the seal.

.

Her hands trembled for a long moment as she looked at the unopened scroll.

Razorwing relaxed his at attention posed and ruffled his feathers and shook the water off his back before he laid his feathers down flat again.

Droplets of water hit Tsunade in the face and broke her out of her still stare at the scroll.

She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before she broke the seal on the scroll and started to read.

.

_"I am the Fifth Kazekage Gaara of the Land of Wind. _

_I chronicle this event not as one of the five Kages, but only as a friend to the greatest man I have ever met._

_Naruto reached the Sand Village's great passage some time ago. He was weary and tired, but his indomitable will still held firm._

_I spoke with him, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno and even the Kyuubi fox herself briefly._"

She read feverishly for almost ten minutes before reaching almost to the end of the scroll.

.

_"Sakura has long run out of chakra and she is unaware that Sasuke Uchiha had his hand on her back feeding her is own in an effort to save the Great Sage's life._

_Sakura is shocked and surprised when she realizes that the chakra she is feeding Naruto is not her own but Sasuke's._

_She warns him of the dangers of using that kind of jutsu and he reassures her that those types of side effect were not going to happen to her._

_They used up all her chakra and even some of Sasuke's to heal his body, but he only laid still on the sands._

_._

_Sasuke tries basic first aid while combining it with his lightning element in a attempt to revive him, but all his efforts failed._

_Sakura loses hope and cries on Sasuke's shoulder. I never thought it was possible, but their sadness was dwarfed by the Kyuubi demon herself._

_She howled in sadness to the moon again and again. Her howl carried even as far is the Sand Village where I heard them clearly._

_After her last howl touched my ears and after all of them had cried in their own way for him, Naruto stirred. _

_He sat up and grabbed his head with a pained expression on his face-"_ Tsunade frantically read until she came to the end of the scroll.

.

She turned the scroll over, but there was nothing. She turned it back over quickly and scanned it with a wild look in her eyes.

Just under the last sentence in the tiny margin was written in very small letters.

_"I'm sorry Tsunade. I've run out of room to write. Please feed and water Razorwing. _

_He senses the great urgency of this matter and wants to return as soon as possible." _

_._

Tsunade dropped the scroll on the ground in anger and frustration.

"Damn him!…I would have preferred no information than to be left hanging like this!" She said angrily as she stomped her foot.

Hiashi looked at it her in deep curiosity as he slowly rose to his feet and asked. "Well, what news is there?"

Tsunade walked quickly over to the door and opened it. The two Anbu guards outside the door started with fright at the suddenness.

"I need food and water for a large hawk brought here right away!" She said in a commanding voice.

One of them bowed and dissipated into smoke as she went back into the room and closed the door.

.

"Naruto has survived the extraction process, but Sasuke and Sakura are nearly out of chakra.

There is no one left to protect him from Kyuubi while he recovers." She said as she pulled out a summoning scroll and started going over it quickly.

"Have they already started fighting?" Hiashi asked intent on getting some answers.

"I don't know." She said in annoyance as she continued going through her summoning scroll.

"Well has the Kyuubi made any attempts to attack him?" Hiashi asked even more intently.

"I don't know!" Tsunade snapped at him while searching the scroll in her hands.

"But surely you must have some answers?" He begged her.

"I told you I don't know!" She turned and yelled at him.

"The scroll ends with him waking up, there is nothing else written." She told him harshly as she found what she was looking for.

.

"Summoning Jutsu!" She yelled and slammed her hand onto a symbol on the scroll.

There was a puff of smoke and then a old suit of light battle armor from the Third Great Ninja War was laying on the floor.

She started hastily putting the armor on as Hiashi asked in disbelief. "Are you planning to go after him?"

She tightened the bracer on her left arm and with conviction said.

.

"Of course I am. I should have gone with him from the start. I knew I should have followed him."

The Hyuuga lord asked her in a calmer tone.

"You know it is over three days away to the Sand Village and it is even father to get to the heart of the desert.

Only the most seasoned sand ninja's are capable of going there. This is folly Lady Tsunade.

Who will be Hokage when you leave? Don't you see you must remain here?

The Village Hidden in the Leaves needs you now most of all."

.

She finished strapping her greaves on and then turned to him and said sternly.

"The only question is who will be the Hokage when I get back with him and Naruto needs me most of all right now!

I nearly died once protecting him and I'll do it again. If you try to stand in my way I _will_ go through you."

.

Hiashi sighed as she turned and headed for the door.

He closed his eyes and put his hands together to calm his mind. He took in a deep breath and slowly got into hit Taijutsu form.

Tsunade nearly had her hand on the door with Hiashi lunged at her with incredible speed.

He landed a soft strike on her heart from behind while she was in mid step.

Her eyes went wide with shock before slowly closing as she fell over backwards on to Hiashi's outstretched arm.

He held his pose for a long moment before he softly said. "I told you… I only needed one clean blow."

He scooped her into his arms and carried her over to the other hospital bed where he tucked her in.

Not a moment later a Anbu burst through the door with a blow of water in one hand and a bowl of raw meat in the other.

Most of the water he had spilled on himself in his nervous haste.

.

He stopped in his tracks as he eyed Hiashi laying the Hokage down in the bed.

"You…! You attacked the Hokage!" The Anbu said in blank shock and realization as Hiashi centered her head on the pillow as the other guard entered the room.

He kept his back facing the Anbu and said. "Yes. It is every ninja's duty to protect the Hokage…even from themselves." He said softly and wisely

.

The guard with the food bowls paused for a moment and then said.

"I regret that I have to do this Lord Hiashi Hyuuga, but I have to place you under arrest for attacking the Hokage. You must come with me for questioning."

"I will not leave my Hokage's side and most of all I will not leave my daughter's side.

If you are prepared to use force on me then know that I am prepared to do the same and win…"

He said seriously and the Anbu guard took a step back in fear as the other in a elephant mask came up behind him.

Hiashi's outline glowed with blue chakra and the Anbu guards knew it was not an idle threat.

.

The smaller of the two Anbu guard nervously said.

"Se-Section thirty-two of the Anbu Enforcement Code states that if an infraction is made the suspected guilty party must be brought in for an investigation."

He took a step forward with a bowl in each hand with growing confidence. Hiashi stood up and turned around with a dangerous calm on his face.

He took in a slow breath and let it out slowly as he got into his Taijutsu form and faced them.

.

Suddenly there was a great gust of wind caused from Razorwing as he landed in front of the Hyuuga Lord with his wings spread wide.

His wing span was so massive that both his wings touch the adjoining walls.

The smaller Anbu guard lost himself for the briefest of a moment and drop the bowls of food and water.

"The fact that a messenger bird is in the way changes nothing. I must take you in for questioning even if it is against your will."

He said as he nervously drew a short blade from the back of his belt.

The smaller Anbu crouched shakily for a attack as the larger Anbu guard placed his hand on the smaller ones shoulder.

.

"No you cannot attack when Razorwing is in the way. To attack him is a multinational offence. He is a Jonin of all the lands, even rogue ninja never dare to touch him.

It would be like declaring war on the other nations." He said seriously.

"Bu-But sir article twenty-" He said before the other Anbu spoke over him.

"The Lord Shadow greatly dislikes when an Anbu can't think for themselves. The book of laws is only a guideline to follow.

There will be situation where you will need to use your own judgment to resolve the matter in the right way.

This is one of those times and you have failed. Hiashi only has the Hokage's well being at heart, he is not a criminal."

.

The smaller of the two Anbu hung his head and placed his fist over his heart.

"Sir!" He said and dissipated into smoke.

The Anbu with the elephant mask took it off and revealed his old face.

"Well played Hiashi Lord of the Hyuuga Clan, then again…poorly played Razorwing."

The High elder Homura said before disappearing into smoke with a sly smile on his face.

.

A long moment passed as nothing in the room moved and then suddenly Hiashi sighed deeply and then sat down in the chair next to his daughter's bed.

The giant black hawk cawed and then scampered over to the raw meat that had spilled onto the floor. It gobbled it down in great gulps and licked the water off the ground.

"It seems I was right to suspect you. Stop playing the role of a mindless bird and tell me who you serve Razorwing if that is even your real name." Hiashi asked while watching his daughter.

The hawk took it time finishing the food off of the floor. It turned its keen yellow eyes back to the Hyuuga lord and spoke.

"I am a hawk so of course I serve the Hawk Clan."

.

"You know what I meant. For whom are you here for?" Hiashi asked stiffly.

"If that is your question then I am here for myself." Razorwing said calmly.

Hiashi's face went taunt with offence for a moment before relaxing once more.

"Who is the Hawk's Sage in the human world?" He asked smartly as he looked over his shoulder at the great hawk.

"We don't currently have an active Sage right now." Razorwing stated.

Hiashi's eyes narrowed at him slightly before he said.

"I am not a fool. I know full well that a member from one of the animal Clan's wouldn't spend any length of time in the village without looking after their own interest.

You have been here for years so you couldn't have been summoned. You must have traveled from your homeland which must be a very long ways from here.

That only tells me that you are watching over someone. Do you still want to continue dodging my questions?"

.

"Not a fool you say?" The giant black hawk stated and threw his head back before crowing in laughter.

The Hyuuga Lord looked at him in outrage but kept his composure.

Razorwing slowly stopped laughing and looked at him seriously.

"The animal Clans would disagree with you.

Are you not the man that picked a fight with the Toad Elder Fukasaku, an Elder nearly eight-hundred years your senior?

Even the other Clans know his name well and only the most powerful of them would dare to even him ask him for a sparring match let alone berate him into combat.

.

You are a laughing stock among the Clans for your monumental stupidity.

I helped you out of a sticky situation and yet you bombard me with silly questions and you even get verbally hostile when I refuse you answers.

You ask who I am, yet have you ever seen a solid black hawk? My rank and station in the Hawk Clan are blatantly told by these black feathers.

Did your village forget about the Lord Hawks? Are you planning on attacking me like Toad Elder Fukasaku?

You'd certainly have a better chance fighting me over him as I am only four-hundred years your senior, but I wouldn't advise it." He said with mirth.

.

Hiashi was outraged, but fought himself to keep himself calm.

"I have no plans to attack you nor have I ever seen a black hawk. I only want to know your reasons for remaining in our village for so long."

He said stiffly as he calmed himself.

.

"Does the name Skyreaver mean anything to you?" He asked as he jumped up on the window seal.

Hiashi thought for a moment before answering. "No, I have never heard that name before."

Razorwing hung his head slightly sadly and said. "I guess I am not surprise. He died long before your village was founded.

He was the former Lord of the Skies, our leader, and my father. Your people do have tales of him. They described him as a Roc.

Your people's tales of giant Roc birds are in fact the ruling line of the Hawk Clan.

We were once easily recognized by our black feathers, but it seems that is no long the case with your people.

It is a bit sad that your people have forgotten us." He stared down for a long moment before turning his gaze back to Hiashi.

.

"I have precious little time as is, but I was wondering if you could help me." He asked in a noble voice.

Hiashi shot him a reserved and confused look.

"You of the Hawk Clan certainly are strange. You berate me and then ask for my help?...

Fine I will help you if I can, but in return you have to give me the true answer as to why you have been here so long and I want to know your real name."

.

Razorwing nodded his head and said.

"Then we are in agreement as I have run out of time to pick on you, though it was fun for a moment.

Rest assured my Clan's goals and your villages coincide.

My name is Ralikroi, I am the son of the legendary Balikai the former Lord of the Skies and I have been the reining Lord of the Skies for over three-hundred years."

Hiashi gave him a questioning look and Ralikroi said. "Let me guess you thought I would be bigger?"

.

The Hyuuga lord scratched his head in thought. "Yes actually…" He said honestly.

"Do not let my size fool you. I remind you I am still bigger than Fukasaku, yet I am not his equal in battle.

Size is not everything." The large hawk said wisely.

"Well put, but what is it that you would need from me?" Hiashi asked intently.

.

"To put it simply, chakra. I only need you to place your hand over my heart from my back and force your chakra into me." He asked.

Hiashi's face suddenly became distant and he cast a sad glance at his daughters sleeping face.

"I am sorry, but I would not use that jutsu even if I knew how. It is the reason my daughter is in the hospital right now. I can only guess how you even know about it."

Hiashi said respectfully with sadness in his eyes.

Razorwing nodded. "I understand. It would have made my flight easier, but I can manage without it.

As for why I am here…I am watching out for a member of my Clan." He answered his former question anyway.

.

Hiashi gave him a slightly confused look and said. "I thought you told me your Clan didn't have a Sage at the moment."

Razorwing's eyes smiled at him slyly and he replied. "Not an active one."

He turned back to the open window and fell out of it head first.

He spread his great wings and caught the wind as he climbed higher and higher into the air with great speed.

With a few moments he was already out of sight leaving the Hyuuga Lord with more questions than answer as he went back to his daughter's side.

.

* * *

.

Naruto was resting peacefully on the massive paw of the Nine Tailed Fox as she stared at the moon in the night's sky.

Sasuke stared at Naruto in wonder and said. "To think these two are going to fight each other. Looking at them now it's hard to believe."

He turned to Sakura and said. "He hasn't eaten in days and we haven't slept in over four days. We need to feed him and set up camp."

"Yeah." She said with a thoughtful look.

"Isn't this kind of strange though? When we left the village did you ever imagine something like this happening?"

.

Sasuke gave her a weak tired smile and said.

"I gave up a long time ago trying to predict what that knucklehead was going to do next.

But I never expected we would be making camp without fear with the Nine Tailed Fox right in front of us."

"'I'm hungry' only Naruto was say something like that in this situation." She covered her mouth as she giggled at the memory.

"I brought his favorite instant ramen. I'll get a fire going and make it, but let's let him sleep until then."

Sasuke nodded and said. "I'll set up the tents though it might take me awhile as I've used up my sight for the day."

.

Sakura tired and drained set up a small fire and cooked ramen for them.

Sasuke set up two tents by the fire and one by Kyuubi's foot that Naruto was on.

Sakura dived out a large bowl of ramen for Naruto and then she realized a problem.

Sasuke walked up to her after setting up tents and felt her deep in thought.

"What is wrong Sakura?" He asked her.

"Umm how exactly are we supposed to wake Naruto up and feed him when he is sleeping on Kyuubi like that?" She said awkwardly slightly fearfully as she looked at Naruto.

Sasuke gave her a queer expression in understanding her dilemma.

Kyuubi looked over at Sakura and then down to Naruto peacefully sleeping on her foot then back to Sakura with a understanding look.

.

Sakura seemed a little unnerved as Kyuubi slowly and carefully moved her paw over the eighty feet expanse in between them.

She quickly set the bowl down by the fire as Kyuubi's paw with Naruto on it neared her.

Kyuubi straightened her paw downward and Naruto that was cling to her on his knees and he fell over onto his back and slid down to Sakura.

Sakura caught his sleeping form in her out stretched arms in an awkward hug as he slipped off of Kyuubi's soft fur and gently laid him down.

By the time she turned around to thank Kyuubi the fox had already resumed its still stare at the moon in silence.

She slightly lamented the fact that she missed her chance, but Naruto's stomach growled loudly caused her to turn her attention elsewhere.

She sat down and laid Naruto's head in her lap and fed him in his semi-conscious state at best.

.

After she finished feeding him the first bowl he snorted in his sleep and mumbled.

"I'm…still hungry." He opened his mouth wide and then started chewing on nothing like he was still being feed.

Sakura never moved Naruto's head off her lap as she opened another pack of instant ramen and dumped it into the boiling pot over the fire.

Sasuke slowly ate his steaming portion of ramen while sitting on the sand near the fire.

Naruto continued to eat nothingness in his sleep as Sakura placed her hands on both sides of his head and looked at him intently.

"You look _completely_ different without your whisker marks. If I didn't know better I'd _swear_ I'm sitting here feeding the Fourth Hokage.

Your resemblance is so uncanny that it's scary." She said as she carefully examined every inch of his face that was illuminated by the dancing fire.

"Actually Sakura you are feeding the Sixth Hokage." He said in a matter of fact tone.

.

Sakura laughed slightly at his words and said. "Maybe someday that will be true…" She smiled brightly at him.

Sasuke turned his head toward her as he finished his bite of food and then said. "No Sakura, I didn't mean someday.

I meant right now he is very likely the Sixth Hokage, the true Fire-Shadow of the Leaf, the central pillar of our nation and the Strongest Ninja in the Land of Fire."

Sakura continued to smile at him, but still gave him a reserved unbelieving look.

.

"Surely you are joking Sasuke. I know according to the old ways he has passed the test, but they changed it. He can't be our Hokage yet.

Tsunade would have to step down for that to happen." She said knowingly.

Sasuke shook his head and said. "No Sakura. I'm serious.

The morning after we left the council was taking a vote on whether Naruto or Tsunade was the rightful Hokage.

I will not exaggerate to you. The evidence Kakashi put forward to the council before we left was over whelmingly in Naruto's favor.

It would take a miracle if he wasn't voted to be the rightful Hokage.

They are probably only waiting for his return before they announce it to the whole nation."

.

"Yo-you're not joking…Are you Sasuke?" She said in stunned shock as the pot of ramen started to boil over.

He shook his head and said. "No Sakura, I'm not joking. In your lap rests the head of the Sixth Hokage.

Kakashi told me everything just before he went to the council room to present the last piece of evidence.

And umm Sakura its sounds like you are burning the Hokage's ramen…" The boiling over pot was sending broth into the fire making it hiss.

Sakura quickly came to her senses and took the pot off the fire before staring at Naruto's face.

"Hokage…" She said in awe and wonder while holding is chewing sleeping face.

.

"Your dream…it came true. Your face is going to be put on the Hokage Monument."

She said while smiling brightly as Naruto opened his mouth wide like he was taking another bite in his sleepy stupor.

Sakura suddenly gave him a weird, slightly disgusted look and flatly said. "But I hope it's not that face…"

She laughed after a long moment and smiled excitedly. "I wonder if he knows…I can't wait to tell him."

She said brightly and then her look changed to horror as she remember Naruto's cyclone after Tsunade told him that he made Jonin Instructor.

"On second thought… I don't want to be ANYWHERE NEAR HIM when he finds out!" She said intently and Sasuke laughed softly at her.

"Those were my thoughts as well, but he may already know. He went to see Tsunade just before we left." Sasuke said as Sakura stared at him blankly.

.

"Oumm Oumm." Was the sound Naruto made as he opened his mouth and leaned his head slightly forward in his sleep to eat the ramen Sakura was hold just out of his reach.

Naruto sniffed in his sleepy stupor and mouthed again, but no ramen did he taste. Sakura suddenly turned and looked at him.

She quickly used her chop stick to feed him the ramen she was holding. He chewed in over exaggerated movements with a silly blissful smile on his face.

Sasuke set his empty bowl down and leaned lazily on his knees.

Sakura finished feeding him another bowl and he finally laid still in her lap.

Sakura turned her eyes from Naruto sleeping to Sasuke and asked softly and intently as she leaned towards him.

"You really think he knows?"

Sasuke gave her a casual shrugged and said. "Who knows…He might."

.

Naruto moaned in his sleep and then shivered in Sakura's lap.

He stood up suddenly in his zombified state and opened his blurry eyes as he yawned a long yawn while stretching.

He eyes closed to the tiniest of slits and he uttered one sleepy word. "Cold…"

Sakura blinked at him blankly and then reached over to her pack and started pulling out a blanket.

As she was getting the blanket Naruto sleep walked off in the direction of his tent that was by Kyuubi.

Sakura retrieved the blanket and turned around only to see Naruto sleepwalking right over his tent.

He leveled it and kept walking until he walked right into the soft outer flank of Kyuubi's back left leg.

He opened his arms wide like a child and fell forward into her fur and fell sound asleep on his feet.

.

Sakura snorted in an exasperated laugh. "The Land of Fire is doomed if he is our Hokage…"

She said as she grabbed her head and shook it in disbelief.

"Did he do something stupid again?" Sasuke asked like he already knew the answer.

Sakura smacked her lips a few times as she swallowed and flatly said. "You might say that…"

Sasuke took in a deep breath and mustered what little chakra he could.

.

He turned his head toward the Nine Tailed Fox and used his sight flash that allowed him to see them like a still picture.

He saw two messy drag lines in the sand caused from Naruto's feet that went right through the tent he had set up for him.

He saw Naruto's blissful look while sleeping on his feet while embracing the fox's soft hind flank.

Sasuke laughed softly, but it wasn't long before he couldn't hold back is mirth and he laughed out hard.

It took him a few moments to calm himself to a low soft laugh.

.

"I am sorry I didn't mean to laugh. I just couldn't help it. He looked like a happy little flea next to her. I just couldn't contain myself." He said to Sakura.

Sakura gave the sleeping Naruto a curious look and asked Sasuke.

"Why is he doing that and why isn't the Nine Tailed Fox bothered by it? I thought she wanted to kill him… None of this makes any sense."

"It makes perfect sense Sakura. You just have to understand them and what they have been through."

He said and she turned around and shot him a questioning look with a hint of annoyance.

.

"You and Kyuubi are starting to sound alike. It's almost like you are talking down to me." She said in warning voice.

Sasuke sighed and tilted his head up ward in thought for a moment.

He fell back onto his hands and crossed his legs. "No, we aren't talking down to you.

We are trying to explain to you and you always resort to anger when someone tells you something and you don't understand it."

.

A vein budged slightly in her forehead as she gritted her teeth at him and said. "That's what I'm talking about. You are talking down to me right now!"

Sasuke slowly shook his head and said. "Predictable, no Sakura that is what _I'm_ talking about. You didn't understand me and you immediately got angry."

Sakura's look quickly changed to blushing embarrassment when she realized he was undeniably right.

"The first thing you need to realize is that you are selfish and you only see the world through your eyes-" He said before Sakura angrily cut him off.

"Hey!" She said in angry offense. "I'm a medic! A full fledged doctor! I give my chakra to others to heal them. How can that possibly make me a selfish person?

If I only see the world though my own eyes then it is the same for you!"

She nearly yelled.

"Predictable…no wonder you don't understand them… or did you forget that I am blind because I gave my eyes to Naruto." He said and then turned away from her.

.

Sakura cringed and looked timidly away as she realized Sasuke was right yet again.

"Ummm…Umm I'm…sorry I never realized it…but you are right.

It's like a reflex….sometimes I just can't stop myself." She said while blushing at the ground in embarrassment.

Sasuke sighed and then said.

"I never said you weren't kind Sakura. I just stated the fact that you are selfish in the way you see at the world.

You refuse to see the world through any eyes but your own and that is why you are selfish.

This is why you didn't understand why Naruto and I fought when we were younger.

When we were younger you thought we were trying to kill each other this is because you didn't understand us.

You looked only though your eyes."

.

"So you're telling me to look through someone else's eyes?"

Sakura said and then laughed and her laugh became more and more uncomfortable as Sasuke says silent.

"Even though you are making a joke of it…Yes, that is exactly what I am telling you." He said seriously.

"But what do you mean Sasuke? How can I see though someone else eyes?" She asked him desperately.

"Sakura I am very tired already, but I will try to teach you." He said and then he plunged his hand into the sand.

He raised his hand and the grains drained away from his palm until only a small round pebble was left.

.

"Tell me Sakura, what does this rock feel?" He asked her.

"Umm I don't know." She said in a reserved manner.

He plunged his other hand into the sand and lifted only sand up that slowly drained out of his palm.

"And what does this sand feel Sakura?" He asked her.

"I don't know…" She said in confusion.

.

"If you can't understand the rock and the sand then how can you possibly understand a Naruto and the eternal Nine Tailed Fox?" He said honestly.

She gave him a perplexed look and asked. "What does the rock and the sand have to do with Naruto and Kyuubi?"

"Sakura do you know what the word Sage means?" He asked her.

She gave him a odd look and said. "Sage means Sage doesn't it?"

Sasuke shook his head and said. "Sage means 'wise one' Sakura.

As for what the rock and the sand have to do with those two…Well it has everything and nothing to do with them."

.

Sakura gave him a flat look of annoyance and said. "How is that an answer?"

Sasuke laughed softly and said. "Whether it be a Toad or a Slug Sage all Sages start at the same point.

The rock. The rock is the simplest of all things and that is why you start there.

Even a simple rock is difficult to understand at first as it is so different from us.

Yet once you understand the rock you can understand the sand and then the water and then even life as a whole given enough time."

.

Sakura sighed and said. "That still makes no sense Sasuke. The rock and the sand are the same thing. The sand is only very tiny rocks."

Sasuke tiled his head at her as he raised the rock and the sand he had in his hands up to his face and said.

"Are they? Are they really?" He blew across his hands.

The rock laid still in his hand while the sand blew into the air and caught the wind only to be carried away in the chilled night's breeze.

.

"Was I supposed to get something from that?" She asked him in a unbelieving tone.

Sasuke smiled as he stood up and said. "I guess when you are ready you will understand."

She shot him an annoyed look as he turned and walked back over to his tent.

Sakura's turned back to Naruto's sleeping face and her face softened.

"Hey Sasuke…How do you know so much about this? I mean, you're not Sage so how could you know?"

.

"Are you so sure about that Sakura?" He said as he turned his head over his shoulder towards her.

Sakura thought carefully for a moment and then her eyes went slightly wide.

_"Every time I came to his house he told me to come in before I even touched the door or said anything…That's the same ability as Naruto?_

_Is it really the same? I thought they were totally different somehow." _She thought as Sasuke smiled to himself and turned back around.

.

Sakura looked down slightly sadly and said. "Wait…What kind of Sage are you Sasuke?"

He turned back around and faced her.

"Now do you see that you are only seeing the world through your own eyes?

You just now realized that I'm a Sage and you don't even know what kind."

He said sharply as she looked down in shame.

Sasuke sighed deeply and said.

.

"I'm a former Snake Sage. I captured Orochimaru's soul in my own and it gave me the affinity of the snake as well as his training.

I understood what it was like to be a patient snake. What it felt like to use my surroundings to hide myself and wait for the time to strike.

I felt what it was like to know and understand every bush and fallen leaf on the forest floor for I would need them to survive.

If I was harmed I would shed my skin and grow a new one.

I felt what it was like to store my energy up for hours at a time and strike at my prey with blinding speed. This is the way of the Snake Sage.

Once Itachi purged my master's soul from me I lost the ability of a Snake Sage.

It was then that I starting figuring out what affinity I had and not my masters.

.

The animal I was suited for didn't slither on the forest floor, but soared through the clouds.

My chakra animal is the Hawk.

We don't know the forest floor to the degree of the Snake, yet in a few hours we can cover more distance than the Snake could in days.

We don't need to hide ourselves and wait because none of the other animals can reach us in the air.

The Hawk knows every breeze and air current like it was a family member.

We have the keenest of all eye sight.

When we are hungry we simply spot our prey from the air and snatch it before it even realizes it has been caught in our talons.

Our greatest joy and sanctuary is to fly through the air where we are safe and at peace.

Our greatest blessing is to look down on the earth from the air and see it in a way no other can understand.

This is the way of the Hawk. I am blind, yet I am still a Hawk Sage.

.

You however, I think already knows, do not befit the title of a Slug Sage.

I have no idea what the Slug Sage elders were thinking when they bestowed this title on you."

.

Sakura covered her shamed face with her hand and said.

"There… was a lesson that they tried to teach me, but Tsunade gave up on it after I failed so many times.

She said our time could be better spent elsewhere. In the lesson I was supposed to meditate in a swamp filled bog on the bank.

I tried again and again, but I just couldn't still my mind with all noise from the insects and frogs.

Whenever one would land on me I'd scream and it would break my concentration.

.

Tsunade got frustrated with me and made me meditate in the bog with only my head above the water.

It only made it harder because not only did bugs and frogs land on my head, but things in the water crawled all over me.

I can't even begin to tell you how bad that place smelled…Yet I think I missed a very important lesson now.

As for what elder Katsuyu was thinking…I'm not so sure she bestowed the title on me anymore.

I asked her what it would take for me to become a Slug Sage just before I came back to the Village.

She told me that 'If mastering jutsu and our fighting style is what a Sage is to you then a Sage you are.'

I see now that I should have asked her a very different question.

'Do you see me as a Sage?' It's such a subtle difference in the words, yet it completely changes its meaning."

Sakura felt like a fool as she looked down in shame at herself.

.

Sasuke nodded his head and smiled weakly at her. "Would you like me to explain their lessons?"

Sakura looked up with quivering hopeful eyes and said. "I-I thought I was supposed to figure out the lessons for myself."

.

Sasuke nodded quietly to her and said. "Ideally yes, but I owe the Slug Clan no allegiance.

I will tell you the meaning of their lessons and where you misunderstood them.

Meditation does not simply mean to still your mind Sakura. It means to become at peace and at one with everything around you.

Whether it is a swampy bog or a dojo hall you still need harmony and peace to become one with everything…To truly understand everything around you.

Tsunade had you mediate on the bank and when you failed she tried to immerse further into the swamp.

She was trying to teach you that it wasn't about stilling your mind, it wasn't about you at all.

It was about harmony and peace of mind no matter where you are.

When you mediate by yourself you learn only about yourself.

When you mediate out in a swamp you learn about the swamp until you understand it, but only if you understand yourself first."

.

Sakura shook her ashamed eyes at the ground and said.

"I understand that now, but I even told Hanabi that I was a Sage all because I misunderstood the elder…"

"Did you? Did you really misunderstand the elder's lesson Sakura?" He asked her honestly as she turned her trembling eyes toward him.

"I shall tell you the lesson behind that answer as well Sakura." He asked and her questioning eyes answered him for her.

He looked down and sighed before returning his head upright.

"I thought you of all people who has spent so much time with Naruto would at least understand that lesson Sakura.

When you asked 'What would it take for you to become a Slug Sage', she responded by saying.

'If mastering jutsu and our fighting style is what a Sage is to you then a Sage you are.'

.

You do not understand these words, yet you know Naruto so well? His entire life is a testament to this lesson.

If you do not believe in yourself how can you expect others to believe in you?

The answer to that lesson is that if you are a Sage in your heart then you are a Sage.

Just because I don't see you as a true Sage doesn't mean you aren't one as long as you believe you are a Sage.

Look at Naruto. You only now see him as a Hokage, yet he has always seen himself as a Hokage.

Even when everyone else hated him, he saw himself as their greatest protector.

.

It didn't matter if the person was a beggar or the Third Hokage.

If you disrespected him he would yell and get in your face no matter your rank or station.

If you treated him with kindness he would lay down his life for you, just like a Hokage.

One by one he won over the villagers that hated him until now even Tsunade, a Hokage herself, feels she is beneath him.

It is only now, after so much unshakable faith in himself, do we come to understand that he was right.

It is the same for you. If in your heart you are a Sage then that is what you are, even if I don't see it myself.

You only need to make others understand what you feel inside.

That is the lesson Sakura. It is not for others to tell you whether or not you are a Sage.

That is for you to decide and then prove to others that it is true."

Sasuke said and then nodded.

.

"I-I think I understand some of what you have said." She said shakily.

Sasuke nodded again and then turned around as he walked towards his tent.

.

"Sasuke! Please one more question!" She yelled desperately.

Sasuke stopped, yet did not turn around as he curiously said. "And what would that be?"

Sakura swallowed hard before finding her voice and asked. "What makes a person a Great Sage?"

Sasuke asked carefully. "What did elder Katsuyu tell you?..."

"S-She told me that only one out of every one thousand ninja's could attain the rank of Sage.

She told me out of those Sages only one out of those thousand would likely achieve the title of Great Sage, but she never told me what a Great Sage is…

Please if you know tell me." Sakura asked in a lost voice as she looked away.

.

Sasuke shook his head at the ground and sighed. "How I wish I knew… How I wish I knew that answer.

I've asked myself the same question countless times.

Even though I understand the rock, the tree and even the bear, I am still a long way away from understanding The Great Sage Naruto.

I'm not even sure the great elders of the Clan's know the answer to that question…"

Sasuke nodded to himself a few times and then straightened his shoulder with confidence as he raised his head up to the sky.

"Maybe a Great Sage cannot be described, only seen. Look at Naruto sleeping.

He is sleeping on the most feared being in the world, yet he sleeps soundly.

.

Of all the Hokage's, only the first has captured her and contained her. Yet even among them it was Naruto alone that sought to truly understand her.

Naruto sleeps on her without a care in the world. None of the Hokages that have come before him could ever hope to achieve that.

All others fear her yet Naruto, I sense, misses her. When all others thought she was a raging demon it was only he that tried to understand her.

She is said to change landscapes with the swipe of her paw, yet she does not. Naruto has befriended her somehow and she restrains herself.

She stands still with the only person capable of hurting her in the world resting on her backside.

.

She only wants him to recover to full strengthen so she can fight him.

I see them, yet I cannot even believe my sight… I think they see each other as the other half of their souls.

I have this feeling that that is how they see each other, yet I know it's impossible, but still I believe…" He said honestly.

"I see…" Sakura said as she nodded her head to him. "I see…So that is what a Great Sage is…Someone that can understand anyone's pain.

Regardless of who or what they are. So this is the man I know as Naruto Uzumaki, our Hokage…my friend… and a Great Sage?"

.

"I already told you that even I do not understand the Great Sage to the degree I would like to. He is already well beyond my understanding.

I have no further answers for you Sakura. If you want to know more you will have to search for the answers yourself.

Good night Sakura." He said with a polite nod as he climbed into his tent.

.

Sakura stared at his tent with even more questions raging in her mind than when she first spoke to him.

After a long moment she walked over to her tent and went inside.

Her mind would not let her sleep and she tossed and turned for over an hour before she decided to go outside again.

She opened the flap of her tent and stuck her head out into the night.

Only dying embers were left in the fire pit and the Nine Tailed Fox still sat staring at the moon.

She stared at the un-readable face of Kyuubi for a long moment.

The reflection of the moon glistened off of her eyes.

Sakura crawled outside and grabbed her elbows as she looked down in indecision.

.

_"I can't sleep. There are just too many things rolling around in my head to sleep and I'm worried about tomorrow. _

_I want to talk to someone…anyone, but the only one awake is Kyuubi. I was hoping maybe Sasuke or Naruto might be up, but no." _She shook her head at the ground sadly.

_"There is no one for me to talk to. No one can help me sort all this out. _

_How can they sleep so soundly when they know what is going to take place tomorrow?"_ She thought distantly as she envied them.

.

Sakura returned her look to the magnificent Nine Tailed Fox as she sat in silence like she was waiting to live.

Sakura shook her head again and then slow took in a deep breath.

She breathed out while summoning her courage and took a step forward.

She as walked timidly towards Kyuubi she saw that Naruto was no longer sleeping at her flank.

Sakura wondered where he was as she looked around for him and before she knew it she was standing right next to Kyuubi's massive right front paw.

She started as she came to realize where she was. She covered her racing heart and slowly calmed herself down.

She closed her eyes as she warred in her head.

.

_"Th-this is foolish. How could I ever think of talking to the Kyuubi demon?…She plans to kill Naruto!_

_But…but maybe she's not a demon. Maybe she would listen to me. Then again I might offend her and then she will rip me to pieces."_

She thought nervously and fearfully.

_"I mean how could I even start a conversation with a being like her? I am so silly for even thinking about something like this!_

_I should just try to go back to sleep…Still, I wonder where Naruto is…"_ She thought amongst the rest of her jumbled thought.

She turned away to go back to her tent, but found her feet rooted in place. The question refused to let her go.

She fought with herself for a long moment before turning back around to face the moon.

"Where is Naruto…" She whispered under her breath like she wanted Kyuubi to hear her and yet she was too afraid and didn't want her to hear her at the same time.

.

Sakura waited timidly and nervously as the silence reined between them.

Slowly her face relaxed into sadness as she forced herself to smile in spite of the way she felt.

She turned around again to head to her tent again.

**"He is sleeping…"** Kyuubi said softly as to not wake him.

Sakura jumped with a start as she nervously looked around.

"I-I didn't know you heard me." She said in a very rushed and nervous voice.

"I…I only wondered where he was. I mean he wasn't sleeping where he was an hour ago.

I-I don't think you ate him or anything! I-I mean I didn't assume you did or anything.

I just didn't see him so I just wanted to make sure he was alright…"

She babbled quickly with her hands out in front of her defensively.

.

**"You didn't see him because he is arrogant even in his sleep. He climbed all the way on top of my head and collapsed in his sleep.**

**He is sprawled out like a child on my forehead."** She said quietly.

Sakura's eyes suddenly went wide with shock.

.

Flashback

* * *

.

Gamabunta was loading Naruto, Hanabi, Konohamaru and Sakura onto himself to make haste from the Leaf Village to the border of the Land of Fire.

"Naruto, you and Hanabi will be fine riding on my head.

Konohamaru with his Monkey Sage training should be able to keep a hold of my robes if I give him a break every now and then…

But for you Sakura…well let's just say travel for you ain't gonna be as pleasant." He told her.

Sakura gave him a blank look of slight fear and said. "What do you-"

.

Gamabunta's long tongue lashed out and snapped her into his mouth in the blink of an eye.

Her muffled screams of anger could be heard as Naruto and Hanabi jumped up on his head.

"Quit squirming! Otherwise I might swallow you!" He said sternly through his clinched jaw.

"It's not my fault Slug Sage's aren't known for their agility or stamina. I told you it wasn't going to be the preferred way of travel." He said.

"NARUTO! WHEN I GET OUT OF GAMABUNTA'S MOUTH I'M GONNA BEAT YOU AND HIM SENSELESS!" They heard her muffled voice yell.

Naruto expression became slightly strained as he said to himself. "Oh Kami, she is pissed…"

"PIPE DOWN LITTLE LADY!" Gamabunta yelled at her.

.

Konohamaru quickly leaped onto his back and grabbed onto the collar of his robe.

Konohamaru looked up to where Naruto and Hanabi were sitting on the head and yelled up to them.

"Hey Naruto. How come I can't ride on his head too? It looks like it would be much easier than holding on down here."

Gamabunta turned his head to the left so one of his eyes was looking right at Konohamaru.

"You ungrateful little Monkey…You're lucky I'm giving you a ride already.

I still have my pride as a member of the Toad Clan. Only a Toad Sage can ride on my head and even then only if I like em!" He yelled at him.

.

* * *

End of Flashback

.

"I…I never thought you'd ever allow him onto your head…for any reason.

Most, if not all, of the Chakra Animals consider that to be a sacred place for a ninja to ride on.

I would know! I was forced to ride in a Toad's mouth for over one-hundred kilometers because of that very reason.

Gamabunta told me only a Toad Sage could ride on his head and even then only if he liked them enough." She said wide eyed in disbelief.

**"That accursed Uchiha is right about you. **

**If you don't understand the rock then you can't understand what it means to ride on any chakra animals head, least of all mine."**

Kyuubi said while never taking her eyes off the glowing moon.

.

Sakura looked down shyly and nervously as she wrung her hands.

"I-I'm sorry. I thought that since you were trapped inside Naruto for so long th-that you might want someone to talk too…"

Kyuubi let out a breath that sounded almost like an unconvinced soft laugh.

**"Your intentions are as clear as water to me. Did you forget you are talking to an eternal being that has seen the birth of color itself?**

**It is not my heart that wavers, it is yours…"** Kyuubi said without any doubt in her voice.

.

Sakura mood only lowered into an even more shy state as she asked with a hint of hopefulness. "So you….you don't want to talk?"

Kyuubi never stopped staring at the moon and said. **"Look at who I have to talk to. **

**A Uchiha that is barely a thousand years old and a mortal that isn't even close to being a hundred that has stated her distain for me…**

**Why would I wish to speak to those that can't even comprehend me, let alone understand me?" **

Kyuubi looked down and shook her head before returning her gaze to the moon.

**"The only one that I could speak with is Naruto…and we are already long past words.**

**Even if we spoke we would already know each other's words before they were spoken." **She said almost sadly.

.

Sakura nervously looked up to the Nine Tailed Fox and said. "I'm not sure if you ar-are aware of this, but Sasuke is only twenty-three years old…"

**"You are a fool if you believe that mortal. The passing of time is a perception in and of itself. **

**Every time he used the Sharingan he aged far beyond what you base time on.**

**Mortal eyes only work for so long, this is why he went blind. His body is maybe only twenty-three years old but his eyes were hundreds of years old.**

**You are basing time on the change of the seasons. This is not how time works at all. Time moves differently for each person.**

**Have you not seen Naruto train with over a thousand clone for an entire day, day after day? **

**You watched his power grow beyond any other mortal, yet you think he is so young?**

**Do you even know how old he truly is?"** The Nine Tailed Fox questioned her.

.

She said nervously. "Umm before you asked me, I would have said he also is twenty-three, but since you put it that way…I don-"

**"He is Twenty-six thousand, eight-hundred and thirty-seven years, seven months and fourteen days old and even he doesn't understand me most of the time.**

**How could you understand me when you are only twenty-three years old and you can't even understand the rock?**

**Wouldn't you choose to remain silent then to speak your words on deaf ears?"** Kyuubi asked her.

.

Sakura staggered at her words in shock. _"Naruto…He…is over twenty-six thousand years old?"_ She thought soullessly and nearly collapsed to her knees.

It took her many long moments before she looked from the ground back to Kyuubi with trembling emotional eyes.

"My ears maybe deaf, but at least I am trying to hear you!" She yelled to her with all her might.

**"I am not hard of hearing mortal. You have no need to shout at me so…So be it…**

**Asks all the questions you would like, but I cannot promise you that I will answer any of them."**

Kyuubi said quietly.

.

Sakura suddenly felt very self aware of where she was. Her eyes darted all over the place in the thoughts of her outburst and of what Kyuubi had told her.

"How can you be so sure how old Naruto is?" She finally asked cautiously while she wrung her hands.

**"What else could I do when I was trapped inside him but mark the passing of time? It's not unlike what mortals do."** The great fox said.

"Oh…"She said before finding the courage to timidly ask.

"You said that you saw the birth of color itself. What did you mean?" Sakura asked curiously.

**"You will almost certainly not understand that answer, but I will tell you anyway.**

**This world wasn't always like what you know it to be. Long, long ago the world was nothing but clear water and jagged rocks.**

**No land rose above the surface of the endless ocean. Slowly over countless years the waters turned from clear to blue and the rocks turned into sand.**

**Eons of time later small creatures you couldn't even see with your eyes sprang into life.**

**Millions of them clustered together and for the first time I saw the color light green.**

**.**

**From that color eventually fish came from and I saw their silver scales.**

**Fish took over the barren endless ocean and the sands and rocks pushed themselves free from the ocean waves.**

**I saw it as brown. Life from the ocean came upon the land slowly.**

**Not long later life again came to the land. Small bushes pushed their way free from the rocks and soon the land was covered in vibrant green plant life.**

**On the land I saw many colors, white, brown, green and true blackness in the night sky.**

**Then the water fell from the sky in a down pour. **

**After it was over and the sun shined again I saw all the colors that took an eternity to form in the world all at once.**

**Your kind calls it a rainbow…"** She said like she was lost in her thoughts.

.

Sakura blinked a few time trying to take in Kyuubi's words.

"I…I think you might have been right when you said I wouldn't understand…Did you mean to tell me you saw the world being born?" She asked in disbelief.

**"Shaped is the more correct word, but to you I would think being born might hold the meaning better.**

**Are these really the question you came out to ask me though?"** She said.

Sakura looked down sadly and said. "I guess not…"

.

She shyly yet curiously asked. "Do you…hate Naruto?"

Kyuubi stayed silent for a long moment before saying.

**"Yes I hate him, yet I respect him and I like him all at the same time. How to put it so your tiny human mind could understand?...**

**I hate all humans, but I hate him the least."**

Sakura blinked blankly at her response in shock. "Th-then why are you trying to kill him?" She asked intensely.

.

**"Hmph. You are short sighted even for a human little girl. **

**If all I wanted was his death then I simply would have killed you and the Uchiha before we ever reached the desert. **

**I even asked you to heal him and you heard my howl, yet you still have a negative way of looking at the situation.**

**You seem to think that every time two beings clash in combat that it is pointless.**

**That they are just two foolish people that are angry and blood thirsty fighting only for the sake of seeing which one of them is stronger.**

**You see, yet you are blind to the truth."** She said without emotion.

.

"But why are you two going to fight to the death then? It makes no sense to me when you both look like you are so attached to one another!"

Sakura begged her for an answer.

**"We aren't fighting to the death mortal. Naruto will most likely die tomorrow when I pour all my rage into him. **

**We will fight and death will most likely occur, but we aren't fighting to the death. **

**We are both laying our lives on the line and fighting for something that we are willing to die for."** She stated without a flicker of doubt in her eyes.

.

Sakura looked down and clinched her fists as she shook her troubled head.

"But that is the same thing! What could you both be fighting for that is worth laying down your life?" She asked sadly and angrily.

**"Are your eyes shut that tightly mortal? Are you not one of Naruto's closest companions, yet you ask me what he is fighting for? **

**You are blind then human girl. At least I have the words to make you understand this. **

**He fights for humanity as a whole whether they see him as a friend or a foe. He will still fight for them be it with words or weapons.**

**You most of all should know that he is fighting to bring peace to all the nations and the world if he can.**

**Unlike those stuffy politicians that say words like this, he actually means them and is working towards his goal selflessly.**

**He asks for no reward or payment for his work, he does it just because he wants to."** She said and fell silent once more.

.

Sakura looked down slightly ashamed of herself for asking Kyuubi for a answer that she had once known but had forgotten in the moment.

She turned her confused lost eyes back to the Nine Tailed Fox looking at the moon and sadly asked.

"Yes…that is Naruto's reason, How…How could I have forgotten it?

You still haven't told me your reason though.

If Naruto is fighting for peace for humanity then are you fighting to throw it into chaos and destroy it?"

There was a long moment before she spoke again.

.

**"In some ways that is true. **

**In a way the reason we must fight is because he is the protector of humanity and I would see it destroyed, but that is not the main reason."**

She said while gazing at the moon.

Sakura looked up at Kyuubi and begged her. "Then what is the main reason? Why must you try to kill him?"

**"I am bound by my agreement with him from telling you that answer directly.**

**So I will tell you this. The hatred that I carry is not entirely my own."** She admitted softly.

Sakura timidly trembled as she winced her eyes closed and looked away. "But can't you just walk away? Can't you just choose not to fight?"

**"We cannot walk away from each other now, not after I have placed my faith in him. I will not let him go."** She said.

.

She turned her eyes back to Kyuubi and said. "If you have faith in him then why are you doing this? I-I still don't understand!"

**"Of course you don't. **

**You do not understand what it means to have everlasting life. **

**That is why you didn't understand my story about the birth of color."** She said with slight exasperation.

"Then make me understand! Everlasting life sounds like a blessing beyond all other blessings to me!" She said desperately.

.

The Nine Tailed Fox looked away from her and said.

**"Everlasting life is a curse I would not wish on anyone mortal. I cannot die. Even Naruto cannot kill me no matter how powerful he becomes.**

**He may scatter my soul but I would reform in a few years or so, maybe even as long as a century even if I didn't wish it. **

**I have tried to kill myself countless times when the pain of time becomes too great on my soul, yet even **_**I**_** can't accomplish that feat…"**

She said honestly as she returned her gaze to the moon and sighed ever so slightly.

Sakura suddenly blinked at her in blank shock before asking. "You've tried to kill yourself before?"

.

Kyuubi nodded her head ever so slightly and replied.

**"Of course I have. All eternals have at some point in their existence…I guess I'm getting a little too attached to mortals lately." **

She said and closed her eyes in thought for a moment as Sakura watched her curiously.

**"So be it, I will try to make you understand my eternal existence like I did for Naruto. **

**I want you to know that besides Naruto you are the only other human I have tried to tell this to. **

**So listen well mortal for even he didn't understand most of it."**

She said and then opened her eyes.

**.**

**"You called being eternal a blessing yet it is a curse. I will try to explain it in a way that you might understand.**

**You are a medic now. Let us say that you have everlasting life and you dedicate your being to learning to heal and treat the sick.**

**You are happy for the first few hundred years, but eventually the smiling faces of those that you have helped no longer pull at your heart stings the way they used to.**

**As time goes on you rarely see something you haven't already treated until you have treated nearly every kind of wound or poison there is.**

**The years slip by and seeing something new only once or twice a decade has left you feeling hollow and without purpose.**

**.**

**So one day as you are walking to your job in misery you come across an old man fishing by a bridge. **

**Beside the old wrinkled fisherman is a large pile of fish. **

**You ask the man how he was able to catch so many fish in a river that has so few fish in it.**

**He tells you about how he senses the fish and how certain fish like certain baits.**

**He tells you how certain lines and poles are best suited for different kinds of fishing.**

**.**

**Your medical herbs wilt in the sun as you question the wise old fisherman for hours.**

**It is only when he says that he has to go home that you realize you talked with him for almost a day.**

**You learned more in a single afternoon than you have in almost fifty years as a medic. Life has become vibrant and new to you again. **

**You find you are smiling without have to fake it for the first time in a long time.**

**As you walked to work the next day you greet the old fisherman with a pile of fish next to him with a smile.**

**You return to your office and hand in your medics coat to your disciple and then leave never to return again.**

**.**

**You leave your comfortable well paying job to live as a humble fisherman.**

**Over the next few years you learn a wealth of knowledge from your new teacher who is all too happy to share it with you. **

**You move into to his rickety old shack that is nearing the point of falling down. In the small cramped shack lives five people. **

**His son and his son's wife with their two children all live in the tiny room. They all work hard but it is the master fisherman brings home the food for them.**

**Most of all they are happy. Even though they are dirt poor they are willing to happily share what they have with you.**

**You continue to live out your life learning from the master fisherman and hearing his wild tales of when he was younger.**

**One day though he passes away so you take up his place, feeding the family you now call your own.**

**They too grow old and die off and eventually their offspring no long wish to be fishermen and you have no one else to teach.**

**.**

**So you remember your master's words and pack up your pole. **

**You head for new waters to catch new types of fish leaving the strange people you once considered family behind.**

**You go upstream and cross the landscape only to find a huge lake where to sit down and cast your line into the water.**

**A fish takes the bait and pulls harder than any fish that was in the small river you used to fish in.**

**You struggle and fight it for near an hour until you pull the biggest fish you have ever seen onto the shore.**

**.**

**The rush of the fight still makes you pant for air but you are happy. **

**For the first time in a while you feel joy looking at a new kind of fish that you have never caught before.**

**You fish the lake for a time and even teach many of the nearby villagers how to fish as well.**

**You start feeling that life has become dim again when all the fish in the lake are too easily caught.**

**You already know what baits they like best and when they are hungriest. **

**.**

**So you pick up and head to the ocean. There you fish at its bank and catch new fish yet you run out of new fish to catch again.**

**You decide to go out to sea and catch even more types of fish. **

**You brave hurricanes and tsunamis and catch even more fish until you have caught every kind of fish there is in the world. **

**From the smallest minnow to the largest whale, you have caught them all. **

**Fishing has lost its purpose to you so you return to the small bridge where your master that died used to fish so long ago.**

**You fish and you can believe how small the fish you catch are, yet you are happily lost in your own memories from when you fished with your old master.**

**But then the bitter sweetness sets in and you realize he is gone forever. **

**You decide to finish out the day and move on never to return again when an annoying hacking sound scares away the fish.**

**The hacking sound starts to drive you mad and eventually you throw your weathered pole down and charge toward the direction of the noise. **

**.**

**You find a small group of men chopping down trees. **

**You snatch the axe from a youth in annoyance that has been hacking away at a large tree for nearly hour and fell it with a single stoke leaving the logger stunned.**

**The head logger offers you a job and complements your strength. **

**Yet you refuse him and tell him that if you are so good at it that you could easily do it for yourself.**

**You sit back down to fish on the bank and you remember the satisfaction of how it felt when the tree fell before your might.**

**.**

**You leave your pole on the bank of the river and take up logging and again life become vibrant and new. **

**The logger that offered you a job becomes your rival and over a few years you manage to grow your logging operation larger than even his.**

**So large that in fact you run him out of business. He and his workers come to you cold and hungry as your operation thrives.**

**You not only give him a job but make him your first logger that controls the entire crew when you are away.**

**A few more years passed and you and your former rival invent new and safer ways to cut trees until you can improve on it no more.**

**There is almost no tree you haven't logged or cut.**

**. **

**It is then you receive the strangest order you have ever gotten and your curiosity is peeked. **

**You receive a very detailed order for malioain white ash wood also known as junk wood not even fit to cut down to get out of the way by nearly all loggers.**

**Scratching your head you remember one you had avoided that was large enough to fill the order that was nearby.**

**You take a good wagon and a few sturdy men and retrieve the tree. You take the vile smelling tree into town to a small humble shop built into another shop.**

**You knock on the door to receive you pay and most importantly find out what this odd person wants with wood that others consider worthless. **

**.**

**The thin skinny shopkeeper that looked almost sickly answers the door and asks that tree be brought to the back of his shop as he handed you a great sum of money for the tree.**

**It was more than ten times what even a hardwood tree was worth. His frail body only backed away as he coughed a few times and headed to the back door.**

**You follow him and watch your men unload the heavy tree and hand off the payment to your first logger.**

**When they ask you let them know that you will not be coming back for the night.**

**.**

**The shop keeper is tireless in his work and set to work shaving down the tree as you watched.**

**He stripped away the bark and most of the wood in what a seasoned logger would call as blatantly wasteful to the point of offence. **

**After he was done the tree that weighted many tons was reduced to a single thin twenty pound plank that he takes into his work shop.**

**From there he carved out many curved pieces, yet only seven of them met his standards and the rest he chucked into the fire to keep himself warm.**

**He dips the pieces into a clear sap and hangs them up to dry and then he falls asleep in his shop too tired to walk to bed.**

**.**

**You stay in the workshop waiting for the man to wake only wanting to see what he is going to make.**

**Late the next afternoon he wakes and he says nothing to you. **

**He doesn't even acknowledge your existence as he sets to work again carefully assembling the pieces.**

**The process was daunting and complex even though the object was small. It takes him a full week to complete what he is making while you watch.**

**Once he is done you see what he was making is a violin. It shines and glistens as he sets the instrument to his chin and draws the bow across the strings.**

**The sound it makes as beautiful beyond words as he plays a short simple song. You are intrigued yet again. **

**.**

**You return to your first logger and tell him you want three giants of the same kind of tree delivered to the man's shop.**

**He questions you about it, but you only tell him that you will reward him well.**

**A few days later he brings you not three giants but five. You stun him when you tell him that the logging operation is now his. **

**You tell him you will not be returning to them and you take up study under the sickly man to learn his craft.**

**.**

**You become quick friends with both the instrument maker and his brother next door that makes furniture. **

**You train for years before you can make instruments of the same quality as him. Soon afterwards time claims him and he dies. **

**You take over his shop half of the shop and work with his brother.**

**One day a noble man hears the sound of you testing a newly made violin. He becomes enchanted by its sound and enters your shop.**

**He asks you if he might play the instrument and you hand it to him. The man is no novice at playing. **

**He plays a very difficult piece of music while he becomes lost in the song. Once he finishes the song he opens his eyes and marvels at the violin.**

**He tells you that the violin is easily the most well crafted instrument he has ever played on. **

**He offers you an exorbitant amount of money for the violin. You refuse him and only charge him a twentieth of what he offered you.**

**.**

**You have no desire for great wealth anymore. Only your craft matters to you.**

**The man is disappointed that you would not take more for the instrument, but accepts your price.**

**He vows that he will pay you what the violin is truly worth in time before leaving with it.**

**.**

**Two weeks pass as you labor in your shop when a carriage with twelve fully armed royal guards show up at your front door.**

**One of the guards knocks on the door loudly and you quickly finish what you are working on and answer the door.**

**The armed guard walks over to the carriage and opens the lavish door. You wait in your tattered work clothes covered in wood dust for someone to come out of it.**

**The guard bows you to and extends his arm toward the carriage. He tells you that you have been summoned to the royal court.**

**.**

**You realize that there was no noble in the carriage and that it had come for you alone. **

**You ride for a few days until you come to a very large city crowded with people.**

**The carriage stops in front of a huge castle at night and you are ushered out. **

**Once inside you are offered fine clothes to wear, but you refuse them.**

**In your old tattered rags with messed up hair you are led to a grand hall where rich nobles and princes are dancing to live music.**

**Once you enter the room as someone at the far end of the hall claps twice loudly and the people dancing back away from the middle of the room.**

**.**

**The man that was in your shop weeks ago that offered you so much for one of your violins is seated on a lavish throne at the back of the hall.**

**A golden crown rests on his head and he is dressed in the finest of robes. Leaning up next to his throne is the violin in a case that you had sold him.**

**The nobles eye you with disgust from your appearance as the man beckons you forward and you walked up to the man on the throne.**

**When you arrive before him he picks up the case next to him and opens. **

**It slowly takes out the violin you sold him and asks you if you were really the man that made it.**

**You tell him the name of the violin is Ember named for its red color and that you did indeed make it.**

**He asks you to play it for the court. You only know a few basic songs and the one the king had played in his shop.**

**You take the red violin and play the difficult piece of music you heard him play only once. You fill the hall with the songs radiantly beauty. **

**Those that looked at you with disgust happily cheer for you with smiles on their faces after you have finished.**

**.**

**The king declares that you are the finest instrument maker in all the land to the entire court of nobles.**

**Several of the bards of the court show you some of the instruments you have created before.**

**Most of them have been handed down from others so they didn't know you were the master craftsmen.**

**You even notice one of your defects in the hands of the eldest bard that you threw away years ago. **

**He thanks you and tells you that he was a beggar before finding it in the garbage. **

**You gain not only wealth but fame as you make instruments that only the wealthiest can afford.**

**This again goes on for many years until you grow bored with this profession too and can bare it no longer. **

**You find new professions and master them until you know every profession in the entire city. **

**.**

**You move to a different area and only find a few odd things to learn before leaving again.**

**Many years later you have been searching for a new profession to make life vibrant and new once more and you don't find one.**

**No matter how hard you look there is no new skill for you to master. You already know them all. **

**Occasionally someone creates something new again in a profession that you have already mastered and for a few scant moments you live again while learning it.**

**But afterwards you are left empty and feel all alone. **

**.**

**You have long since given up on making new companions.**

**Why get attached to them when they will only hurt you when they die. **

**Everyone you speak to you feel like you have met a hundred of them that were exactly the same.**

**With a simple greeting you can tell with acute accuracy what the life they will live will be like down to the smallest detail.**

**There is no one for you to befriend anymore.**

**.**

**Life itself has become stale as you have lived all there is to live in the world. **

**You are forced to look at what you looked away from so long ago when you were a master medic.**

**You are forced to look into the cold eyes of eternity, yet this time there is no escape.**

**You must sit there and wait until something new comes along for you to escape its glare for a brief moment only to feel even more empty when you return to its icy glare once again.**

**This is what it is like to have ever lasting life mortal.**

**An empty existence where purpose becomes rarer and rarer the longer you exist." **Kyuubi stated while never taking her eyes off the glowing moon.

.

"Th-that is so sad…I never realized how hard it must be for you." Sakura said emphatically as she clutched her arms around her while sitting on the sand near Kyuubi.

**"Fear not little mortal for I am not staring into the eyes of eternity right now. I have what I so rarely find in the endless stream of time. **

**I have a purpose…"** The Nine Tailed Fox said honestly.

Sakura looked down sadly and said. "To fight Naruto…"

.

Sakura fought with her thoughts in indecision for a long moment before finally asking.

"You and Naruto used to be one right? Does that mean you know what is in his heart?"

Kyuubi honestly said. **"Of all the places in his mind that is the only one that I dare not look directly into. **

**If you are asking if he has feeling for you the answer is yes, but I believe-"**

"That's enough…"Sakura said softly.

Kyuubi turned her head towards her and said. **"I see you have learned a little bit of what time can do to a being then…"**

.

"Mu-Must you really fight? Is there no other way?" She asked as she turned away like she already knew the foxes reply.

**"You keep asking the same question, but the answer will not change mortal. **

**Naruto has promised me something that is worth more than the entire world to me.**

**If it were any other moral I wouldn't even dare hope to believe them, but since it is him I hold onto a glimmer of hope that he will be able to do it.**

**You keep speaking to me like I want his death so badly so I will try one final time to make you understand."**

She said as her eyes slowly drifted down to a flatter area of the desert a few hundred meters away.

**"Tomorrow I will wait for him there. When he comes to me I will fight him with all my being. I will give him every ounce of my hatred-" **

She said before Sakura sadly said to herself. "That will kill him…"

Kyuubi stayed silent for a long moment from Sakura's interruption before speaking again.

**"And when it is over I dare to hope he still standing there smiling at me, even though right now that smile I see in my mind makes it harder to fight my rage."**

.

Sakura did a double take at Kyuubi in shock before asking in disbelief. "Y-You want him to win! I-I thought you wanted to destroy everything!"

Kyuubi turned her massive head to Sakura and calmly said.

**"You think I want to destroy everything? Foolish, I only wanted to destroy humanity so they can never again bind me.**

**Naruto is the Child of Destiny that will one day 'Save the World or Destroy it', not me, if you believe the Prophecy.**

**If he does die during our fight then humanity might just have something to thank me for should he be the one that would destroy the world."** Kyuubi said.

"Naruto would never try to destroy the world." Sakura said confidently.

.

**"The Prophecy does not say whether the Child of Destiny means to destroy the world. It only states that he will either save or destroy it.**

**I know the jutsu he plans to use on me, yet neither he nor I knows what it really does. **

**We only know it uses all five of the primary elements and ten sub-elements in addition to the light and dark elements.**

**You have already seen what happens when he combines three elements. He utterly destroyed several mountains at once with it.**

**With each element he adds to his Rasengan its power grows exponentially. **

**One can only imagine what kind of effect would be produced if he succeeded in combining all seventeen of them.**

**He very well could destroy the world with it if he lost control of that jutsu."** She said calmly.

.

Sakura's eyes went wide with realization as she vividly remembered the destruction of his three elements Rasengan.

"But…but…" She stuttered in shock trying to convince herself Kyuubi was wrong before looking down.

"You…are probably right. Naruto would try to use a jutsu like that if he felt he had to. All he has ever thought about was getting stronger."

She admitted as she realized the truth of her words.

She took in a long slow breath as the realization of just how powerful Naruto really was settled over her.

A chill shivered up her spine and she trembled in fear not at the thought of The Nine Tailed Fox, but at the thought of Naruto wielding so much power.

She grabbed her elbows and looked away as she was trying to stop her body from shaking.

The wind howled across the sands of the desert as Kyuubi turned her head back to the moon and sat in silence once more.

Sakura fought to find her voice several times before managing to say.

"Aren't you scared?..."

.

The Nine Tailed Fox shook her head ever so slightly and said.

**"No. You certainly are strange mortal or did you even just realize that you were concerned for my safety just now?"**

Sakura looked across the desert hollowly and said. "I…I guess maybe I was worried about you for a moment there."

**"That power of Naruto's is truly something strange. **

**I've been hated for thousands of years and here not even in the span of twenty years there are two mortals trying to understand me.**

**One of them would even name me as a friend. **

**I never imagined that I would hear my name and the human word for friend in the same sentence again.**

**I, who has watched color be born into this world though the eons, have never met anyone like you Naruto."** Kyuubi said in envy to the moon.

.

Sakura looked at her questioningly and asked.

"Why are you telling me all of this? I know I asked and all but, I didn't think you would answer so much.

I just mean that I thought you hated humanity, yet you have been answering my questions for so long."

**"I thought that you would at least understand that much. You healed Naruto and gave me back my purpose.**

**Answering your questions was my way of thanking you for that.**

**Maybe I didn't realize it, but perhaps I did want to talk to someone else after being trapped for so long after all."** She said quietly.

.

Silence reined for a long time before Sakura calmed herself down.

She wrung her hands in indecision with a question plaguing her thoughts as she looked down timidly.

**"What is it mortal?"** Kyuubi asked suddenly while never taking her eyes off the moon.

Sakura jumped with a start and then nervously looked up to The Nine Tailed Fox timidly and said.

"I-It's a stupid question…I wouldn't dare ask it."

.

**"You will never get an answer if you don't ask the question, besides it hasn't stopped you so far. **

**Do not forget that the world may very well end tomorrow and then you might never get your answer.**

**Besides I am finding that I enjoyed talking to you more than I thought I would."** Kyuubi stated.

.

"Um well you see…Naruto just looked so peaceful sleeping on you…Wh-What I mean to say is…"

She stuttered nervously as she looked down and closed her eyes.

Kyuubi turned her giant emerald eyes to the nervous, fidgeting ninja with a curious look on her face.

"I-I only w-want to know….if I could touch you…?"

She said timidly and the tension drained from her body and then she looked up at the Nine Tailed Fox's eyes.

.

Kyuubi slowly turned her head back to the moon and the moment dragged on in silence.

**"I am already quelling an unbelievable amount of rage mortal. **

**If I were to falter even for a moment my chakra would come out and turn you to ashes in the blink of an eye.**

**Just like your jutsu, everything has a risk. The question is, are you willing to risk your life merely to touch me for a moment?"**

Kyuubi asked her with a slight hint of curiosity in her voice.

.

Sakura thought for a long time.

_"The world might end tomorrow, but then again I have faith in Naruto that it will not. _

_Yet Naruto's faith in himself has been wavering…I can't believe I'm even thinking about this…It is so foolish to risk my life for something so small._

_Then again this may very well be the last time I could risk my life for him. Can I forgive myself if I don't?..._"

.

Sakura looked up and smiled at Kyuubi.

"Being able to touch the fur of the Nine Tailed Fox is a once in a life time offer…"

She said as she leaped high into the air and came down on all fours just below the half way point on her back.

Sakura's eyes went slightly wide as she marveled at her fur that she sunk down into in surprise.

.

"It's so soft…It's a lot like the bed Hanabi sleeps on…" She said quietly to herself in surprise before slowly raising.

She half walked and half crawled up Kyuubi's spine with the smile still on her face.

She climbed and climbed until she finally reached the foxes head and stepped up upon the summit of the beast.

She saw Naruto resting peacefully in the tangles of her soft fur on her massive forehead while laying on his side.

His chest rose and fell without a care in the world.

.

Kyuubi's muscles tightened as she clinched her jaw in anger.

The giant fox stood up as Sakura kneeled down and took Naruto's sleeping hand in hers with a look of bright joy in her eyes.

Kyuubi's many tails fanned out like writhing snakes in the air and she growled through gritted teeth.

**"You are foolish, brash and reckless mortal!" **

.

Kyuubi's angry words never fazed her as she pulled Naruto's hand to her chest with both of hers.

She only smiled at Naruto's sleeping form with tears of happiness in her eyes.

Kyuubi's body shivered as her muscles relaxed and she once more sat down and stared at the moon in stillness.

**"…I like that in a mortal…"** Kyuubi said honestly and softly as Sakura embraced Naruto and closed her eyes on the fox's forehead.

**.**

**"Don't get to comfortable with the way I am now mortal. Tomorrow the Keeper of Death himself will tremble before me as I reclaim what is rightfully mine.**

**It is then that I will become that which your people describe me as and fear most. I will become that raging demon that you thought I was at first fully.**

**It will be then that Naruto and I will fight. I will fight him with everything that I am to settle the fate of this world."**

Kyuubi said as Sakura's blissful smile continued and her breathing came in slow rhythmic sounds as she slept in Naruto's arms on Nine Tailed Foxes head.

.

* * *

.

After Notes:

Ok nearly everything is set up for the big fight. There is just one small part with Kakashi and then they will face off in the next chapter.

I can wait for the next chapter to be written. I personally hate writing the fighting part as it takes me a paragraph to describe a split second.

This fight is going to be very complex for me to write in a way that you all will understand what is actually happening.

I will probably break the fight up into several chapters as it will mostly likely be a long battle.

Then again I might write the entire battle in one very long chapter.

I'll just have to see how me and my muse work it out.

One thing I'm fairly certain of is that I will hold off on posting the chapter with the end to the battle until I have finished the chapter after it.

I want to release them at the same time for a reason that will become obvious when they are posted.

In short it might be awhile before the next chapter is released as I want to make sure I've expressed it perfectly.

I hope you will find the next chapters are worth the wait.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it :)


	36. Chapter 36: Gaara's Rain

Authors notes:

* * *

.

Ergh my muse just showed me that I was paying full attention when I was shown certain parts of the story.

I actually had to go back and add in some parts that I omitted having to do with Konohamaru.

They seemed pretty minor at the time, but this chapter showed me that they were actually important to the story.

It's nothing you need to re-read the entire story for.

I doubt many of you would have caught the subtle difference if I didn't say anything, but still I wanted it to be right so I went back and fixed it.

.

Ok even though it wasn't a big hit last time I did this, there is **music** for part of this chapter should you want to head over to youtube and have the music ready for when the * mark is.

For those of that skipped over the notes the last time I did this.

It's fairly simple. My muse has music either playing in my head or has me listen to it while writing certain parts of the story.

The great majority of the time I don't share the music my muse shows me, but this time I felt it enhanced the scene too greatly to be left out.

The song is **'1000 Words'** by Jade Vallalon from the game Final Fantasy X.

So poke play when you see the *(site kept removing my * mark so it has been changed to a *start*) mark near the end of the chapter if you wish to hear the music that goes with the scene.

If nothing else it is a really good song that you likely haven't heard unless you played the game.

.

The scary thing is that Jade didn't think she was a very good singer...Guess that makes Lea Salonga just barely average...

Didn't understand the reference?

Lea Salonga probably has the most beautiful singing voice you will hear in your life time and even if you don't know her name you probably have heard her sing.

She is the singing voice of Jasmin in Disney's Aladdin and is certain worth a google if you'd like to hear her works.

.

Questions/Reviews:

* * *

.

I was pretty worried about how you all would take the last chapter.

I was rather nervous to check my review for fear that I didn't express what my muse had showed me correctly.

So thank you for all your reviews.

.

_**mead95  
2011-08-04 . chapter 35**_

_**I have been searching for a new story to catch my interests, and I must say you certainly have succeeded in doing so. **_

_**The story is fascinating and there are very few that I've read that has had this depth, even if I enjoy "shallower" stories. **_

_**Now my only major word problem and it's 'deja vu' not 'dejavoo'. **_

Thank you for the correction!

_**For the people who question "Ruby" as a name I must admit it is at the same time the least and most original name for Kyuubi I've read. **_

_**I've never seen it before yet it is one of the first names any of us could use and I applaud you for using it yet must say you could've tried harder. **_

Yes, _I_ could have easily come up with a better name, but you have to remember, as far as the story goes, its Naruto nickname for her not mine own.

Naruto is a rather dim witted character with moments of brilliances.

_**Continue writing for every story I've ever read is another life I experience yet will never have. I have just told one of my deepest secrets do not take it lightly.**_

Sorry to tell you this, but you haven't told me a secret at all. Each character's story from the moment they were born until the moment they die has already been shown to me.

And even beyond that(for my story at least)… You have a vital gift for a great writer, the question is…Will you use it?

_**.**_

_**Konaha's Black Dragon  
2011-07-27 . chapter 35**_

_**Being in the armed forces is a forever of inane boredom followed by seconds of sheer terror and **_

_**they take and equal amount of time to describe to someone even though the boredom lasts for an eternity longer. **_

_**Great chapter, but at times your tendency for excessive amounts of philosophy can be a browbeating.**_

First and foremost, thank you for your service in the armed forces. Umm well yeah I'm guilty as charged there.

I'm one of those deep thinking, highly creative and philosophical people, but what do you expect from someone who almost decided to become a Baptist preacher.

I no longer have that calling, but the philosophical part of me remains.

.

_**Mr. The Foolish  
2011-07-20 . chapter 35**_

_**Woo, finally made an account just so I could review. You should probably elaborate on the whole Sasuke being a sage idea. Razorwing says he's not an active sage, he just bluntly **_

_**says that he is. Also, in an earlier chapter, Sasuke thought to himself that Naruto would be breaking a new record by having 5 sages in the village, which, after this chapter, seems to **_

_**be sort of a plot flaw. On another note, I've noticed an overuse of the word soulless and variants in the later chapters, which bothers me with repetitiveness. That's the biggest writing **_

_**issue I have, and I am too lazy to point out other specific ones. I love the story. Thanks for writing, and thanks to your wife for beta-ing.**_

.

Actually I don't think there will be anymore elaborating on Sasuke being a Sage in my story so I'll try to clear it up here.

Just like my friend that was in the army still has all of his soldier training but his hurt back will no longer allows him to serve in the army.

Sasuke is a Sage but he isn't fit to serve the Leaf Village. If you remember correctly Sasuke was retired back then and had decided to never go back to being a Ninja.

He didn't even consider himself a Ninja let alone a Sage.

Soulless, stunned, confused, shocked, surprised, there are only so many words I have to convey this type of reaction when a character sees something new and unexpected.

I do try to very it as much as possible when a bunch of those events happen in a row.

If you think I'm to repetitive then help me out by giving me some new descriptive words to use.

.

_**demoneyes69**_(edited to fix grammar mistakes)_**  
2011-07-15 . chapter 35**_

_**I have been a huge fan of this story. Your story fascinates me to no ends. **_

_**I have re-read this master piece every time you update so every detail is fresh for the new chapter...**_

_**I haven't written much but I hope to have a piece like this someday. My work is under cross619..My old account.**_

_**Thanks, from demoneyes69**_

Lol, my friend if you are writing you need use spell check a bit more. God knows it's one of my best friends when I write.

Wow 'Master Piece', what a compliment. I normally reread the whole story about every six to eight chapter or after I've taken a few months off.

But certainly not after every chapter. I don't think I could handle chapters like 'Heart to Heart: Naruto X Ino' and 'Kyuubi's Howl' before every chapter I write.

That would be a little much for me to deal with. As for your writing if you enjoy it just keep doing it.

The best advice I can give you is stay true to your characters and their emotions.

.

The way characters interact with each other is the driving point of all good stories.

No matter how good a fight scene I write, it will be hollow if I don't tell the reader why they are fighting and have a third character there to react to the fight.

Can you imagine reading Dragon Ball Z in a novel style format with no pictures? My god, it would probably be the most boring book ever!

Forty pages of fight scenes then one sentence of dialog then another forty pages of fighting… Need I go on?

Yet most people here would probably agree DBZ is one of the best animes of all time with masterful fighting scenes that's hard to stop watching once you start.

.

The most important thing for a writer to be is a great story teller. I knew when I started this story that I was a good story teller, but my grammar was horrid at best.

By posting my chapters reviewers like you helped point out my mistakes and helped further me on the path to becoming professional writer.

When you read the first chapter of this story did you ever think it would turn into this?

The story started out as a silly seemingly perverted story then it turned into a tear jerking drama.

Next it turned into wacky, awkward and sometimes ecchi story about Naruto becoming Hanabi's sensei as they grew closer together.

It grew yet again into a stronger romance of two people wanting to be together, but circumstances are keeping them part.

.

Then the story grew as they learn about the harshness on battle and learned that they really were mortal when Konohamaru nearly died.

The story then went in a completely new direction changing into a conspiracy theory mystery as Naruto's time grew shorter and shorter.

Now the story has grown darker as Naruto's seal is broken and against all the odds he survives as Kyuubi shows that she isn't a mindless beast when she howls for him.

Their battle looms on the horizon as the story is changing into what it was always meant to be since day one.

A epic story where the world might be destroy, more so from the hero of the story than the villain (according to Kyuubi).

Just now things are starting to happen that were plan out before I typed the first sentence over two years ago and there is still more yet to come.

.

But to get this far I spent weeks and weeks researching everything from characters jutsu to the geography of villages.

Much like Naruto, I had to get kicked around a lot to learn to write well.

I got many harsh reviews of this story when I first started it and sometimes it got me down and I would shy away from writing for a time.

I always came back though and found a way to pull the information I needed out of a hateful review to better my writing.

I no longer shy away from my writing because of a bad review anymore.

Through time I've grown to have a more professional outlook on criticism.

.

I'm either in synced with my muse and the story comes to me like a raging river or I'm not and I just take a break until I am again.

I have never once thought of this as my hobby or something I just do for fun.

I work eight to five at a normal job to pay the bill, but this is my work, my art, and my craft.

I feel (no blasphemy intended) that being a writer is the closest a human being can be to godhood in a sense.

With a few stroke of the keys I can whisk myself away to London or Paris or the middle ages during the crusades.

I can go to the center of the earth or to the farthest reaches of outer space where strange aliens live.

When I write I am only bound by my great imagination and creativity, and that it why I love it so much.

It's like having an infinite world of freedom all to myself that I can share with others whenever I like.

When I write I feel like I am doing what I was meant to do.

.

A blank white screen sets my mind ablaze with a thousand and one stories all waiting for me to just press the keys to tell their tale.

Remember to write for yourself, you will always be your own biggest fan.

You will have to be to spend fifty plus hours writing each chapter.

Otherwise your story will join all the other lost, broken and unfinished stories that litter this site because their writers gave up on their dreams too soon.

Even if everyone hated my story so much that I felt I needed to take it down, I'd continue to write it.

Even if it just sat on my dusty hard drive like an old friend that I could go back and visit just to remember how far I have come.

I hope sharing this with you helps and wish you luck on your writing.

(I probably should have sent this as a private message as it's so long, but maybe some other writers will get something out of it too.)

.

Last Chapter.

* * *

.

Kyuubi's muscles tightened as she clinched her jaw in anger.

The giant fox stood up as Sakura kneeled down and took Naruto's sleeping hand in hers with a look of bright joy in her eyes.

Kyuubi's many tails fanned out like writhing snakes in the air and she growled through gritted teeth.

**"You are foolish, brash and reckless mortal!" **

.

Kyuubi's angry words never fazed her as she pulled Naruto's hand to her chest with both of hers.

She only smiled at Naruto's sleeping form with tears of happiness in her eyes.

Kyuubi's body shivered as her muscles relaxed and she once more sat down and stared at the moon in stillness.

**"…I like that in a mortal…"** Kyuubi said honestly and softly as Sakura embraced Naruto and closed her eyes on the fox's forehead.

**.**

**"Don't get to comfortable with the way I am now mortal. Tomorrow the Keeper of Death himself will tremble before me when I reclaim what is rightfully mine.**

**It is then that I will become that which your people describe me as and fear most. I will become that raging demon that you thought I was at first fully.**

**It will be then that Naruto and I will fight. I will fight him with everything that I am to settle the fate of this world."**

Kyuubi said as Sakura's blissful smile continued and her breathing came in slow rhythmic sounds as she slept in Naruto's arms on Nine Tailed Foxes head.

.

.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Gaara's Rain.

* * *

.

Konohamaru and Kakashi slowly made their way down a winding path that lead through a very dense and dark forest area.

"Where are we going Kakashi sensei? You've had me doing pointless stuff for almost a week!

I thought you were going to help me master combining the Rasengan with my fire element!" He complained loudly as he swept another branch out of his path.

.

Kakashi hung his head and sighed deeply. "I told you that we aren't training right now. We are on an A ranked mission." He said in exasperation.

"Yeah, yeah. I heard you, but you still haven't told me a thing about this mission.

What are we doing way out here anyway?" He said angrily as he crossed his arms.

.

Kakashi's face turned sour as he continued moving forward.

"Did you remember what I told you yesterday about not eating because you are going to get sick on this mission?" He said already dreading the answer.

Konohamaru smiled as he put his finger under his nose.

"Yup, I remembered alright, but Naruto already warned me that you used that kind of tactic.

So I made sure to eat a large dinner and even forced myself to eat dessert.

Hehehe, you aren't going to catch me off guard and force me to train when I'm starving to death. I'm just too smart for that."

He said with a bright smile clearly proud of himself.

.

Kakashi sweat dropped as he hung his head in exasperation and shook it.

"Konohamaru…I only used that tactic on Squad Seven when I was training them.

I would never use it on a Chunin and never on anyone during a mission." He said in a tired 'I knew it' tone.

Konohamaru giggled to himself softly. "Yeah, you're just upset that I beat you at your own game!" He said with pride while pointing at him.

"You're going to regret it…" Kakashi warned as he moved forward with his head slumped forward.

.

As they moved deeper and deeper into the forest the growth became thicker and thicker.

After a long silence between them Konohamaru asked with a longing and serious face.

"Hey…How is Hanabi and when is Naruto getting back from his mission?"

Kakashi suddenly put on a passive face and said.

"Hanabi still has a very contagious strain of the pocks. Naruto will be gone for at least another week."

.

Konohamaru looked at the ground in disappointment and frustration as he kicked a rock out of his path.

"Aww man! That long? Can you at least tell me what kind of mission he is on that would take him so long?" He asked in annoyance.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and said. "Of course not. He is on an S ranked mission that is top secret just like always."

Konohamaru stopped and threw his arms down as he stomped his foot in frustration.

"Damn it! Why am I always left out of everything? Why am I always the last to know?

Aren't I a Chunin now? Don't I have a right to know?" He said angrily.

.

Kakashi sighed as he pushed a bushy growth out of his way and entered a large clearing.

It was nearing dawn and it was still dim, yet he could see the smoothly cut boulder next to the bank of a shallow pool.

Fireflies danced and blinked at the far bank of the pool with cattails growing out of it.

Goldfish and Butterfly Coy churned the water in front of the stone as they walked up to it.

"What the heck is this place?" Konohamaru said loudly as he looked around clearly unimpressed.

.

Kakashi turned around as he stepped up on the flat boulder.

"You said you are tired of always being left out of the loop so here we are. This is the entrance of Hokage Training Ground Three.

It was created by none other than the Fourth Hokage and requires either his chakra or his sons to even enter it."

Konohamaru's eyes went wide with delight and surprise.

.

"Wow…We are going to H-Three….Wait the Fourth Hokage had a son? Who is he? I bet he is an extraordinary ninja!

Where is he? I mean if we need his chakra to enter the training ground then that means he got to be somewhere around here.

I wonder if he would train me while Naruto is away!" He said as he looked around franticly.

"Wait…why would you keep such a super ninja hidden away?...

Oh I see he's the village's secret weapons, our ace in the hole if anything gets really bad for the village.

I can't wait to meet him!" He said excitedly.

.

Kakashi slapped his face hard and then slowly swiped his face with it.

_"He's is an even bigger idiot than his master…How could he not know? It's been spelled out for him so many times…"_ Kakashi thought sourly.

"Yes he is an extraordinary ninja with powers that far surpass even lady Tsunade and your wildest imagination."

Kakashi said clear surprised that Konohamaru was still unaware about who he was talking about.

Konohamaru was jumping up and down with excitement. "If I can get him to train me then maybe I can catch up to Naruto!"

He said as he raised his fist into the air with a gleeful smile.

.

Kakashi sweat dropped and prayed. "_Kami please don't ever let this imbecile ever hold a position of leadership…it would be a disaster."_

"Hey Kakashi sensei I don't see anyone around here. What does the Fourth Hokage's son look like? Is he hiding or something?"

He said as he looked around with a goofy smile on his face.

.

Kakashi sighed and then said. "He looks exactly like the Fourth Hokage, but…he has some defining features that sets him apart from his father.

And no he isn't hiding, he is away from the village right now. Our mission is to help him by doing a task inside of H-Three."

"Woohoo!" He jumped for joy. "A mission to help the Fourth Hokage's son, a super ninja! Just tell me what to do Kakashi sensei." He said happily and determinedly.

Kakashi explained. "Well to enter you need a Kunai Spirit Marker. You _do_ have one right?"

Konohamaru smiled brightly as he drew two kunais hand held them above his head as he said.

"Yup, I've got two of them, one from Naruto and one from Hanabi!"

.

Kakashi said in a reserved manner. "Good, but you only need one so use the more powerful of the two you have."

Konohamaru's eyes darted back and forth in thought at the two kunais in his hands with an intense, questioning look on his face.

"How do I know which one is stronger?" He finally asked.

Kakashi gave him a tired look and said. "Of the ninja that gave you them to you, which of them is stronger?"

Konohamaru thought about it intensely for a moment before his eyes lit up.

He holstered one of them and held the other out in front of him.

"Ok Kakashi sensei I'm ready!" He said while raising one of the kunais over his head.

.

Kakashi gave him a sour look before saying. "You're using Hanabi's kunai aren't you…"

He gave Kakashi a reserved and confused look and said. "Yes, of course I am…

Didn't you tell me to use the one from the stronger ninja? Naruto forfeited to her at the Chunin exams.

They would need to fight again for Naruto to prove that he is better."

.

Kakashi looked down and sigh in exasperation. "I knew it…" He said to himself before turning to Konohamaru.

"Konohamaru… Has Hanabi ever leveled a mountain or summoned a cyclone the size of the village? Has she ever stopped a war single handedly?

Has she ever…Never mind I don't even want to know what you were thinking when you decided which kunai to use.

Just use the one Naruto gave you." He said bluntly.

.

Konohamaru have him an annoyed look and said. "Well, why didn't you say that in the first place?"

_"I thought I did…"_ He thought to himself.

He drew his own cobalt blue kunai and said. "Ok we are going to enter H-Three.

You just need to hold your kunai to your chest like the way Naruto does when he uses his Yellow Flash jutsu. I'll handle the rest."

Konohamaru gave him an odd, disbelieving look but did his as he asked.

Kakashi started going though hand signs for a long moment as the stone bench began to glow.

.

Konohamaru started to feel weightless like he was drifting up and then suddenly he felt like something reached out and slammed him into the ground.

He hit the ground with such force that it knocked the breath out of him for a moment.

He gasped for air as his head swam. He turned a sickly green color as his cheeks bellowed before he got sick in violent heaves.

He threw up for so long that he thought it would never end. When he stopped heaving he curled up into a tight ball next to his small pile of vomit and muttered.

"Stop the world….I wanna get off."

Kakashi only smiled at him in his nauseated state.

.

Konohamaru opened his blurry eyes few minutes later. His face was lying to the side on the cool grass near the still pond.

Kakashi was sitting on the stone bench with a glowing orb light jutsu hanging in the air above his head while he read a book.

"Urgh…" He said as he stirred. He managed to sit up on his knees while slowly drifting from side to side as he was still a light shade of sickly green.

He wrapped his arms around his stomach while clutching at it as it churned. He heaved slightly, but chewed it back as to not get sick again.

After he calmed his angry stomach down he blinked a few time while looking around to clear his vision.

He saw the dark still pond and the stone bench by the shore. He shakily stood up and grabbed his dizzy head.

.

"Urgh! What happened? I feel like I just got out of Naruto's 'Whirl and Hurl' jutsu." He said wobbly.

Kakashi closed his book with a snap and looked over at him.

"I see you're finally awake. I guess I shouldn't have to tell you I told you so, but I told you so…" He said with a smirk.

Konohamaru looked around in confusion and said. "Hey I thought we were going to H-Three. This is right where we left from."

Kakashi hung his head and sighed. _"It's like Deja vu all over again…"_ He thought sourly.

Konohamaru's eyes suddenly went wide.

"Wait Kakashi sensei! Take me back! You didn't need to take us back for my sake. I can handle it. I won't get sick this time I swear!"

He said desperately and quickly.

.

Kakashi shook his head at the ground.

"Konohamaru…" He said in a tired tone. "You're a full fledged Monkey Sage now. Be mindful of your surroundings.

I thought you would understand better than Hanabi did, but it seems that I was wrong. Look around carefully Konohamaru."

Konohamaru looked around for a long moment and then turned to Kakashi with a confused look.

He shrugged and said. "I don't see anything different here."

.

Kakashi sweat dropped as he leaned forward slightly in his shock.

When Kakashi mastered himself once more he asked.

"I thought a Monkey Sage was supposed to know each and every tree like they were his home."

.

Konohamaru shot him an annoyed look and said. "Only if it's a tree I've climbed before!"

"Konohamaru don't you notice anything missing?...Maybe the wind?" He said knowingly.

He looked around and said. "Hey that is strange. There is no wind here…and the fireflies are gone too."

He looked around carefully and then said. "This isn't the same forest were we just were, it only looks like it. It is too quiet here. Where are we?"

Konohamaru turned and gave him a perplexed look.

Kakashi said. "Well at least you understand we aren't in the same forest."

"Bu-but where are we then?" Konohamaru asked.

.

"This is H-Three. It is a pocket of time/space meant only for the use of the Hokage to train in exceptionally dangerous jutsu.

H-Three was created by the Fourth Hokage and your grandfather after one of his jutsus went wild and destroyed H-One.

Now his son has been coming here for over four years to train just like his father did." He said and Konohamaru looked at him in awe.

"Wow I can't wait to meet the Fourth Hokage's son! When do you think he will get back from his mission?" He said excitedly.

.

"I hope it's shortly after we complete our mission." Kakashi said and then started down the path.

"After all when he gets back he will be named as the Sixth Hokage." Kakashi said casually.

Konohamaru's face suddenly changed to anger.

"Now wait just a minute there buster! Me and Naruto are going to fight it out for the title of Hokage!

I don't care if he is the Fourth Hokage's son he better get to the back of the line!

Me and Naruto have been training all our lives to become Hokage!"

He fumed as he pointed his thumb over his shoulder.

.

Kakashi gave him a slightly amused smile and said. "And here I thought you wanted him to train you so that you could beat Naruto…"

Konohamaru threw his arms down as he followed him and said. "That was before I found out he was also vying for the title of Hokage.

Now I just want to pulverize him when I see him." Konohamaru smashed his fist into his palm.

.

Kakashi laughed softly and then said. "You are welcome to try when you see him, but if he got serious you'd never lay a hand on him.

You'd be dead before you realized what hit you."

Konohamaru crossed his arms with an annoyed look on his face and said. "We'll just see about that when I meet him."

.

They walked for some time before coming to the main gate of the Village.

As they were walking by dark, empty houses Konohamaru quietly and curiously asked.

"Hey Kakashi sensei…You said Naruto uses this training ground a lot right? Does that mean he also knows the Fourth Hokages son?"

Kakashi never turned around as he continued forward down the street and said. "Yes he does, you might say they know each other very well."

.

"Have they ever sparred with each other?" He asked.

Kakashi looked up in thought before saying. "You might say that they did…"

Konohamaru smiled as he put his arms behind his head and then said. "I bet he wasn't so cheeky after Naruto beat him."

"Actually it was a tie, they are even in power." He said and Konohamaru eyes went wide.

"He's as strong as Naruto?" He said in disbelief.

Kakashi sighed and said. "Yes… that's what I said."

Konohamaru quickly caught up to Kakashi side as they walked down the street with his light orb jutsu leading the way.

"If he is that strong how will I know it's him if I meet him?" He asked intently.

Kakashi said in a tired tone.

"His likeness is all over this place. You will see soon enough, we are almost at Main Street."

.

They rounded the corner and Konohamaru caught sight of the glowing golden Hokage monument that lit up the streets in its warm dim light.

He saw thousands of Naruto's chakra clones littering the road.

His face changed to a boyish smile as he waved. "Hey Naruto, when did you get back?"

The clones never moved. They sat still in their crossed legged meditation position.

Konohamaru slowly pulled his hand down as he looked at the clones in confusion.

"HEY NARUTO!" He yelled loudly.

.

Kakashi gave him a queer look. "They can't hear you, they have been put into stasis. Just follow me." He said and then leaped up onto a nearby building.

Konohamaru looked around for a moment and then followed him.

He landed beside him and then his eyes went wide in shock and amazement as he looked over the village to see thousands upon thousands of Naruto clones.

"Wow there is so…many of them… I didn't know he could make so many…" Konohamaru said in awe.

"Why would he make so many only to have them sit there?"

.

"Can't you think of a reason?" Kakashi looked over to him and asked.

Konohamaru turned slowly in a circle to get a full view of the village covered in Naruto clones with a wide eyed blank stare.

He turned until he faced Kakashi with his gaping stare of disbelief as he slowly shook his head unable to speak.

.

"This has been part of Naruto's four years of preparation to fight the strongest being in the world." He said as he returned his gaze out to the dark village.

He blinked a few times and swallowed hard before gazing out on the village again.

"Th-There must be over forty-thousand of them…" Konohamaru said while still trying to process everything that was seeing.

"I've counted over sixty-thousand and that doesn't even include all the ones that are hidden out in the forest.

It is likely over one hundred-thousand or higher." Kakashi said as he marveled at them for a moment before turning back to Konohamaru.

.

Konohamaru stared blankly out over them for a long time before finally turning toward Kakashi.

He sadly looked down at the ground as he clinched his fist.

"Why…Why did he tell me that he was going to fight a being of such power?…Why didn't he ask for my help?...Who is this being for that matter anyway?"

He said in frustration as he clinched his teeth. "Why am I always the last to know!" He said as he clinched his fist so tightly his knuckles cracked.

Kakashi chuckled softly to himself and never looked over at Konohamaru.

"Who said you aren't going to help him with his fight?" He said subjectively.

.

Konohamaru relaxed slightly, but looked even sadder. "He never told me about any of this. He only told me that he comes here to train…

And even now you are telling me the Fourth Hokage's son is about to be named as the Sixth Hokage when me and Naruto have been working all our lives for that."

He said while lost in his sad thoughts in disappointment.

.

Kakashi placed his hand on Konohamaru's shoulder and said. "You can't sulk here. We are still on an A ranked mission Konohamaru."

Come on we need to get going. Just make sure you don't disturb any of his clones."

He leaped off in the direction of the Hokage monument.

Konohamaru continued to gape sadly at the clones for a moment long before following him.

They bound through the dim village carefully until they reached the bottom of the stairs going up to the Hokage monument viewing platform.

.

Kakashi led the way up the stairs as Konohamaru followed.

"Hey Kakashi sensei, what exactly are we doing here? I mean, what is this mission all about?"

He asked quietly as his mind was still trying to come to grips with all of Naruto's clones.

Kakashi stated. "I will explain that once we reach the top."

Konohamaru looked down as he followed him silently.

They stepped onto the dim viewing platform.

.

"Hey, you're finally here Konohamaru." Udon said with a smile. Konohamaru looked up as Moegi said.

"We were starting to worry that you might have gotten lost."

Konohamaru gave them a confused look and ask. "Udon…Moegi, what are you doing here?"

Moegi gave him an odd look and said. "What do you think we are doing here? We are here to help Naruto same as you."

Konohamaru shook his head and said. "I'm not here to help Naruto. I'm on a mission to help the Fourth Hokage's son-"

Their eyes went wide as Moegi said. "Wow…Naruto is the Fourth Hokage's son."

Udon said in surprise. "T-That explains why he would always look at the Fourth Hokage's face on the monument when he was talking about his father."

Konohamaru gave them a perplexed look as he said. "No…that can't be true. Naruto's last name is Uzumaki not Namikaze."

.

Udon looked at him in a reserved manner and said. "Konohamaru, it was customary for the women in the Uzumaki Clan to keep their Clan name after marriage.

The Fourth Hokage's wife was Kushina Uzumaki… She must have been his mother.

That explains why Naruto has both their pictures on the center of his mantle."

Konohamaru turned around slow towards Kakashi with a shocked and disbelieving look in his eyes.

.

"Kakashi sensei…is this true? Is Naruto really the Fourth Hokage's son…?" He asked intently.

"Of course he is, it's obvious if you just take a look at him. He is the spitting image of his father.

Weren't you paying attention during Sakura's conspiracy theory speech on who the rightful Hokage should be?

She even outlined most of his linage during it." He said.

.

Konohamaru wore a sad and pained look on his face as he looked down.

"I kind of…nodded off during part of that conversation.

Why…Why didn't he tell me any of this? He knows I'm the grandson of the Third Hokage after all.

And why did the Fourth Hokage seal something so horrible into his own son…" He said distantly.

.

Kakashi said. "Does who his father is change who Naruto is? The answer is no, it does not.

It's probably the same reason he didn't tell you about his eyes.

As for why he sealed the beast into his own son, well Naruto was the only vessel that could contain it.

Naruto has two bloodline traits of sealing flowing through his veins.

The one from the long lived Uzumaki Clan on his mother's side and one from the Namikaze Clan on his father's side.

Sensei Minato had no other choice."

.

Konohamaru shook his head at the ground and said. "Then I'm pretty sure I know what being he's fighting."

Moegi gave him a curious look and asked. "Then who or what is it that he is fighting? Kakashi will not tell us even though we asked him many times."

He raised his head to look at her and said.

"Moegi…Seals don't last forever no matter how powerful they are. I should know, I had one on me for most of my life."

Udon's eyes went slightly wide as he said. "Then you mean Naruto is fighting…"

"The Nine Tailed Fox. A being so powerful that not even the Fourth Hokage couldn't wound it so he sealed it away." Kakashi said seriously.

"Wait if Naruto is fighting the Kyuubi demon and his father couldn't kill it then why are we here instead of out there helping him fight it." Moegi asked curiously.

.

"Because we can't help him fight the Kyuubi directly. Only Naruto stands a chance of coming to blows with it and not being killed by its chakra.

As for what we are here to do, _we_ or rather Konohamaru is here to destroy the time/space crystal that keeps H-three sealed away." Kakashi stated.

"What? Why do you want me to do that?" Konohamaru said in shock.

"Naruto himself handed us this mission. All of Naruto's chakra clones are sealed away in this place so they are useless to him right now.

After we break the jutsu that's holding this place in another time/space all of his chakra clones will appear all over the village then he will be able to use their chakra in his fight.

Or at least I hope that's how it's going to work." He said in a reserved tone.

.

Udon blinked at him a few times and then said. "What do you mean you 'hope' that's how it's going to work'?"

Kakashi turned to Konohamaru and seriously said.

"This isn't an A ranked mission for nothing. Messing with Time/space jutsu is highly dangerous.

If things don't turn out right we are very likely going to die or worse be trapped in another time space forever."

.

"Why me?" Konohamaru finally asked after a long moment in thought.

Kakashi eyed him carefully before saying.

"Firstly is because the time/space crystal here is nearly indestructible and we would need a very powerful jutsu just to damage it.

Secondly is because Naruto tasked you with this personally Konohamaru. He believes in you and believes you alone can do this task."

Konohamaru shook his head in distant confusion and said. "But you know way more jutsus than me and you're a much better Ninjutsu user than me."

"Konohamaru, the Fourth Hokage himself made this time/space crystal. He had the keenest mind of all the Hokage's.

He made this crystal as not only a time/space jutsu holder, but also as a chakra absorber.

If I hit it with my strongest attack it would only absorb my jutsu and make itself stronger." He stated seriously.

.

"But what attack do I have that could surpass anything you could throw at it?" He questioned him.

Kakashi smiled slightly and said. "The Fire Released Rasenshuriken."

"Kakashi, I haven't even come close to perfecting that jutsu yet! How can I use it when I'm not done creating it?" He asked in blank surprise.

.

"Calm yourself Konohamaru. That is why we are here. I've had Udon and Moegi training to aid you with chakra control.

They will help you form the jutsu then you will give it to me and I'll throw it." He said calmly.

Konohamaru thought about it for a long moment as he turned around.

"Konohamaru…" Moegi said softly.

.

He sighed and shook his troubled head at the ground.

"No…it's too dangerous. I'm not going to put you all in that kind of danger.

Naruto wouldn't do it and neither am I." He said as he turned around before looking seriously at Kakashi eyes.

"I'll just have to do it myself!" He said resolutely.

.

"Time is of the essence-" He said before Konohamaru cut him off.

"I know, but this is something I need to do for myself because Naruto believes in me. I can't let him down. I'll do this no matter what."

Kakashi smiled knowingly to himself as he took out Naruto's kunai Spirit Marker and then went through several hand signs.

"Un-Sealing Jutsu Vault Release!" He said and the ground shook as stone tiles at the other end of the platform slid back.

As they grinded to a halt as four feet tall stone pedestals rose up from the opening.

The pedestal had sealing jutsus engraved all over it and on top if it sat a two feet tall and one foot wide red crystal shard.

The crimson crystal shined even in the dim light.

.

Udon jaw fell open in stunned surprise. "Is that _really_ as time/space crystal? It's huge!"

Konohamaru eyed it without pause or reaction. His mind was calm while only thinking of the task at hand.

In his mind Kakashi, Udon and Moegi no longer existed in the world. There was only him and his foe, the crimson crystal.

.

"Yes, that is the time/space crystal Minato and Hiruzen created to hold this place together.

Udon, Moegi, follow me it's not safe here anymore. I've only seen Konohamaru this serious and focused once before."

He said as he turned around and leaped over to the low hanging eves of the Hokage tower.

They raced to keep up with Kakashi as he bound effortlessly to the top of the tower.

Udon and Moegi had to be careful where they landed as it was covered in Naruto clones.

.

"When was the other time you saw him this serious?" Udon asked carefully.

Kakashi turned around and looked at Konohamaru from over the railing.

"It was when he and Naruto fought at Hokage Training Ground Two right after he got back from the Monkey Clan after obtaining the rank of Sage."

He said as he watched Konohamaru's still outline starting glowing blue with chakra.

.

"What happened?" Moegi asked and then swallowed hard as she looked at him from the nearby railing.

"Naruto held back but Konohamaru went all out against him. He proved that day that he was a true Sage like his grandfather, the Third Hokage.

Even Tsunade said that she wasn't sure who would win if her and him clashed in combat after seeing their match."

"He fought like the Third Hokage when he fought Naruto?" Udon asked clearly stunned.

.

Kakashi shook his head and said.

"No, he is a Monkey Sage and did use their techniques like the Third Hokage, but he is still Naruto's student.

He is a far fiercer Shinobi than the Third ever was.

If I had to compare his fighting that day to any other Shinobi I would have to say he fought exactly like history tells us that Tobirama fought.

He fought him like the Second Hokage, like he was the fiercest Shinobi alive…The harder he fought and the more Jutsus he used the bigger Naruto smile at him became.

H-Two was devastated and the other Anbu were in fear for their life before it was over."

.

"What about Naruto? Was he ok afterwards?" Moegi said with her voice full of concern.

Kakashi stole a glance at her before turning back to Konohamaru's body that had been lit aflame with bright burning blue chakra.

"He wasn't even breathing hard. He took everything that Konohamaru threw at him and the only thing he gave him back was a proud smile.

After it was over and Konohamaru was panting on all fours he only walked up to him and put his hand on his shoulder and said 'Well done Monkey Sage'."

Moegi and Udon looked down at Konohamaru in new found respect.

.

Konohamaru had his eyes closed as he gathered the chakra he needed and concentrated on how he was going to form his jutsu.

_"Naruto is this really all you have tasked me with as your apprentice?…_

_I know we all might die from me breaking this crystal, but I hoped you would have given me a bigger part to play._

_I understand your reasons though. Me and Hanabi are the two most important ninjas in the entire world to you._

_Don't worry master I will pass on your teachings to the next generation. If death comes for me I will refuse to die just like you told me too. _

_I'll do whatever it takes to get back to the village even if I have to learn time/space Ninjutsu out in the void."_

He thought and then slowly moved his hands up into the seal of the tiger.

.

He took in a long deep breath before quoting his master aloud.

"'Fire is unlike any of the other elements. It feeds off of death of all kinds from dead trees to Shinobis. Its hunger is insatiable while it lives.

As it eats it grows stronger and with it its hunger only grows more. It will only die when it had nothing else to devour.

You will have to combine your fire element with the Rasengan. Remember you are the future keeper of the Shadow Clone jutsu.

If it proves to be too hard break it up into smaller tasks and hand them out to you clones.' Alright Master Naruto, that is exactly what I am going to do.

Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

.

Five clones appeared around him. One helped him create the whirling glowing blue ball while the other four held their hands out and streamed fire into it.

Konohamaru strained to keep control as his clones formed the jutsu as the whine of a roaring fire grew louder and louder.

"_Have to hold it together…I can't force too much chakra into it to quickly…"_ He thought through gritted teeth.

He strained to form his chakra into the fan like blade of Naruto's Wind Release Rasenshuriken.

He fought with all his might but the jutsu collapsed in on itself and dissipated with a dull pop noise.

.

Konohamaru was breathing hard but was still eyeing the crimson crystal with indomitable determination and resolve.

Udon wore a slightly scared and disappointed look on his face before saying. "He failed…What are we going to do now?"

Moegi started to speak before Kakashi said. "He didn't fail. Did you forget who his master is so easily?"

Udon's eyes turned back to Konohamaru. He sat down in front of the gleaming crystal in a cross legged pose and laid his hands in his lap.

He closed his eyes and sat perfectly still.

.

Moegi tilted her head at him curiously before asking. "What is he doing at a time like this?"

"You can only fail if you give up Moegi. Konohamaru is just like Naruto.

When he gets knocked down he will pick himself back up and keep trying until he gets it right.

That's why Naruto put his faith in him to complete this mission.

_._

_"It's not working. No matter how hard I try to form the fire chakra into blades like Naruto does with his wind it only snuffs out the fire._

_If I don't fully form it into blades then the jutsu will not hold long enough for me to throw it._

_It will be too unstable and fall apart before I can hit a target with it."_

He thought as his mind became stiller and calmer with each passing second.

"He is using the Monkey Sage meditation technique. Raichi trained him to use his head after all."

Kakashi said to answer Udon and Moegi's confused looks.

.

_"Fire breathes…It needs air and kindling. My chakra is the kindling but forming it into dense blades doesn't allow it to breath and it dies out._

_I can't form it into blades like Naruto does, but what shape should I form it into?"_ He thought for a long moment.

_"A shuriken…It isn't alive, it's like the wind. It only needs itself to become a deadly weapon. _

_But fire on the other hand needs my chakra and air because it's alive and must breathe._

_What shape should I use to combine it into the Rasengan? Maybe I should shape it like something else that is alive._

_But what shape in nature is there that can keep up with a balanced prefect sphere?"_

.

The minutes slowly ticked by as they all watched Konohamaru and then suddenly he smiled.

"It seems he has a plan now." Kakashi said as Konohamaru stood up and opened his eyes.

He leveled his look once more at the giant crimson time/space crystal with an intensity in his eyes.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He said with the seal of the tiger up and two clones appeared.

"Right, let's do this!" He said to his clones as he clinched his teeth and then held out his right hand.

One of his clones formed the glowing blue Rasengan in his hand.

.

The other spun its fire element into a thin compressed thread and slowly fed it into in Rasengan.

The jutsu slowly took shape.

His heavier fire chakra became infused with the Rasengan and turned it as crimson as blood before being thrown just outside of the jutsu in rippling waves.

_"Almost there…Almost there…Hold it together…This is it!"_ He thought through strained gritted teeth as the jutsu roared louder and louder in his hand.

.

Kakashi was shielding his face from the intense light while Moegi and Udon covered their ears from the sheer sound of it.

His clones dissipated in to smoke when the jutsu became so bright that he could hardly stand to look at it.

He held the jutsu over his head and said with conviction in his eyes. "This one is for you Naruto! Fire Released Rasengan!"

He reached back and hurled the rippling crimson jutsu with all his might.

It raced across the viewing platform and smashed into the crystal where it grew and expanded to the size of a house.

.

The crystal glowed dimly white and started absorbing the jutsu as fast as it was trying to expand.

The enormous heat from the jutsu caused the tiles around the pillar to crack and shatter.

The jutsu began breaking down into smaller explosion that the crystal drew into itself.

By the time it absorbed the whole jutsu it was glowing a blinding white.

.

"Damn…" Konohamaru said between his labored breaths as he propped himself up on his knees.

"It…didn't work…"

Kakashi moved his arm that was shielding his face and looked down at the crystal. It was still blinding to look at but was slowly growing dimmer.

He jumped down to the platform followed by Moegi and Udon with worried looks on their faces.

Moegi went to Konohamaru and helped him into a sitting position on the ground.

.

"Are you alright Konohamaru?" She asked with concern in her voice.

"Yeah….but I'm going to have to do it again…" He said breathlessly as sweat rolled down his face.

"I don't think that's a good idea Konohamaru. It looks like that jutsu takes everything you have just to use it once.

If you do it again you might end up putting yourself into chakra exhaustion." Udon said quiet warning tone.

_"The heat was so intense that it gave him a sunburn. I'm over fifty feet away and I can still feel it radiating from the crystal."_ Kakashi thought in surprise as held his hand out to feel it.

_"Even Naruto can't combine fire alone into the Rasengan. He always reinforces with the wind or else it will snuff out the flame._

_You truly have taking a step closer to Naruto Konohamaru…"_

.

He took a moment to catch his breath. "That doesn't matter. Naruto believes in me. I can't let him down no matter what, not this time.

I don't care if that thing was made by my grandfather and the Fourth Hokage. I will find a way to break it!"

He said as he got to his feet and conviction shined in his eyes once more.

He put up the seal of the tiger as Moegi and Udon's eyes went slightly wide and back away from him quickly in timid fear.

"Shadow-" He started to say.

Kakashi never took his eyes off the cooling crystal, but held his hand out to the side in front of Konohamaru suddenly to stop him.

Konohamaru gave him a confused look and Kakashi said. "Don't be in such a hurry. Just watch…"

.

Konohamaru shot him an annoyed look and bluntly said. "I need to break it right? It's not broke. What do I need to watch for?"

Kakashi continued to watch the fading crystal for a moment as it dimmed down.

The crystal that had once been a shinning crimson color slowly faded to a dull purple hue.

The seconds slowly moved by until there was a pop noise that echoed through the silent village.

Konohamaru's annoyed scowl suddenly turned into a blank look of hopefulness as he saw a small crack appear on the upper left side of the crystal.

Kakashi, Moegi and Udon watched as the held there breaths in anticipation.

A cracking noise sounded twice more in rapid succession and the small cracked forked off in two directions before the crystal fell forward off pedestal.

It clattered to the ground as a gust of wind blew.

.

Kakashi's eyes went wide with shock.

_"Amazing….He broke the time/space crystal made by two of the Hokages on his first try…Naruto was truly right to place his faith in him..._

_Even Lady Tsunade and me together couldn't have broken that crystal… Amazing, simply amazing Konohamaru…"_

He thought as the dim blue nights sky seemed to shatter and fall away.

.

.

"Get up! It's time for breakfast Rukien!" An older woman's voice yelled at him and then he heard footsteps storming off.

He groaned as he rolled over and buried his face into his pillow before pulling the covers over his head.

"Man…Why do I have to get up so early today? Can't they announce the Genin squads at a normal hour?…" He mumbled to himself in dismay.

He sat up and yawned loudly while stretching. He looked around sleepily as he blinked a few time to clear his blurry morning vision.

He sighed deeply and looked sourly out the dark window near his bed before saying to himself. "The sun isn't even up yet…"

.

He got out of bed and opened one of the three small drawers under his bed to get his clothes.

He got dressed and tiredly went across the hall where he waited into line with the other orphans to use the bathroom.

Once inside he stood before a small mirror and wet his hands in the sink. He styled his fiery red hair just like his idol, Naruto, into spikes.

He cleaned the sleep out of his emerald eyes and washed his face before heading down to the long breakfast table.

The other twelve orphans that lived there were already eating quickly when he sat down.

He started gnawing on some plain toast on his plate as the head mother glared at him sternly.

The head mother was an old skinny woman with a hooked nose, a wrinkled face and short white hair.

.

"Rukien you aren't the only one that lives here. I shouldn't have to keep coming back to wake you up all the time.

Next time I will send you to the academy without breakfast. We will see if that rectifies your little sleeping in problem."

She stated sternly.

"Yes head mother Yaheko…" He said in a tired tone.

Yaheko's eyes narrowed at him in a scowl and said.

"I've arranged for Joel to take you all to the academy today. He should be coming down any minute.

So you had _best_ finish your breakfast before then."

.

Rukien rolled his eyes at his toast. _"Joel…That sadist, oh joy. He takes ever opportunity to 'discipline' me that he can think of._

_Why couldn't it be Hikrio? She's always so nice to me. And today was supposed to be a good day."_

He thought as he quickly scarfed down his two pieces of plain toast.

.

A moment later a middle aged, tall, skinny man with brown hair and brown eyes came down the stairs.

"Come now children, it is time to go." He said as he clapped his hands together twice loudly.

They all lined up at the door. Rukien took his time getting into line to be in the back, away from Joel as much as possible.

Joel turned around at the door in inspected the line for a moment.

"Rukien." He said and then Rukien cringed and swore under his breath.

"To the front of the line. I want you where I can keep an eye on you. We don't need you wandering off now do we?" He said musically with a fake smile.

.

Rukien tried not to give him an agitated look as he walked up to the head of the line.

Joel leaned down to him and whispered to him. "I should hope a self centered snotty brat like you can at least lead the line to the school."

Rukien knew better than to show his anger to Joel. He knew Joel was trying to bait him into making a scene to give him an excuse to 'disciple him'.

He gritted his teeth in a smile and softly said. "Yes Mr. Joel."

"Alright everyone we are leaving. Farwell Lady Yaheko." He said musically with a smile as he opened one of the double doors.

.

It was still dark out and the first rays of light from the morning sun were just creeping over the top of the Hokage monument.

Rukien filed out and promptly tripped right on his face.

He sucked in his breath in sharp rasps as his eyes watered in pain.

"Ta ta ta…ouch! Oh, that smarts." He said as he rolled over and covered his face with his hands.

"Rukien! What have you done now?" Joel yelled at him and then emerged though the door.

Joel's eyes went wide for a second before putting on a cheery strained smile again.

Rukien sat up and peeked through his hands while in pain at what he could have possibly tripped over that was right in front of the door.

He could only make out the blurry outline of a man sitting crossed legged in meditation with blondish hair.

.

"My deepest apologies Great Sage." Joel said with a low bow.

"I will make sure the boy is whipped accordingly for disturbing you."

"Great Sage…" Rukien said while holding his nose before his face went wide with surprise.

"Sensei Naruto! What are you doing meditating right outside the orphanage?" He asked intently and curiously.

Naruto sat perfectly still with his eyes closed.

His white Sage uniform was covered in gray tree moss and there was even grass growing out of his left sandal.

Joel shot him and angry look and sternly said.

"You will not address him in such an informal manner ever again Rukien! You will address him as Great Sage or Hero of the Five Nations."

.

Rukien was oblivious to Joel's words and smiled proudly as he pulled out a water balloon.

"Hey sensei, look at this!" He said as he kneeled down to Naruto excitedly with the balloon him his hand.

He closed his eyes in concentration and a moment later the balloon became bumpy all over before bursting showing him with water.

"Pretty good huh sensei?" He said with a boyish smile clearly proud of himself.

"Sensei…" He said questioningly and then he looked around as the sea of Naruto clones blanketing the area as far as he could see.

Joel and the other students coming out the door eyes went wide in stunned shock as they gapped at the sheer numbers of Naruto's clones all over the village.

"So…many clones. What is going on? This is extreme even for the Great Sage…" Joel said as he marveled at them all.

.

* * *

.

The cool desert night began to ebb and wane as the eastern skies started to glow light purple and pink.

Two small makeshift tents had been set up around a tiny cooking fire that had long since gone out.

Sakura was sleeping soundly curled up in a ball on the windswept desert floor.

The wind howled over the desert sand dunes and blew grains of sand into her face that prickled her skin.

She stirred and then rolled over onto her back, but the endless pelting of sand on her face refused to let her return to her slumber.

She groaned as she sat up. The left side of her face had sand sticking on it from sleeping on the desert floor.

She shielded her face from the wind and slowly opened her blurry eyes while trying to remember where she was.

.

Memories slowly came back to her.

She remembered following Naruto from the Leaf Village to the Sand Village when his Jinchuuriki seal was breaking.

She remembered their talk with Gaara and racing across the desert on his sand jutsu.

She recalled Naruto breaking the last of the seal holding Kyuubi inside him and her reforming piece by piece.

She remembered healing Naruto with all her chakra and nearly dying before Sasuke saved her and then Naruto.

He mind was flooded with thoughts as she remembered feeding Naruto in his sleep and how he embraced the Kyuubi like she was his mother.

Most of all she remembered her talk with the Nine Tailed Fox and climbing onto her head to sleep next to Naruto.

.

Her eyes went wide with frantic worry and she quickly looked around for him. "Naruto…Where is Naruto?" She said.

"He is over there." Sasuke said as he came around from the other side of his tent while pointing towards the newly dawning day.

Sakura scrambled to her feet as she brushed the sand off of her face and looked in the direction Sasuke was pointing.

The first golden rays of light crested over the horizon. Her eyes watered slightly as they slowly adjusted to the morning light.

In the distance standing near the edge of the sand dunes eastern side was the dark silhouette of a man with the new day dawning around him.

.

"He's been up for nearly an hour and all he does is stand there and stare down at Kyuubi in silence." Sasuke said as he came up to her side.

"What is he…I see… He must be waiting for us to get ready.

We need to speak to him and find out his plan for fighting her…" She said slightly worried as she tilted her head down.

"I don't think that is entirely it Sakura. I believe he is trying to still his mind for the battle to come." He said and then turned his head towards her.

"He looks just like Kyuubi did last night…You know, when she stared at the moon in silence don't you think?"

.

"Yes, he kind of does I guess. I better get ready. I still need to do a medical check on him to make sure he is ok." She said slightly forced to cover her nervousness.

She went over to her pack by her tent and quickly strapped on her ninja gear and gathered a few medical scrolls before returning to Sasuke side.

After a long moment of silence Sakura worriedly and nervously said. "Hey Sasuke…Are you a little scared?"

Sasuke shook his head and calmly said.

"No. I chose this path myself and no matter the outcome I am resolved to follow it to the end." He started walking to Naruto's side.

Sakura blinked a few times trying to take in her surprise at Sasuke's unwavering confidence before taking a few quick steps to catch up to him.

They came up to either side of him and looked down at what he eyes were locked onto.

The massive Kyuubi sat still in a lower flatter part of the desert staring off to their far left waiting for Naruto to take his place.

.

Naruto's face was unreadable and blank as Sakura gently touched his forearm and shyly said.

"Naruto…are you alright? You seem a bit worried."

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried Sakura." He said distantly.

"I need to check you out before we go to make sure you are in top shape…" She said with a forced voice.

Naruto solemnly shook his head slowly back and forth.

.

"No, there is no need for that. I'm better than I ever hoped for. Besides the time has come, it can't wait any longer."

He said and suddenly started walking down the dune towards the towering Nine Tailed Fox.

_"I'm…I'm not ready…I don't even know his plan yet. How can they walk off like they were just going to get breakfast?..._

_It's like they are already at a impossible last stand when fear and doubt have left them…It's like they already know they are going to die…"_

She thought sadly and fearfully as she grabbed her elbows before following them while trying to hold back her tears.

.

Naruto led them around Kyuubi's massive form and just over one hundred yards out to the exact place she was staring at.

Sakura timidly and fearfully trembled as she took her place at Naruto's left side while Sasuke held his head up high on his right.

Kyuubi's eyes seemed to flicker to life and she raised her giant head up tall and looked down at him.

_._

_"No…I have to stop shaking…I trained to be a Sage for this. I'm not going to rely on them anymore. I'm strong too._

_I will stand on my own two feet as an equal member of Squad Seven even if I have to die for it!_

_Naruto is the one that will save or destroy this world NOT her!"_

She thought with resolve and her trembling stopped and her fear left her.

.

**"You are a strange mortal Sakura. **

**You, who had the blinding courage to climb on top of my head last night and yet you tremble before me the next day…"**

The Nine Tailed Fox said to her.

She gave Kyuubi a sly smirk before boldly saying.

"It wasn't because of you that I was trembling. It was because of Naruto.

After I realized that the fear went away and all that was left is my resolve."

**"You are right to fear him mortal. I see you understand that my words about him are true."** Kyuubi's voice boomed across the desert.

She shifted her giant emerald eyes to Naruto and his calm look.

**"It is time Naruto. As per our agreement you may use any one jutsu before our battle and I will not try to stop you."** She said with a slight bow of her head.

.

Sasuke face became confused as he turned his head toward Naruto.

"What's all this about Naruto? You never told me about this part of your agreement." He said intently.

Naruto looked down and then took in a deep breath before looking back up at Kyuubi and said.

"Can I us-"

**"Use two jutsu? Yes Naruto…for they only help us both in the end. I know what you plan to do…"** The fox's eternal voice sounded out across the desert sands.

.

"What? Then you could use the Moon Sage's jutsu on her without her fighting back right now. You can end this before it even starts!" Sasuke said in surprise.

Naruto looked down again as he slowly slid the Thunder God Sword off the two polished sheath rings on the back of his belt.

He looked back up at Kyuubi and held the sword out to his side in front of Sasuke.

Sasuke swallowed hard and lightly took the sword from his hands.

Naruto's arms fell slowly back to his sides.

Sakura waited him with baited breath and he took in another breath. He closed his eyes to resolve himself.

.

The wind howled across the morning desert as Naruto put up the seal of the tiger.

He opened his eyes and said. "Shadow Clone Jutsu."

A single clone appeared next to him and stood still.

_"One clone? Only one clone? Rikudo's jutsu would take at least seventeen clones. _

_What could he possibly be able to do with a single clone?"_ Sasuke thought in utter confusion.

Naruto and his clone looked at each other and then he gave his clone a slight nod.

His clone snapped a cobalt blue kunai from his holster and twirled it around his finger a few time before gripping it in his hand tightly.

The clone moved so fast that Sasuke could even sense it.

.

Suddenly Sakura's face changed to confusion as she looked out at the desert sands from a high stone platform.

It took her a few moments to even grasp that Naruto's clone had his arms around her while holding a spirit marker in front of her.

She slowly looked to her side and saw Gaara and Matsuri watching them quietly on the other side of the Kazekage's tower roof.

Her eyes went wide with realization at what had just happened.

.

"No…" She said sadly while she looked down. "Not this time…It was supposed to be different…"

She gritted her teeth in raising anger as she clinched her first at her sides and tears welled in her eyes.

"This time I was supposed to protect you! I was finally going to stand by your side as an equal! Why? Why does it always turn out like this?

I'm strong too! I can fight as well! That's why I became a Sage Naruto!"

She yelled emotionally at him.

.

He embraced her trembling body softly and whispered so close to her ear that she felt his every word.

"I'm sorry Sakura. This fight is too dangerous for you. You have already played your part in this battle and I thank you for it.

Without you I could have never made it this far..."

.

Sakura didn't know if she was trembling from despair or outrage when she spoke again.

"So…you're leaving me on the sidelines again.

You can't protect me and I'll only get in your way is that it? But you can protect Sasuke huh?"

The Naruto stood gazing out over the desert from over her shoulder.

"No, I can't really protect him either, but I need him for this fight. I'm still too weak by myself." He said like he was cursing himself.

.

Sakura anger subsided yet she still trembled in his arms. "You…you mean Sasuke is going to…"

"The odds are definitely not in our favor Sakura. I will not try to soften the blow.

We both will almost certainly die, but what we are trying to do is worth laying down our lives even if it's only a sliver of a chance that we succeed." He said to her softly.

.

Sakura's lips quivered and tears broke the rims of her eyes. "Promise me…Promise me on your Nindo that you will return.

After all you've never broken your Nindo and you have to become the Hokage still..." She said trying to hide the fact that she had lost faith in her own words.

"I _will _be the Sixth Hokage Sakura Chan…but my rein will probably only last a fraction of a second…

It might not even be recognized, but I will know I held the title of the strongest ninja in the Land of Fire if only for an instant."

He told her with conviction.

She swallowed hard and begged him with devastation in her eyes. "Promise me…"

.

He shook his head softly and said. "No more promises on my Nindo Sakura Chan, it's beyond that now…"

"But…" She said with a quivering voice as she shook away her tears.

_"But I love you. I really want to tell you that…Even though I know it will only hurt you…But I just can't right now even though it's my last chance..."_

She thought sadly before raising her head again.

She took in an unsteady breath and said with a lost voice.

"What am I supposed to tell Hanabi? How can I face her after this if she survives? What am I supposed to do Naruto?"

.

Naruto winced like someone had stabbed him as he looked away. _"No, I can't leave her that type of message. I can't tell her how I really feel. _

_It's almost over. I only need to be strong a little longer even though it is so painful..."_ He thought as he looked down.

Sakura didn't even need to look at his to know what he was thinking.

It took Naruto a brief moment to master his thought again and speak.

"Tell her that you understand Sakura-Chan. Thank you and I'm sorry for everything…Goodbye…"

He said and then his clone embraced her tightly before dissipating into smoke.

.

His words echoed hollowly in her soul as she felt Naruto's touch leave her.

_"Good…Goodbye…but Naruto never says goodbye…"_

She thought blankly and finally it hit her fully that he wasn't planning on coming back.

_"No, not this time…Naruto and Sasuke are the two people I care about most in this world. We are Squad Seven…The three of us are one._

_If they are going to fight to the death I will be their too. I'm not some dainty flower that needs to be protected!_

_I'll go after them and help them even if they don't like it!"_

She thought with conviction as she stepped up on the railing and leaped out into the air above the desert.

.

She suddenly felt something grab her and slam her back down onto the top of the Kazekage tower.

She angrily looked over her shoulder and saw Gaara holding up the half seal of the tiger as sand coiled around her wrist.

"Gaara what are you doing? Let me go this instant! I have to go help Naruto and Sasuke!

Those two idiots are hopeless without me! They need me even if they don't realize it now!" She yelled at him as she fought against his sand.

When she managed to break one thick strand of coils two more would pop up and bind her again before she could get away.

.

She broke the sand and it rebound her again and again until she was panting on her knees with her wrist sticking through a glittering three feet tall pile of hardened sand.

She shook her head in frustration and begged him. "Gaara…What reason do you have for doing this? Just let me go…"

He calmly said. "I'm sorry Sakura. I can't break my promise to Naruto. I cannot let you go."

Her eyes went wide in sad realization.

.

Flashback.

* * *

.

They were just outside the Sand village and Naruto seal was breaking.

The massive spectral form of the Nine Tailed Fox sat still on the desert floor as Naruto spoke to Gaara.

"Is-Is everything ready?" Naruto asked before collapsing onto his knees while panting hard.

He nodded his head as Sakura timidly came up and took her place next to Sasuke.

"Yes Naruto. I've evacuated the village just encase. Only me and my chronicler are left in the village." Gaara looked at him for a long time and then said.

.

"You have made it farther than anyone else could have hoped to make it with a breaking seal…I will help you by making the last leg of your journey for you."

Gaara put his hands together as he closed his eyes. He summoned a great amount of chakra inside of him as the ground started to quake.

He strained with all his might and lifted the four of them up into the air on a giant sand disk.

Gaara opened his eyes and said.

"This sand will take you to the heart of the desert Naruto. The only thing I can tell you is I believe in you my friend.

Defeat the fox and become a Hokage like no other…"

Naruto looked down at him from high in the air and said through gritted teeth. "Remember your promise…Gaara…!"

.

"I would die before I broke that promise Naruto! Never lose heart; never forget who you are fighting for Great Hero of the Five Nations!"

Gaara yelled back to him with pride while waving his hand as the sand disk rose higher into the air and speed off over the cliffs heading for the heart of the desert.

.

* * *

End of Flashback.

.

"I know you might not like it Sakura, but Naruto wants to keep you safe.

On my Nindo I swore that I would keep you safe and I will die before harm comes to you." He said calmly as he turned to look back out as the desert.

Sakura looked down sadly and said. "Damn you Naruto…This isn't fair. It's not fair at all! I don't need Gaara to protect me!"

She struggled against his hardened sand jutsu but didn't have the strength to break it.

Gaara folded his hands behind his back and said.

"It is no use fighting it Sakura. Even at full strength you are no match for me.

Besides if you can't break my jutsu then how can you possibly think you can still help Naruto?"

.

"Gaara you have no idea how I feel. I _can_ help him!" She said as she slumped down and winced her eyes closed sadly.

"I know exactly how you feel Sakura. You want to rush to his aid and help him desperately. You don't even care if you die doing it.

I know that feeling because it is the same way I feel, but unlike you, and possibly even Naruto, I haven't lost my faith in him."

He said quietly.

.

"I-I haven't lost my faith in him…" She said unconvincingly.

"It's time you grow up Sakura. You need to learn that you can't stand by Naruto's side as his equal.

You must understand that you can't follow the path he is traveling no matter how hard you try.

You need to become strong right now. It takes much more strength to have faith in him then it does to rush to his aid when you will only die."

He said like he was talking more to himself than her.

.

.

Sasuke gave Naruto a blank expression that slowly faded as he came to understand.

"I get it…So you didn't want Sakura here. You're protecting her even still." He said with an understanding look on his face.

"That's right Sasuke. I don't want you here either, but it's unavoidable now…" He said seriously.

**"I see then, you and the accursed Uchiha will be fighting together. So be it!"** Kyuubi's voice boomed as her rage started to rise.

Kyuubi turned around and pointed her head towards the sky.

Sasuke grabbed the hilt of the Thunder God Sword before Naruto stopped him.

.

"No Sasuke, not yet. I used my jutsu now Ruby will use hers." He said without ever looking at him.

Sasuke wore a curious expression before asking. "This is part of your agreement with her I take it. Do you know what she is about to do?"

He nodded his head quietly and didn't speak for a long moment.

"Well Naruto?" He questioned him expectantly.

Naruto watched Kyuubi open her mouth as the air around them seemed to become eerily cold.

"She is going to reclaim the part of herself that my father sealed away. She's going to take back the darker Yin part of her soul from death itself."

He said without emotion.

.

Sasuke started before saying in shock. "She's what? Naruto you can't let her do that! We already barely stand a chance now, if she become whole again…"

"I have to let her Sasuke. She kept her word and let me send Sakura away now I have to keep mine.

I need her to be whole again for this fight." He said in an absolute tone.

Sasuke's mind spun in confusion at his words and it took him a moment to calm himself.

"What will happen if she becomes so much stronger?

If she takes back her Yin side she will lose all the reasoning she has and become like a mindless beast of destruction.

Tell me you have a plan to kill her or seal her away." Sasuke said intently.

.

Naruto chuckled softly and said. "You always called me dumb when we were younger but you never did get it."

"Get what?" He asked in a reserved tone.

"This never was a fight to kill or seal away Kyuubi…" He said with a smile on his face.

"Then please tell me we aren't out here to become martyrs to the village Naruto. What exactly did you promise Kyuubi?" He said with concern.

.

"'The way to stop hatred and war is to truly understand one another'. Jiraiya taught me that.

Shortly after I ended the Fourth Great Shinobi War I came to realize that the seal holding Kyuubi wouldn't hold for very long, not even a year.

I still had many things I needed to do before this day came. I spoke with Ruby and we came to an agreement.

I would let her out of the internal cage that she was in and she wouldn't try to take over my body or destroy my mind.

Our agreement did not come without its price as you already know… I couldn't bear any children because of it.

Yet because of that the seal survived nearly four years and allowed me to train Hanabi and Konohamaru.

I only had to agree to something that I knew I would one day have to do anyway."

He said as he watched a black swirling cloud forming in the sky above Kyuubi's head.

.

"So what exactly are you planning to do Naruto?" He asked intensely with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm going to save the Nine Tailed Fox's soul by taking away all her hatred and put it into myself.

I'm trying to redeem her and turn her back into what she once was." He said seriously.

Sasuke was speechless for a long moment trying to come to grips with just how loftily Naruto's aspirations truly were.

.

"You-You really think we can do something this insane?" He said blankly in shock.

He turned to him a smile hollow yet hopeful and said.

"Realistically…I doubt it, but there is always hope that we might pull it off.

Beside we won't know what we can do until we try and I've never been a realistic ninja anyway…"

.

Sasuke sweat dropped and gave him a queer expression of disbelief before saying.

"You mean to tell me…That I followed you on to the field of battle to fight the most powerful being in existence that you are letting it become strong before our eyes…

With our only hope being a jutsu that we aren't even sure of exactly what it does when even you think we can't win…

This has to be the stupidest thing any ninja, person or being has ever done Naruto…What reason could you have for even attempting this folly's errand?"

.

"Because I've got something to prove Sasuke." He said calmly.

Sasuke yelled at him in outrage.

"The only thing you're gonna prove is you that you are the stupidest Shinobi on the face of the planet you MORON!"

.

Naruto shook his head lightly and looked up a Kyuubi. "I'm trying to prove no one is beyond redemption Sasuke…

Everyone can truly understand each other if we try hard enough. If I can redeem her then even if I die doing it I will have proved anyone can be saved.

Even if death takes me it will be proof that the Five Ninja Nation can unite in a lasting peace. That has always been my dream to accomplish that as the Greatest Hokage.

I'm not going to quit or back down just because I will probably die. The chance to achieve this is worth laying my life on the line." He said seriously.

"If you want to back out now Sasuke I can still jump you back to the sand village as soon as the battle starts."

.

Sasuke gave him a sour expression as he thought out loud.

"Hmm, too leave you here alone with Kyuubi when a gateway to hell is open in front of me.

For the sake of human kind I think it would be best if I don't take your title of the 'Worlds Stupidest Shinobi'.

You'd probably screw up and somehow manage to leave the gateway to hell open.

I don't want to even think about what that would happen in that case.

I guess if you are stupid enough to try this against all the odd then I'll just have to be crazy enough to follow you."

He said with slight grin which Naruto stole a glance and returned his grin.

.

"Hey Sasuke…Thanks for helping me." He said honestly while watching Kyuubi.

"Thanks for saving me from myself.

I think I understand now why you want to save her as well and I believe there is more to it than uniting the five nations."

Sasuke said honestly and knowingly.

.

Naruto smiled as he looked down and nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, what can I say? Ruby is my friend too and you know that I will not stop trying to save my friends if they need me."

He said honestly.

.

The swirling dark cloud dominated a great portion of the western skies when Kyuubi's body suddenly flared to life with red chakra that radiated pure hatred.

She snarled and crouched low as her demonic eyes scowled into the gate she opened.

Her tails fanned up into the sky and two giant red chakra hands shot out of them and into the darkness of the gate.

The wind blew like a hurricane from the force of her chakra's movement.

.

Sasuke shielded his face from the blast a fought to stay up right.

Naruto quickly took hold of him and leaped backwards.

"What's happening?" He yelled through the wind as Naruto landed and leaped back again.

"It's started! Whatever you do don't use your jutsu to look into the gate to hell. You'll die!" He yelled back to him as he looked away.

They landed over six hundred yards away when Kyuubi's outraged ear splitting roar of a voice screamed across the desert and made it tremble.

**.**

**"SHINIGUMI! YOU ARROGANT GREEDY LITTLE FOOL! HOW DARE YOU CONSPIRE WITH MORTALS TO STEAL MY SOUL!"**

Kyuubi two chakra hands had the demonic horned white robbed creature pinned down by both its arms.

Even when prone Shinigumi had a sadistic sneer on its face.

**"YOU DARED TO HELP HIM SEAL MY SOUL INTO A FRAIL HUMAN BODY ALL FOR ONE MORTAL SOUL!**

**I WILL SHOW YOU AGAIN WHO IS THE STRONGEST BEING IS!" **

The Nine Tailed Fox screamed in fury as its red chakra poured out and towered high into the skies.

.

Every hair on Kyuubi's body flickered like a flame radiating in its outrage and hatred for Shinigumi's very existence.

The demonic fox's chakra burned like an inferno for over two hundred yards around it, searing very desert sands into molten glass.

The sheer heat coming off of her became too much to bear for Naruto and Sasuke forcing him to put more distance in between them.

Kyuubi's towering chakra not only burned into the skies, but floated off of her like a dangerous mist that filled the area near her like poison fog falling out.

Naruto was frantically leaping back as fast as he could to keep out of range of the intense ever growing chakra and heat coming from her.

.

Kyuubi's body suddenly tensed lower to the ground and the chakra mist started to move back towards her.

Sasuke yelled as loud as he could though the gale force winds.

"She's drawing in an ungodly amount of chakra! There is no way we will survive the blast! Use the Yellow Flash to jump us away!"

Naruto was leaping backwards from sand dune to sand dune as such incredible speeds; he almost looked like he was using time/space Ninjutsu.

As he arched back and forth from dune to dune he yelled back.

.

"I can't Sasuke! I can't use any jutsu. I gave my Nindo on it!"

Sasuke barely heard him even though he was inches from him though the screaming wind.

"Great, you stupid Toad Sage…We are going to die before the battle even starts all because of your stupid Nindo!"

He yelled back in annoyance but Naruto never heard him. He was too busy leaping and dodging for both their lives.

.

Kyuubi screamed in both fury and pain as her chakra became so dense that it exploded upwards into hundreds of huge chakra arms that shot into the darkness of the Hell's gate.

The force of her attack sent a tsunami of shattering glass shards, molten lava and burning sands racing across the desert at incredible speeds.

.

Naruto's eyes went wide and he quickly turned around and sprinted as fast as he could while holding Sasuke close to him.

"OH SHIT! There's no way I can out run that!" He screamed in a panic as a mushroom cloud shot into the sky and a shockwave trembled across the desert.

.

* * *

.

Gaara was standing at the railing of the Kazekage tower with one hand over his left eye using his Third Eye jutsu.

Matsuri worriedly watched the dark circular cloud and the ever growing red chakra that was dominating the horizon before asking carefully.

"Gaara…What is happening?..."

Gaara eyes went wide as he saw the massive amount of red chakra shoot into the dark clouds at blinding speeds a split second before the tsunami ripped across the desert.

He saw Naruto, Sasuke and the tsunami that was turning the desert into a glass shards and lava rapidly approaching them.

.

"Nooo!" He said soullessly as he quickly put his hands together in a prayer like sign and closed his eyes tightly.

_"Naruto you may not be able to use a jutsu, but I can!...Mother…" _He called to her with all his being and soul.

_"Mother please let the protection you have given me all my life fall to Naruto…_

_Take all my chakra if you must, but please….Please Mother Karura I beseech you! Please save him!" _

Gaara begged her with all his might with his eyes winced closed in concentration.

_"What kind of jutsu is that?"_ Sakura thought in curious shock.

Matsuri was thrown from her feet and tossed like a rag doll when the desert in front of Gaara exploded outwards.

Sakura hunkered down behind Gaara sand jutsu trying to weather the backlash of his jutsu that was tearing its way across the desert at tremendous speed.

.

* * *

.

The tsunami wave of lava that had glass shards and boulders shooting out of it and exploding in mid air raced toward Naruto and Sasuke.

_"Shit!"_ Naruto thought as did the only thing he could think of.

He crashed into a sand dune and shielded Sasuke with his own body and instant before everything went dark.

The terrible sound of hissing, cracking and explosions sounded as a defying roar that flowed over them.

.

* * *

.

Kyuubi's eyes only shined with pure hatred as it had every part of Shinigumi pinned down with its great number of raging chakra of hands.

Many of her chakra hands gripped at its mouth shattering Shinigumi's jagged teeth as they ripped to open its mouth.

Darkness blacker than the deepest night was inside Shinigumi's maw and the screams of the tormented dead souls rang out over the desert in eerie wails.

Kyuubi's many burning chakra arms parted as another came forth dwarfing all the others.

It slowly writhed and snaked its way up towards the darkness of Hell's gate radiating its desire to rip forth what had been stolen from her.

.

Shinigumi struggled knowing what was coming for it.

The death god managed to turn his hand over and cut several of Kyuubi's chakra arms that were pinning down its right arm with its white soul slicing blade.

Kyuubi tensed again pulling Shinigumi forward and then slamming him backwards against an unseen force.

**"YOU FOOL! YOU THINK YOU CAN USE YOUR PATHETIC POWERS ON ME!" **

The giant red chakra hand shot up into the whirling darkness of hell's gate and deep into Shinigumi.

The wailing cries of the dead turned into shrieks of utter terror as Kyuubi dove deeper and deeper into Shinigumi's body searching for what was rightfully hers.

.

Kyuubi's arm arched and bent as it swept thought the darkness of hell, searching, ever searching for the other half of her soul.

She felt that she was getting closer and closer to its evil malice born out of her hatred. Kyuubi's eyes flared as she stood up fully.

**"I found it! NOW I WILL RIP IT BACK OUT OF YOU BODY! **Kyuubi yelled in excitement and hatred.

**"I'll not let you have it so easily Oinari…" **Shinigumi said in a dark other worldly voice that would make most mortals go insane from hearing a single word from him.

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Sasuke were both panting in the darkness as the earth shattering sounds of the battle raging in the desert were muffled yet still incredibly loud.

The ground kept shaking underneath them in random intervals.

"Are we…dead?" Sasuke breathlessly said.

"I'm…not sure." Naruto said drawing in labored breaths that burned in his lungs.

The both took a long moment to steady their breath before Naruto said.

"I can't see a thing. Where are we?"

.

"Well don't look at me, I'm blind remember." He said sarcastically.

"Thanks, like I don't already know that Sasuke…Could you just help me feel around so we can try to figure out where we are?"

He retorted sharply while getting up on to all fours groping at the sandy floor.

Sasuke started feeling around as well when Naruto found the wall of the room.

He patted lightly up its dome surface.

"OUCH! HOT! HOT! HOT!" He yelled in pain as he waved his hands over his head and then blew on them several times.

Sasuke sighed bitterly and flatly said. "That settles it…We are in the ninth circle of hell…"

.

"Enough with the sarcasm Sasuke! Can't you summon a light or something so we can figure out how to get out of here?" He said in annoyance.

Sasuke held up his pointer finger and summoned a tiny arching bolt of lightning.

It flickered and danced on the end of his finger dimly lighting up the strange room.

Naruto slowly gazed round the oddly shaped room.

It was shaped like a rough triangle, but two of the walls curved out from the ceiling and then curved back into the wall.

The third wall looked like a bunch of interlocking sand logs stacked together.

The ceiling curved down slightly in the middle but jutted down more so in two places near the sand log wall.

.

"Well, do you know where we are Naruto?" He asked after a long moment.

Naruto shook his head slowly back and forth.

"Not a clue Sasuke. I've never seen a room like this.

You might want to use your sight flash jutsu to take a look at it so we can figure out a way out."

He said while peering around the strange room.

.

He moaned in displeasure as he turned his head in a few directions sending out tiny bursts of chakra to see.

"Well do you have any idea where we are?" Naruto asked.

"Not really, but you know that one wall kind of looks like interlocking fingers." Sasuke said in thought.

Naruto gave it a curious look and said. "Yeah, now that I think about it, it kind of does…"

"I think we are in a jutsu Naruto." He said seriously.

"Hmm your probably right, but this definitely isn't one of Kyuubi's…Do you think you can use your Chidori to bust us out?" Naruto asked hopefully.

"I doubt that is such a good idea until we know what we are dealing with." He said in a reserved tone of voice.

.

Then a beautiful female voice said. "I'm sorry little ones, but I can't let you out yet. It's far too dangerous outside for mortals right now."

Sasuke started slightly as grains of sand fell from the ceiling when she spoke.

Naruto looked around in awe and wonder. "Such a warm…caring voice…Who are you?"

The ground tremored and shook before finally becoming still once more.

"We have clashed in battle before Naruto Uzumaki, but today I am protecting you.

My mortal name was Karura, but you would know me better as the spirit of Gaara's mother." She said in a kind soft and caring voice.

.

"Then where are we?" Sasuke asked curiously.

"I have buried us over a hundred meters below the surface of the sand to protect you from battle the Kyuubi is waging on Shinigumi." She said musically.

"Gaara sent you didn't he?" Naruto asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Yes he did Naruto." She said.

"But does that mean Gaara is defenseless right now?" He asked worriedly.

.

"No, far from it. He is stronger than me and even his father, the Fourth Kazekage, even without my help." She replied.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good to know…Hey Karura…Thanks." He said honestly.

"No Naruto, I'm happy to do this for you. It is I that should be thanking you.

Without your guidance and kindness Gaara never would have become the fine man he is today."

She said with overwhelming joy in her voice.

.

* * *

.

Shinigumi fought to keep Kyuubi's darker half of its soul sealed away, but Kyuubi slowly and purposely started pulling.

Shinigumi fought with all its strength but Kyuubi toyed with the god of death savoring every moment of reclaiming her soul with a sadistic look in her eyes.

Minutes went by as Kyuubi's massive chakra kept being drawn back down into its body.

The god of death felt Kyuubi's darker half reach its mouth and struggled to close its jagged maw.

Kyuubi strained to hold the demons mouth open as darkness poured out of Hell's gate into the sky in writhing streams of evil darkness that towered into the heavens.

Day turned into night as the darkness of Kyuubi's soul started emerging from Shinigumi's mouth.

.

A giant dark fox's head with burning black eyes was pulled forth from the demon's mouth.

It struggled flinging its head back and forth violently trying to free it's self from hell grip.

**"You are a fool Oinari. You once begged me for death and I gave it to part of you. **

**Now you dared to come back and try to bring it back to life."** Shinigumi spoke in an ungodly voice.

Kyuubi gritted its jaw revealing her razor sharp canines before letting loose an earth shattering roar as she pulled with all her might.

Another tsunami raced across the desert as Kyuubi's darker half was pulled completely out of hell into the void of the gate.

.

Two red hands were wrapped around the dark soul.

Kyuubi's flaming red chakra had wound itself around its upper torso and a scaled, claw, demonic hand trying to pull it back into the depths of Hell from its hind flanks.

Kyuubi continued to pull and the black fox spirit reached the outer gate of hell.

The dark fox braced its legs on the edges of the gate and helped pull itself forward.

Sensing its freedom is near it let loose a ghastly roar that stripped the few clouds from the sky with its desire of destruction and death of all life.

Its nine tails took to the skies and fanning out over the heavens casting a dark evil presents over the landscape.

Both halves of Kyuubi struggled forward, but were locked in a tug a war with the death god where both sides were pulling but neither side moved.

.

**"How can you still have the strength to FIGHT ME?"** Kyuubi screamed in outrage that sent out another shockwave across the torn desert.

**"That part of your soul is too dark for this world Oinari that is why I helped a mortal seal it way. It no longer belongs in this plane of existence.**

**With it you will only bring disaster and destruction to this world and to yourself. **

**You cannot return to what you once where as long as you have it not matter what you do..." **Shinigumi's demonic voice rang out to her.

.

Dark Kyuubi roared again and brought down its massive clawed paw on the death gods arm causing a titanic explosion that ripped across the sky and sent out a sonic boom.

Shinigumi screamed a wail of utter madness as its hand was severed and fell away into the void.

Kyuubi drew her red chakra arms back inside her as dark Kyuubi descended to the earth like death itself with explosions following in its wake.

Its many tails soared out behind it as its dense chakra body landed on the desert floor with such force that it sent out an earthquake for miles.

The bedrock under the desert cracked and broke sending geysers of lava shooting up into the skies where it rained down setting the very desert sands a flame.

.

Kyuubi pointed all nine of its flaming red tails toward its mouth and gathered up a massive amount of chakra that sent out a screeching whine.

She forced it to shrink to one tenth its size in an instant and quickly swallowed it.

Light crackled in between her fanged teeth as she drew her head up to her full height.

"**You will come to regret this Oinari…"** Shinigumi said in a spiteful ominous tone.

Kyuubi opened her mouth and shot out an incredible red beam of condensed charka that twinkled with white stars around its edges.

It instantly covered the distance between Kyuubi and the hell's gate before filling the sky with a cluster flaming red explosions that shook the desert.

.

* * *

.

Gaara was breathing hard with both his hands out in front of him as another wave of sand and lava raced toward the village.

"Sand Tsunami!" He yelled and the sand in front of the village raced forward and crashed into the other destructive wave in a thundering crash canceling them out.

Gaara hit his knees panting as Matsuri rushed over to him. "Gaara!"

She grabbed him by the shoulders with a tearful and worried look in her eyes.

"Gaara you can't keep using that jutsu! You're already exhausted and the area in front of the village is down to its bedrock!

Gaara please we have to leave! The Village can be rebuilt, our lives are more important!" She begged him.

.

Gaara continued to pant on his knees.

"Kyuubi makes…. the other tailed beast look like children. This is unlike any Shinobi fight I could have ever imagined… It's more like a war between the gods!"

He yelled to the darkening sky as the ground shook again signaling the next wave of lava and sand approaching.

Gaara got to his feet as Matsuri wrapped her arms around his waist and begged him.

"Gaara please don't!"

.

The Kazekage drew both his hands back as lava poured over the wall of sand that was already over a hundred and fifty meter tall.

It hit the bedrock were it hissed and rolled forward.

"Sand Storm Devastation!" He yelled while bringing his hands together and summoning a cyclone of wind that tore into the lava.

The wind dissipated the heat from the lava cooling it into smoldering dark rock.

Gaara hit his knees again panting while holding on to the railing with one hand for support.

.

Sakura was cringing behind Gaara small hardened piles of sand that was binding her hands while trying to weather the calamity from the battle.

She didn't even try to run away when Gaara's chakra gave out and the jutsu fell into normal sand again around her.

She only tried to shield her face of the blasts of wind.

.

Razorwing landed unsteadily next to Gaara with Matsuri clutching at him with tears in her eyes while begging him to stop.

"Gaara! You have to move them to the Great Cliffs! It's the only place high enough-" He yelled but an evil ear shattering roar cut him off followed by a blast of wind.

Gaara continued to pant as Matsuri strained against his weight to help him to his feet.

Sakura fought to stop her legs from trembling.

_"Kyuubi…She really meant what she said about deciding the fate of the entire world…I can't stay here…I have to move or I'll die."_

She strained again and again to rise but her legs refused her.

"Damn it!" She yelled in fear and frustration before biting down hard on her hand.

.

Matsuri yelled over to her with Gaara's arm slung over her shoulder. "Sakura! Come on! We have to leave!"

Her trembling lessened enough for her to stand before another roar and shock wave threw her to the ground again.

"Damn…" She said though the howling wind as she weathered the latest blast of wind before struggling back to her feet.

She fought her way over to the others and then they made their way down into the village.

.

Once they were off the roof traveling became much easier, but the quaking ground still knocked them off their feet at times.

It was far too dangerous for Razorwing to fly so he waddled along beside the slow moving Gaara and Matsuri.

Sakura wasn't in much better shape than the rest of them but headed the group.

They were all too tired to speak as they headed towards the back of the village.

.

It only took them a few minutes to reach the back wall of the village, but it felt like a life time.

Gaara in his exhaustion stopped them at a tall ladder leading up the sheer wall to an opening in the rock.

"This is it. There is a secret passage that will lead us out behind the Sand Village.

Then we can come up the other side on the Great Cliffs near the chasm that connects the forest and the desert.

That place should be safe enough for us." Gaara said in a tired tone just before another shockwave near sent them to their knees.

.

"Quickly! Before the next one hits!" Razorwing yelled and then flew up to the opening.

Gaara started up the ladder first followed by Sakura and then Matsuri.

Gaara managed to move at a fairly quick pace considering his exhaustion with Sakura right on his heels.

Sakura and Gaara made it to the top before the next shockwave hit.

Matsuri stole a quick look back at the desert and saw Kyuubi's body shooting a giant red chakra hand into the swirling dark clouds.

.

Sakura turned around to help Matsuri up when the ground quaked violently.

Matsuri screamed and lost her grip. She started to feel weightlessness taking her when Sakura snatched out and caught her arm.

Even with her enhanced strength she had to strain with all her might to keep a hold of her while the ground shook.

Matsuri eyes where shut tight in fear as she dangled from Sakura's arm.

Razorwing jumped over Gaara sitting on the floor panting and used his beak to latch on to the back of Sakura's uniform.

The both pulled as hard as they could under the trembling ground.

They yanked her through the opening and she fell on top of Sakura.

Razorwing barely got out of the way in time from being on the bottom of the pile.

.

Matsuri looked miserable panting on Sakura's bust. Sakura was no better trying to catch her breath as the tremors died down once more.

"I know you're all tired, but we can't stay in this tunnel and rest. With the state things are in it could collapse at any moment." Razorwing spoke in a noble voice.

"Yes we must make haste…We can rest after we get to the other side of the cliffs…It's only a few hundred more feet." Gaara said breathlessly as he slow rose.

He walked down the dark passage with one arm resting on the walk for support while his other arm was warped around his mid section.

Matsuri blushed as she got up from her comprising position on Sakura and quietly said. "Sorry Sakura…"

.

Sakura struggled to her feet and clutched her should before saying in a tired tone. "Less talking, more moving Matsuri."

It seemed to take an eternity to reach the light at the end of the tunnel.

It didn't help that Matsuri started from every noise along the way while looking around nervously at the walls.

Gaara was dragging his feet in exhaustion by the time they reached the ladder at the other side of the cliff.

There was a two hundred feet drop to the sandy floor from the tunnel.

Razorwing looked Gaara up and down while he panting by the exit.

He looked back over his shoulder and told the others.

"It doesn't look safe for the Kazekage to make his way down on his own. I will take him to the ground myself." Razorwing said.

.

*Start*

* * *

.

Sakura gave him a disbelieving look though her tiredness and said.

"I know you're big for a hawk, but you are still only just over three feet tall. I think Gaara's weight is a little much for you…"

Razorwing jumped up and latched onto his shoulders before leaning forward.

They fell out into open air. "I am the Lord of the Skies after all Sakura!" He said out into the fading distance

"Gaara!" Matsuri screamed and reached for him before Sakura stopped her from jumping to her death.

They fell down fifty feet before the noble hawk opened his broad wings and slowed their decent.

He glided in lazy circles and deposited Gaara gently against the sheer cliffs face in a sitting position.

.

"Matsuri…We have enough to worry about without you doing anything else stupid." She said and then sighed as she released her grip on her forearm.

Sakura grabbed the edges of the ladder and started sliding down.

Matsuri was slightly embarrassed as she grabbed the ladder rails and followed Sakura.

A split second after Matsuri's head cleared the exit passage another shockwave hit sending a gale force wind of dust and debris rocketing out of the tunnel.

She yelped as she was pelted with small rock and sand on her way down.

She tensed up as she thought. _"Another second and I would have been killed…It is so scary right now…"_

She reached the ground where she fought her wobbly legs for a moment before falling on her butt.

"Ouch!" She yelped in pain.

.

Sakura went over to Gaara and inspected him.

She was already healing him while clutching her hurt shoulder when Matsuri finally walked up to them shakily.

They all were filthy covered in sand and dust. The winds and blasts had left their clothes ripped up and tattered.

Their hollow expressionless faces showed that they were drained mental and physically.

They could hardly stand and the battle still raged turning the desert into blasts of broken dunes and flaming rocks.

.

Matsuri caught sight of the swelling bruises that Gaara's shackling jutsu inflicted on her and winced at it.

Sakura poured her healing chakra into Gaara as the Kyuubi's roar echoed in the distance.

Matsuri felted herself sinking into sadness as she looked into Sakura's tired eyes.

Gaara's breath came in slow rasps and his eyes seemed to have lost their vibrancy.

They looked distant, defeated and only a hint of his former determination glimmered in his eyes as his head slumped on his shoulders.

She cringed when Kyuubi let loose another inhuman roar as sand rained down on them like water.

.

"Gaara…" She called to him softly with tears forming at the rims of her eyes.

Gaara slowly rolled his head upright on his shoulders.

His eyes seem to take a moment to focus on her like he was pulling himself out of the nightmare of his own mind.

"Yes Matsuri…" He said in a tired distant tone.

.

"Are you alright?…You just look so… defeated and tired. It-It's just I haven't seen you look like this since…since."

Matsuri choked one her words as she turned her face away and down.

Another thundering roar sounded from the heart of the desert as tears rolled down her face.

Gaara stayed silent for a long moment as Sakura heal his tired body.

.

"Yes…It does feel like that… It feels like I'm back in the Fourth Ninja War. It feels like I am trying to fight something so much stronger than myself.

When all I can do is try to save as many people as possible and lament the fact that I wasn't strong enough to save them all…

All the while knowing that tomorrow will only bring more of the same." He said hollowly.

.

"It does remind me of those days. When no matter how many people I heal I know I can't save them all.

More and more of them show up every day and even though I'm tired and hungry I just keep going until all I see is more death every day.

Until I start losing my feelings for my patients and I just want it all to end." Sakura said distantly.

Tears flowed freely down her face as distant explosions shook the earth. Sakura started healing her shoulder when Matsuri said.

"Then let us flee! The sand village is lost! Let us retreat to the Village Hidden in the Leafs! There we can unite the Shinobis and come back to take that monster down!

Please don't tell me you are really planning to go to the Great Cliffs Gaara…" She said sadly with her tears rolling off her cheeks.

Gaara slowly rose to his feet at took a step toward the Great Chasm.

.

"I will not ask any of you to follow me…" He said resolutely as the wind howled tossing his outer coat in the breeze and started.

Sakura slow stood up on her feet while healing her wrist to followed him.

"Gaara…there isn't any reason left to be here. You are just putting your life at risk. Do you want to die for nothing?" She yelled at his back as he walked away.

"There is every reason for me to be here. I _am_ the Kazekage and this desert is my home. I have every reason to stay and fight for my homeland.

If you wish to head to the Leaf Village I will not stop you." He said without emotion.

.

"Gaara!" She yelled to him as Sakura came up and put her hand on her shoulder and gave her an understanding look.

"Matsuri it doesn't matter where we go... This is the Day of Destiny_. Naruto's_ destiny…Today is the day he will either save world or it will be destroyed.

There is no place far enough to run anymore…" She said helplessly.

"Gaara, why won't you look at me? Why don't you ever think about how I feel!

Damn it, I don't want you to die! I don't want you to die at all! I LOVE YOU GAARA!"

She screamed desperately to him and she shook her head as tears flew off her face.

.

Gaara's eyes went wide as he stopped in his track in blank shock. His chest tightened and it became harder to breath.

Kyuubi's roar ripped across the landscape again, but all Gaara could hear was three of Matsuri's words echoing into the depths of his soul.

_"What…What is this…feeling…A heaviness over my heart…Di-did she cast a jutsu…on me?" _He thought as his trembling hand slowly reached for his heart.

_"What a strange feeling…It's…indescribable…For some reason I just want to run to her…Why would I desire something like that?_

_What meaning would there be in doing something like that?..."_ He wondered in stillness while trying to come to understand his feelings.

.

Matsuri clumsily ran to him while crying.

Sakura's head was leaned forward and her sandy hair was hiding her dust covered face.

"Gaara…" She said softly to herself as she heard Matsuri's feet hitting the sand.

"How can you still be standing?...Those are the same three words that brought Naruto to his knees…"

.

Matsuri crashed into Gaara's back and embraced him fiercely as she cried. "Gaara…"

_"So warm… her embrace is…How did she know? How could she know what I wanted? _

_How did she know what I was thinking? Her embrace…it's like when mother protects me and cradles me in the sand, yet it is so different…"_

He struggled with his thought as he looked down as Matsuri's hands around his stomach.

_"Her hands…I never noticed it before, but they are so small…compared to my own…"_

He thought distantly as he held his opened hand near hers that were clutching at him desperately.

A single drop of water fell into his open palm.

_"Rain?... A drop of rain?...But how?...The battle sheered the clouds from the sky…"_ Gaara thought with lost eyes as he looked up and only saw dust in the air.

"Gaara…I don't want you to die…" She cried sadly into his back.

.

_"The pain in my chest grows stronger…the tighter she holds me, but for some reason…I don't want her to let go…_

_But does that mean…that I like this pain?...That makes no sense. Why would someone like pain? But still I don't want her to release me._

_I don't understand…I don't understand at all… There must be something…wrong with me…" _He thought as he turned his lost confused eyes to Sakura.

A single tear rolled off his long black lashes and trickled down the left side of his face.

He looked at her for a long moment with his lost face as another drop of water fell into the palm of his still hand.

"Sakura…" He said with a blank almost begging voice. "What…is wrong with me…and where is this rain coming from?..."

.

Sakura limply covered her trembling lips with shaking hand as her eyes started to water.

She bit her lips together and then swallowed hard.

"There's nothing wrong with you Gaara." She said softly.

.

"Are you sure?…I have this strange pain…" He said was he turned his hand with two drops of water in it towards himself and placed it above his heart.

One of the drops of water rolled off of the side of his hand and the other flowed down to his pinky a where it glistened at the end of his finger.

"It's a pain… right here…and even though it hurts…I don't wish it to leave me. Have…Have I become a masochist Sakura?"

Gaara spoke slowly and asked her honestly with a hint of worry and lost wonder in his lost eyes.

.

Tear threatened to break the rims of her eyes from seeing how Matsuri had touched Gaara so.

"No Gaara you aren't a masochist. The rain is coming from you…" She said with a heart touched pained smile.

He gave her a pained look of lost confusion as two more tears fell down his face.

"But what jutsu could she have used one me to make me rain…I-I can't use the water element… My chakra leans the farthest away from the water.

What is the name of the jutsu to make people rain?

Why would a person _want_ to make another person rain Sakura? Why would they want to make another person _feel_ this way?…"

He questioned her in a desperate voice for answers his rain slid down his face.

.

Sakura fought back her tears and said. "It's called… love Gaara…"

Gaara lost eyes went slightly in surprise and said.

"There's a jutsu… to make others feel love? Is there really such a thing like that?... And Matsuri knows how to use it?

How have I trained her all this time and not known that she possessed such a supremely powerful jutsu?

With a jutsu that powerful Naruto's dream and my own of uniting the nations in peace could easily be achieved.

Maybe she can use it on Kyuubi and help Naruto save her… Can you teach me this jutsu Matsuri?"

Matsuri trembled and said. "Naruto is trying to save the Nine Tailed Fox? He is not trying to kill it?"

Gaara nodded his head at the ground and said.

"Yes, he is trying to save her soul. Kyuubi is lost in the darkness just like I was when Naruto save me…

He intends to show the world that no one or being is above redemption. His aspirations are truly that great."

.

Sakura shook her head back and forth as her own tears broke the rims of her eyes and rolled down her face unable to find the words to tell him.

Matsuri slowly released her embrace on Gaara and wiped the tears out of her eyes on her sleeve as she sobbed.

"I-I'm sorry Gaara-" She started to say before Gaara turned to her and embraced her tightly.

They were both covered in dust and filth except for the places where tears had streamed down there face as they clung to each other.

"Even if you cannot teach me how to make other's rain…Please… don't stop your jutsu on me now Matsuri…"

He begged her as he rested his face on the top of her sandy light brown hair with his eyes closed.

.

Sakura whispered softly to herself. "Actually Gaara there is no jutsu to make other people feel love…Wait…

Actually there is, but only Naruto is foolish enough to use it…"

.

"Matsuri….please let me rain… just a little longer…I-I just do not wish to let you got just yet…"

Gaara pleaded to her as his rain fell in droplets into her hair as she cried into his chest.

In the midst of a battle that shook the very earth they held each other tightly unable to find the words to tell one another how they truly felt.

They only could express their feelings by embracing each other with tears rolling down their faces.

.

* * *

.

After notes:

Sorry for all the grammar errors. I know it's probably full of them as my editor(wife) raced through the chapter to see what happened next and didn't edit like normal.

Hope you all enjoyed it, especially those of you that actually read the note at the beginning and listened to the music that went with the final scene.


	37. Ch 37: A Tale of Two Brothers, Part One

Authors note: I hope you all didn't think that I gave up on my story...Well at least a few you did because I got several worried PM.

I'm back with a new post and I finally got through one of the harder parts of the story for me to write.

.

Reviews questions:

* * *

_**Mr. The Foolish  
2011-08-12 . chapter 36**_

_**I'm pleasantly surprised that you responded to my review.**_

How exactly am I supposed to get better at writing if I don't read my reviews? LoL.

_**I get your logic for the whole "Sasuke being a sage" idea, though I would say that it isn't necessary to be on active duty to be a sage, though it's really not important.**_

Hints why he told Naruto that he was sorry and that he was being foolish when he could have been there for him.

_**The thing that bothers me about your use of the word soulless is that I find it to be misused. **_

_**I understand the concept of connotation, so the word soulless means something different for you and I.**_

_**For me, soulless is for cruelty, insensitivity, or for "mindless drone" like qualities. **_

_**With this in mind, I find the word to be misused, which I know is different from what I said in my previous review. I was caught up in the moment I guess.**_

_**Well, maybe my previous was half-correct on the subject of what bothered me, as I thought it to be repetitive misuse.**_

The definition I was using was like someone who had their soul stolen from them, not a heartless killer.

_**You obviously don't need to change your writing if you don't feel the need to, I'm just clarifying and presenting a different perspective on writing. **_

_**I have no stories published myself, but I like to think that I have a decent grasp of such things, but I might be wrong.**_

You actually do have a pretty good grasp on what you are talking about and you have excellent grammar in your reviews.

Many might think we are splitting hairs here, but it is about becoming a better writer for me.

_**Though some people think the Kyuubi/Sakura scene last chapter was too long, I find it to be fitting. **_

_**After all, Kyuubi has all the time in the world, and the length of it really emphasizes what being eternal really means.**_

_**If the part was so long that people lost interest in the passage, then good! I think that's the proper effect of that part.**_

Very good that is exactly what that scene was supposed to do.

_**I didn't say this last time, but, wonderful story you have here. **_

_**Amazing and unique plot, great characters and development, and much more. I was so happy to see this pop up. Thanks for writing.**_

Thank you for the complements.

.

Last Chapter:

* * *

.

Sakura shook her head back and forth as her own tears broke the rims of her eyes and rolled down her face unable to find the words to tell him.

Matsuri slowly released her embrace on Gaara and wiped the tears out of her eyes on her sleeve as she sobbed.

"I-I'm sorry Gaara-" She started to say before Gaara turned to her and embraced her tightly.

They were both covered in dust and filth except for the places where tears had streamed down their faces as they clung to each other.

"Even if you cannot teach me how to make other's rain…Please… don't stop your jutsu on me now Matsuri…"

He begged her as he rested his face on the top of her sandy light brown hair with his eyes closed.

.

Sakura whispered softly to herself. "Actually Gaara there is no jutsu to make other people feel love…Wait…

Actually there is, but only Naruto is foolish enough to use it…"

.

"Matsuri…please let me rain… just a little longer…I-I just do not wish to let you got just yet…"

Gaara pleaded to her as his rain fell in droplets into her hair as she cried into his chest.

In the midst of a battle that shook the very earth they held each other tightly unable to find the words to tell one another how they truly felt.

.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Tale of Two Brothers, Part One

* * *

.

Sakura stood teary eyed on the shallow desert floor near the Great Cliff's stone face that towered above them.

Out to the east the shallow desert sands extended for two miles before being snuffed out by the guardian trees of the lush forest that marked the border of the Land of Fire.

The great guardian trees with their thick trunks and broad leafy branches held the ever growing sands of the desert at bay.

Sakura with tears in her eyes watched Gaara lovingly hold his student Matsuri in his arms.

They were trying to understand just what love was, but Gaara only knew it, whatever it was, had taken hold of him and he was powerless to stop it.

.

Gaara squeezed her tightly though she cried and he rained as another great blast emitted from Kyuubi in her fight with the Death god for the darker half of her soul.

The Nine Tailed Fox's inhuman roar sent out a shockwave that rained sand and even molten rock over the high cliffs that separated the vast desert from the Land of Fire.

A large glowing red boulder the size of a house landed a few yards away from the Kazekage.

It exploded violently into shards of molten glass threatening to tear anything in its path into cinders.

Gaara never noticed as his mother Karura spirit came to his aid though she was also shielding Naruto and Sasuke from the battle almost fifty miles away at the same time.

The molten glass and explosive lava shards rained into the thin sand shield that quickly formed around him and Matsuri.

.

Sakura covered her face as she was thrown from her feet from the blast.

The molten lava hissed and melted small parts of the sand shield before falling into smoldering dark gray stone near Gaara and Matsuri.

Sakura remained unharmed as she struggled to a sitting position and gazed around at the searing lava spots all round her.

She slowly rose, straining against her heavy limbs all the way to right herself on her feet as the ground smoked around her.

She fought her labored breath for many moments before taking a few ragged steps forward.

.

"Gaara…Matsuri…We can't stay here! It is too dangerous even this far away!" She yelled through the howling back lash of the wind screaming over the Great Cliffs.

Gaara slowly unfolded his arms from around Matsuri after hearing Sakura's voice, but his rain still fell and she refused to let go and kept her face pressed tightly against his chest.

He reached down slowly and grabbed a hold of her hand. He forcibly pulled her out of her embrace and said.

"Sakura is right. We cannot stay here."

.

"Gaara, you can't possibly be thinking of going to the stone cliffs beyond the Great Fissure! Look how dangerous it is even on this side of the Great cliffs. It's suicide!"

Matsuri yelled to him in a tearful, caring and pleading voice.

Gaara gave her a pained look and told her. "That is right Matsuri…And the man I respect most is out there in it.

If there is even the slightest chance of helping him or my homeland I _will_ be there."

"But…But Gaara,…I'm scared." She said softly as she looked down while trembling.

.

"I know you are and I would go even without you, but please…come with me." He asked her softly.

She bit her lips together and wore a pained look as she thought for a long moment.

She raised her head and looked at Gaara with teary eyes before saying.

"Yes…I'll go with you…If Sakura is right then there is no were to hide anyway." She squeezed his hand tightly as gave him a pained smile.

Gaara looked down the cliffs face and moved forward never releasing Matsuri's hand.

.

It didn't take them long to make it to the great fissure that led into the desert.

The way was blocked as the tsunamis from the battle had filled the passage with sand that flowed out into the other side.

They climbed up a ladder on the far side of the blocked passage as the battle raged on and dark clouds of smoke wafted over the cliffs.

Gaara was the first to reach the top and Razorwing landed next to him just as he stood up fully.

He watched the dark swirling cloud just as Dark Kyuubi descended to the earth with her tails fanned out behind her.

She hit the desert floor with such force that when she landed it broke the bedrock around her for miles.

Geysers of lava shot out into the air and set the desert sands a flame as the ground trembled in an earthquake.

.

Gaara didn't even recognize his homeland as he stared out at it blankly in silent shock.

"Naruto…Is this the hell that you will be facing to save her soul…?"

Gaara said softly to himself as Kyuubi shot a beam of condensed chakra into the gate to hell and filled the skies with cascading explosions.

.

* * *

.

The explosions in the skies faded as the cracks from them echoed across the desert.

Molten lava spewed forth from the sands and flowed out like a slow moving river of fire that set anything it touched ablaze.

The Dark Kyuubi many tails arched toward the skies out behind it as its head was hunched low like it was poised to attack its other half.

Its inhuman burning desire for destruction and malice was radiated even at its other half.

Kyuubi turned her head slowly from the skies to the dark version of herself.

**"It is time we became whole again…" **Kyuubi stated with a hint of sadness in her voice.

.

Dark Kyuubi gave her a sadistic sneer and her eyes lusted for destruction before it spoke in a much darker voice.

**"As if I'd ever want to be joined back with my weaker half."** She raised her black flaming head to the heavens and laughed.

Her booming laugh sent another shockwave screaming across the desert.

**"I think not. I am pure now. I am much stronger without you than I ever was with you. I can already see it inside you. You have let a mere mortal pervert you with human emotions!**

**I am going to destroy everything I see! I WIL RENDER THIS WORLD TO ASHES AND NOT EVEN YOU CANNOT STAND IN MY WAY!"**

Dark Kyuubi yelled as her flaming black charka grew around her.

.

Kyuubi's eyes burned with hatred at the arrogance of her darker half as she stood up fully while her red chakra poured out of her.

Dark Kyuubi suddenly crouched lower and shot a huge ball of flaming black chakra at Kyuubi from out of her mouth.

Kyuubi side steeped it and leaped at the darker half of her soul as the dark chakra ball exploded out in the desert behind her.

Kyuubi caught her dark soul by the scruff of the neck as thousands of chakra hands shot out of both of their bodies and clashed against each other.

They grappled at each other in a whirl of movement as their ferocity and hatred sent out bursts of chakra that exploded out in the reaches of the desert.

They were slowly sinking into the lava but continued to roll around biting and clawing at each other relentlessly.

The dark soul had no physical form, but Kyuubi did. Chucks of her flesh were torn off of her body violently and were flung into the surrounding area.

Her blood spurted out of her wounds and into the lava where it smoked sending a sickly iron smell into the air.

The ferocity of their battle sent out a constant barrage of shockwaves and summoned a sand storm around them that towered into the heavens.

.

In the heart of the sandstorm Kyuubi and her dark soul fought with such speed as their many chakra arms crashed and grabbed on to each other.

Slowly the roars of hatred and the roars of destruction started to become one as they were surrounded in a streaking red and black orb of chakra.

The massive orb of chakra churned and mixed as the sands of the burning desert quaked ever harder with each passing second.

The giant chakra orb slowly changed from red and black to a deep violet color as both Kyuubi's cried out in pain as one terrible voice that carried as far as the border of the Land of Fire and beyond.

.

* * *

.

Naruto and Sasuke were on their hands and knees trying to weather the earthquakes as grains of sand fell in slow streams from above them.

He heard Kyuubi's cries of pain as she fought to become whole once more. Naruto had been straining with all his might with his eyes shut tightly as the ground shook violently underneath him.

His eyes flung open and tears of worry rushed to their rims when he heard her painful muffled screams like they came from his very soul.

"Ruby…!" He yelled and then rushed to the nearest sand wall. He plunged his hands into the sand wall and started digging with a desperate and wild look on his face.

The sand reformed as fast as he could dig it out of his way even as the ground trembled.

"Naruto! Stop this!" Sasuke yelled at him as he grabbed him from behind and tried to pull him away.

Sasuke didn't have the strength to hold him back as Naruto continued to try to dig himself to the surface with a nearly deranged look in his eyes.

Large clumps of sand rained off of Sasuke as he strained to say. "You can't go out there yet Naruto! Get a grip on yourself!"

.

"I have to go Sasuke! I have to! Something's wrong! She's in pain…True pain Sasuke!" He yelled back at him as sand shot out from every direction in front of him.

"Naruto please stop. I am having enough trouble to shield you from the battle above. If you don't cease your attack on me then I will not be able to protect you much longer."

The Spirit of Karura said to him in a musical voice.

"Let me out!" He said in a serious voice as he stood up and looked at the chest of her sand form.

Naruto reached his right hand out behind him and his fingers tensioned like he was holding a ball.

"If you don't get out of my way I'll blast my way out…" He warned without any doubt in his eyes as the wind started swirling in his hand.

"Naruto stop this! If you try that you'll end up killing me in the process! You have to calm down." Sasuke tried to reason with him while straining against Naruto's unmovable strength.

.

Naruto's eyes went slightly wide in shock as a straining voice full of pain sounded in his mind.

_**"Naruto…It is nearly time. You must wait a little LONGER!"**_ Kyuubi's screaming howl of pain ripped across the broken desert.

Her howl caused Naruto's hands to start trembling as he closed his eyes and tried to still his unsteady mind.

Sasuke felt his body relax suddenly and start to tremble. He let go of his waist and looked at him.

_"That look,…that stance…Is he still connected to Kyuubi to such a degree that they can still speak to each through thought alone…?"_ He thought in a worried curiosity.

_"Ruby…You're changing…Your chakra…Your being…It's all changing. Will you still be you after you absorb your other half?_

_Will I still have a chance to save your soul?"_ He sent out his thoughts not like he was trying to talk directly into her mind, but more like a prayer that he hoped she heard.

.

"Naruto…" Sasuke said as he put his hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto started slightly and opened his eyes slowly coming out of the depths of his thoughts.

"What could be going on up there that could make even you tremble?" He asked in sincerity.

Naruto looked down sadly as the earth continued to shake and reverberate under them.

.

"She's…She's changing. Her very soul is becoming something different, something unfamiliar to me.

She has always had so much scorn and hate, but she always had her good parts to… like her pride and always keeping her word.

She protected me all my life…Whenever I ran out of chakra she always gave me some of her's so I could keep my Nindo.

She didn't do that just to save herself all the time…I know somewhere deep inside of her she is good being.

I've always felt that part of her deep in the back of my mind,… but I can feel that part of her being swallowed up by the darkness now.

…If the good part of her soul is swallowed up completely then I have no chance to save her… What am I supposed to do if that happens?

I'm the only one left that has a chance of fighting her… "

He said sadly and hollowly while looking at the floor with lost eyes as Kyuubi's screams of pain filled the air once more.

.

Sasuke's grip tensed on his shoulder while he gave him a week smile.

"If she becomes lost in the darkness then you will just have go into that darkness and find her.

You will have to bring her back into the light…just like you did for me Naruto."

He said empathetically. A long moment passed as Naruto's breath became even more unsteady with each of Kyuubi's screams of pain.

"Naruto." Sasuke said and pulled him around to face him. Crystal tears were streaming out of his vibrant sapphire eyes.

"…Are you losing that much faith in yourself Naruto…?" He asked with concern in his voice.

Naruto shook his head and closed his eyes as two more tears rolled down his face. He was unable to speak for a moment.

.

"No…That's not it at all…" He said in a quivering voice.

"I can bear her roars of hatred or destruction and only want to protect others from her…,but her roars of pain…

I can't defend myself from them. They hurt worst than any jutsu that's ever been used on me.

Her soul screaming…I can feel it in mine like…" He struggled to find the words.

"Like she is the other half of your soul Naruto…" Sasuke knowing his feelings finished his thoughts for him.

"Her every scream is driving me mad. I want to rush to her right now and try to save her, but…" He said and then remained silent as his tears fell to the floor.

"If you must walk into that place of darkness to save her soul then I will walk with you into that darkness so you don't lose your way." Sasuke said.

"Thank you Sasuke." He said and then stood up on his feet.

.

He took in a deep breath and then looked up at the ceiling.

"Karura, please take me back. It is time." He said with resolution.

"Are you sure Great Sage? Do you know how dangerous it is up there?" She asked him in her musical voice.

"Yes, I'm sure." He told her.

"Very well then." She said and the earth below them lurched.

They could fell that they were moving up towards to the surface and the temperature in the room began to rise.

Naruto knew exactly what had been happening above because he had sensed it all.

.

* * *

.

Kakashi slowly entered the Hokage's office and closed the door behind him.

Tsunade was standing unmoving at the bay window behind her desk. She wore a look of emptiness on her face.

Her hands were folded behind her back as she looked out towards the radiant yellow chakra coming from the top Hokage monument.

Nearly any other Shinobi would be marveling out at such an unprecedented sight, but it didn't phase her at all.

Even though she could look down on tens of thousands of Naruto's clones she still felt like there was a big empty void in the village.

.

"Konohamaru succeed in destroying Hokage training ground three Lady Tsunade. I've sent out a notice that no one is to disturb his clone.

The people of the village are curious and worried about what is happening, but they don't know the truth… yet." Kakashi said quietly as he walked up towards her.

"I think I can see that the mission he gave you was successful Kakashi. I'm not blind." She said without ever meeting his gaze.

The windows ratted for a brief second from a far away shockwave.

"I take it there has been no more news from the Kazekage?" Kakashi asked her more to comfort her then he did to get an answer.

Tsunade shook her head back and forth slowly.

"No, I haven't received any more messages from him. It's not like I need them to know what is going.

Shockwaves rattling the village every few moments, a dark cloud rising in the west and an army of Naruto's chakra clones blanketing the village…The fighting has begun…"

She said quietly looked down at Naruto's clones. One by one they were opening their eyes that glowed with stored chakra yet they didn't move.

"Yes, The Child of Destiny is fighting for us all." Kakashi said as Kyuubi's screaming howl of pain echoed lightly in the distance.

Naruto's clones started to pop and their chakra raced through the air towards the Land of Wind in ever combining streams.

.

* * *

.

Karura's large sand form broke the tops of the desert dunes just as a searing wave of deadly chakra blasted over her.

Naruto and Sasuke had to grasp at the walls to keep their balance during the quaking blast.

As the reverberation started to die down Naruto climbed out from under Karura's arm through a small opening and then helped Sasuke out.

Karura's sand form had been hardened into sand stone from the heat of the chakra wave.

Her form looked like she was on her knees hunched over something protecting it. Her face was turned to the side with a smile of joy.

"If I didn't know better I'd say that was a statue of Matsuri." Sasuke said as Naruto looked out across the hellish desert at what had become of his friend Ruby.

.

Even though she was hunched over her body towered high into the burning air with her many tails fanned out behind her.

Geysers of lava and ash shot up around her and through it all she had her eyes filled with bloodlust and hatred locked squarely onto Naruto even from her great distance.

Her massive front legs tensioned as she growled in utter fury at the sight of him.

Naruto took a long, hollow look at her and to himself. "Ruby is that really you?"

"Naruto what is the plan?" Sasuke said quickly seeing that the demon would attack at any second.

"You aren't here to fight Sasuke…When the time comes you have to summon the lightning pillar and its two sub elements.

You are going to henge yourself into me and try to stay out of the way until then.

I'm the only one that can fight her now…" He said both sadly and unsure of himself.

.

Sasuke pressed his lips together in a thin line of outrage before relaxing.

"All right Naruto." He said and henged himself to look like Naruto and knew it was of little use against something like the Nine Tailed Fox.

Kyuubi turned her head to the black ash filled heavens and let out a massive hate filled roar that quaked the earth and sent a deadly shockwave of her chakra racing across the desert.

Closer and closer it drew to them and Naruto made no move to shield himself or to stop it.

Sasuke swallowed hard as the rolling chakra wave towered above them fearing at any second it would crush them.

Naruto raised one of his hands and threw it down in front of him just as the wave reached them.

.

An explosion of air pressure blasted out in front of him and sent out a sonic boom. Sasuke was driven to his knees while shielding his face from Naruto's wind.

"_How…How could he summon so much wind so quickly?…That looked like one of Kyuubi's attack!"_ Sasuke thought through the raging gale he was weathering.

Naruto's wind pushed back the shockwave until it broke back in on itself.

Sasuke couldn't see the wind, but the pattern it was making in the crimson chakra wave showed him it was shaped like the Rasengan.

Sasuke slowly struggled to his feet while Naruto looked out at the line of destruction his wind had wrought into the desert floor.

No emotion showed on Naruto's face as he looked at the dust plumes drifting into the sky.

Sasuke seemed shaken by Naruto's counter attack.

.

"I let it get that close on purpose Sasuke. I wanted you to see what kind of fight this is going to be. I can't risk you trying to jump in.

I'm not going to hold back my powers on this one and I can't protect you. If you fall this battle is over…this world is over as we know it." He said seriously.

"Naruto…" He said in blank shock.

Naruto put up the seal of the tiger and said. "Stay safe Sasuke. Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Thousands of clones appeared. "Alright guys let's do this!" He said but there was still a hint of doubt in his voice.

.

The army of Naruto's split in two and raced toward either side of Kyuubi intending to flank her.

Their formations were random and looked like every form of attack strategy one could ever imagine.

Kyuubi sneering at the clones mockingly before she lifted her gargantuan body up on her hind legs and started drawing in a massive amount of chakra into a violet ball in front of her mouth.

The ball formed slowly as the two legions of Narutos converged on her.

Countless smaller beams of condensed chakra arched out of the sphere and rained down on the desert in a deadly bombarding attack.

All the Narutos stopped their advance and tried all manner of jutsus to dodge or shield themselves, but their forces were decimated in a matter of seconds.

Barely fifty remained once the sands settled and the Nine Tailed Fox fell forward onto its front legs with a terrible crash.

.

The few Naruto's that were left attacked without pause. Thirty of them took to the air in groups of three while the other twenty drew their kunais out in front of them.

The ones in the air started forming the Rasenshuriken as the ones on the ground charged their blades with the power of the wind.

Their kunais grew chakra wind blades nearly twice as long as the clones were tall while the whine of ten Rasenshuriken split the air as they descended on the Fox.

One of the Naruto clones on the ground disappeared and then the rest in a split second.

The Kyuubi made no move to defend herself until twenty Narutos with their chakra blades appeared under her hunched belly.

.

**"Pathetic!" **She roared and deadly chakra arms sprang out of her body and crushed the Narutos below her before they had time to attack.

"Eat this!" The ten Narutos above her said as one and threw their Rasenshuriken at her.

They screamed down towards her and then she turned her head and let loose a blasting howl.

The Rasenshuriken where blasted back at the Narutos in the air.

They only had a fleeting second of shocked surprise before they were hit from their own attack.

The ten balls of whirling blue exploded above her and took out the last of the Narutos in an attack that filled the skies and sent the wind lashing out in all directions.

.

Sasuke had taken refuge behind the only thing that was left of the barren, smoking desert.

He sensed the last of Naruto's clones being vanquished from behind the crystalline form of Karura.

_"This…isn't good. He didn't even land a single blow and he was using attacks that could easily destroy smaller villages…_

_Still…I know he was holding back, but why? He said he wouldn't hold back anymore…" _

Sasuke thought as the wind howled over the protective hunched form.

.

Naruto had his back pressed to the far side on one of the few remaining sand dunes near the enraged Nine Tailed Fox.

"Damn…I thought I'd get at least one of them through. Even my faint turned out to be a failure! She is totally different now.

I don't even know if she has a physical body anymore!" He cursed himself under his breath.

.

**"Come weak human. It feels like eons since I drank the marrow out of the bones of a moral!"** Kyuubi's voice boomed over the broken desert.

**"Are you afraid to face your death…Do you see your suffering and destruction in my eyes!"**

Naruto felt the ground tremble under him and went wide eyed in surprise just before time/space jumping away an instant before a chakra beam obliterated where he was just standing.

Naruto reappeared on the distant side of her behind another sand dune.

_._

_"That was too close! What can I do now? I can't even get close to her!"_ He thought in distress.

_"I can't even sense Ruby anymore….It's only that…monsters presences; her darker half…"_

Naruto's eyes kept glancing to the eastern skies.

_"Come on Konohamaru…you can't have failed otherwise…" _Naruto heard the sonic boom and flashed away just before another chakra beam annihilated the dune he was on.

**.**

**"You you really think you can hide from me? Do you think you are the only one of us that can sense the presence of others! You are a mere insect compared to my power!"**

Kyuubi yelled and then let loose another beam of condensed chakra at Naruto's hiding place.

Naruto's eyes when wide with realization just and he flashed away again before being vaporized by the massive attack.

_"That's right…This isn't good if she can sense me too. I can't keep burning up chakra like this…I need to stall her until the rest of my chakra gets here, otherwise I don't stand a chance!"_

He thought as he pressed his back to one of the few remaining sand dunes.

_"The question is how?"_

_._

* * *

_._

Their battle continued on for hours and the once barren desert became little more than a vast smoking crater of explosions and deadly torrents of wind.

On the Great Stone cliffs Matsuri clung to Gaara's hand as they all hunched behind his earth barrier jutsu.

The Kazekage was tired and wary so he could only make a barrier that could barely fit the three of them inside it.

But for what he sacrificed in size he made up for it in protective power. His small barrier hut was stronger than forged steel and harder than diamonds.

There was a tiny slit in the front of it so that they could see the destruction of Naruto and Kyuubi's battle.

Sakura lay slouched in the corner resting peacefully. She had given up her remaining chakra to heal the others as best she could and then collapsed from exhaustion.

Gaara's gaze never left the battlefield, save for a few glances now and then over at Matsuri to make sure she was still there and to reassure her by squeezing her hand.

Matsuri looked afraid when she looked out at her homeland and timidly happy when she looked at Gaara.

.

"It's been over six hours Gaara...How can anyone…even Naruto, keep going this long?" She asked worriedly.

Gaara continued to watch the clustering explosions in the distance followed by rapid booms before saying.

"It is because it is Naruto fighting that he can fight this long." Gaara told her.

"But Gaara he doesn't seem to be making any progress. Every time we see a pillar of light it's immediately gone!

Didn't you tell me that those pillars of light have to do with how Naruto plans to beat the fox?" She said emotionally.

Gaara closed his eyes and nodded solemnly before returning his gaze to the broken battlefield of smoking destruction.

"Yes…" He said distantly.

.

"Then… then how can you still…How can you still have faith in him master…" Matsuri said while looking down in confused shame.

"It is because of the prophecy about him. 'One day he will either save or destroy the world.' He alone Matsuri…not the Nine Tailed Fox.

For those without faith in him, he is the world destroyer. For those that believe in him he is the world's savior. There isn't any more to say…" Gaara stated.

She gripped his weathered hand tightly and grabbed his shoulder with her free hand desperately.

"Master you can't really mean…"

"He does." Sakura said as she sat up.

"Sakura…" Matsuri questioned her.

"It's true…Matsuri. Kyuubi told me herself. Naruto is the more dangerous of the two of them." She told her sadly.

.

"Sakura! You can't be serious! Yo-You can't really believe that!" She yelled back at her.

Sakura leaned her head forward slightly and her pink hair covered her solemn face.

"I don't have to believe Matsuri…I know." She stated.

"Know what! Tell me…!" Matsuri begged her as another blast echoed across the war torn earth.

.

"I know what Naruto can do. His Rasengan is something only a few ninja's living today could survive.

His Rasenshuriken is something that only he, himself could likely survive as its creator.

Even the Kages would likely fall from a direct hit from it. But Naruto can take it much, much farther.

When he combined wind, fire and earth into the Rasengan he leveled the northern mountain range in the Land of Fire.

With each element that he combines into the Rasengan the destructive power of his jutsu grows exponentially.

From killing a ninja, to a Kage, to leveling a mountain, to a mountain range, to leveling a county, to possibly a continent…and I'm only up to five elements…" She said and then looked away.

"But there are only five elements. How could that make him more dangerous than Kyuubi? That thing has wiped out the whole desert!" Matsuri yelled to her angrily and confused.

Sakura grabbed her elbows and looked down in indecision as Gaara said. "No Matsuri, there are only five primary elements. There are many sub elements."

"Sub element…prime elements? Just tell me how many Naruto can wield! Why are the two of you acting like this!" Matsuri yelled to them desperately.

.

Sakura looked down for a long moment before admitting. "He's mastered ten and is battle proficient in another four. He can use one more, but he hasn't tested it in battle yet.

Only two are out of his grasp…and for those two he brought Sasuke. Sasuke…He holds mastery over sound and plasma.

When he combines all the prime and sub elements together he will wield a power that will dwarf any tailed beast…"

"Wait…But that's good isn't it? That means he can still win." She said in reserved hope.

"Yes, but at what cost? Each jutsu has a risk. The greater the jutsu the greater the risk and the harder it is to control.

If he starts combining that many elements together with even marginal success and loses control… Well I don't like to think about it." She said refusing to meet Matsuri's gaze.

.

"So the Kyuubi demon would destroy towns one by one where as Naruto might destroy everything just to rid the world of Kyuubi? Is he insane?

What jutsu could he be trying to use and what does it do?" She yelled at Sakura in shock.

Sakura shrank back slightly before softly saying.

"We don't know what it does. We only know The Great Sage Rikudo used it and it likely has something to do with the tailed beast.

Whether it is the jutsu he used to seal, divide, or call the Jubi demon, we just don't know…He lived over two-thousand years ago. How could we?

But Naruto is betting everything on that jutsu."

.

"Rikudo…the Tailed beast…What does that have to do with what's happening right now Sakura?" Matsuri asked desperately.

Sakura looked over at Matsuri hollowly and started to speak before Gaara broke his silence.

"There are two different stories about Rikudo that Naruto found during his searching.

One paints him as a humble, but vastly powerful priest. It tells that one day a demon became so powerful that it broke through the gates of hell and descended upon the earth.

Jubi wrought destruction to the lands and countless warriors fell to it. No one even stood a chance against its overwhelming power.

The humble priest took his stand against the demon and defeated it, but he could not kill or banish it back to hell so he sealed its soul within himself.

He then created a prison for its body and sent it into the heavens. That became known as the moon and that is why he is referred to as the Moon Sage.

The other story is much more detailed and also much…darker."

.

The ground trembling nearly knocked her off her feet and after it died down again she asked.

"But what is this other story? Please tell me master?" She asked him.

Sakura waited for a long moment as Gaara remained silent before hollowly saying.

"The other story tells of Rikudo being a tyrant and warlord in his younger years that arrogantly brandished his power and forced his ways on unwilling people.

It tells of him conquering countries and forcing them into his religion while making it look like their own people still governed them.

He bested any man that dared to challenge him and stood without equal for a long time.

One day in his arrogance he opened a gate to hell and challenged the keeper or death himself.

He set Jubi free into this world and they fought, but Rikudo wasn't powerful enough to defeat the demon and retreated.

For months the demon destroyed all humanity in its wake.

.

Rikudo lost his arrogance and warlord ways when he saw the destruction that the beast had brought down on his home town.

All of his friends and family were dead because of him and his mad grab for power.

His sorrow changed him deeply and made him genuinely desire to repent for all that he had done.

Once Rikudo was finally prepared he faced Jubi again and defeated him.

Like the other story he couldn't kill the Jubi and sealed its soul within himself.

He put the beast's body to sleep and created the moon to hold it to prevent it from ever again being whole.

Naruto also found another tale that seems to follow up on the second story.

It said that Rikudo was blinded in the battle and he either took the eyes of the demon for himself or that his follower transplanted the eyes into him.

.

Even the writer of the story wasn't sure, but it does tell that his understanding of all things became godlike from that day forward.

Both stories agree that Rikudo wandered the world helping people wherever he went humbly until the seal holding Jubi's soul started to break many years later.

On his deathbed he used his power to sunder the Jubi demons into nine parts that we know today as the tailed beasts and sealed them into his followers.

He was dying but the Jubi's eyes would not. They would live on so they two had to be passed on.

He asked his two sons 'What is most valuable in life?'

.

The oldest sons replied power, because without that you can never enact change.

The younger son replied wisdom, because without it you could enact a change that was worse than what was already present.

Rikudo thought long and hard on whom to pass the demon's eyes on to and finally couldn't decide. His death was quickly approaching and he decided to perform his last miracle.

He sundered the power of the eyes in two. He gave his oldest son the power to affect any being with a mere gaze.

To his youngest son he gave his eyes the power to understand anything perfectly from one look. So the Rinnegan was born in the younger son while the Sharingan was born in the oldest son.

The oldest son held scorn towards his father for not giving him the full power of the demon eyes and one day attacked his brother intent on seizing the rest of its power.

.

The younger brother won and forgave his brother. He followed in his father footsteps traveling the world and helping people.

It is not known what happened to the older brother, but he held the scorn for his father and brother his entire life.

Later in the youngest sons life he sealed the power of the demons eyes into his own two son's bloodlines where it would remind dormant.

He then told them that he must leave to face his death that he had seen with the power of his eyes many years ago.

He went and faced his brother, now an older man he knew he didn't stand a chance of outright beating him again.

.

The older brother's unquenchable thirst for power had made him strong.

Though he couldn't win he had decided that his older brother was a blight on the world that he regretted letting live all those years ago.

The older brother struck a killing blow at the younger one. The younger brother didn't even try to dodge the blow.

In taking his brother's killing blow he had dealt one as well.

They both died and here started the bloody feud that would one day be known as the Senju and Uchiha Clans.

There you have it Matsuri, that's all the knowledge false or true that we have on the jutsu."

.

"But how would that terrible story give you hope master?" Matsuri said with her eyes quivering in worry and pain.

Kyuubi's roar split the air and sent another shockwave rolling over Gaara's barrier hut and made the ground quake with reverberation.

Gaara winched his eyes closed as dust shot through the slit in the hut and held on to the wall for support until the quaking ceased.

He then turned his eyes on Matsuri's frightened face and said.

"I told you already Matsuri. You either believe Naruto is the world destroyer or you believe he is the world's savior.

As for how that story gives me faith…

Well it is the first time that Heirs of the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan have laid down their lives and entered combat not as comrades but as brothers.

They are fighting, in some ways, the very thing that has torn them apart for two millennia instead of trying to steal it from one another.

If in nothing else I find hope in that."

Gaara turned back towards the raging battle and saw beautiful blue streams of braided chakra splitting the smoke filled skies snaking its way to the heart of the battle.

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* * *

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In the heart of the battle the Kyuubi's attacks had decimated the desert sands into charred ash.

Lava poured freely out of the bedrock all the while the Nine Tailed Fox searched and attacked at random for Naruto as he kept barely avoiding her by using Time/Space jutsu.

Naruto landed behind an over turned chunk of bedrock that was still smoldering from lava on the other side.

Naruto fell on all fours panting in sharp gasps while the sweat rained off his face in shining droplets.

He was covered in soot and ash and was bleeding from several small wounds and burns.

_"M-My body just won't move anymore…No matter how hard I tell it to. My arms are numb from using the Yellow flash._

_How long… long as it been since we started fighting?...I can't tell. The smoke from the battle makes it always look like night._

_I haven't even managed to hit her. Every…time one of my clones gets…near her…they are destroyed by her terrible…chakra._

_I'm so low on chakra that I-I can't even sense Sasuke anymore…The place where he was hiding…it doesn't exist anymore._

_I'm so tired…I-I never thought it would be this…hard…My legs are on…fire."_ He thought while struggling to stand and keep himself from closing his heavy eyelids.

.

The Kyuubi encased in burning violet chakra leaped into the air and crashed down near him.

The shockwave flung Naruto helpless up the edge of the giant crater that was once the deserts outer wall.

He spun wildly and hit the wall before rolling back down the sheer cliff and landing onto a small plateau.

**"So that's all you have left? You're finished already? Pathetic moral! All you did was RUN!" **Kyuubi yelled at him from nearby while looking down at him.

Naruto's vision was blurry and the only thing that he managed to do was to roll his head from the cliffs face to look in the destructive and amused eyes of the Nine Tailed Fox.

Naruto consciousness was fading and his voice was barely a whisper. "Don't…worry Ruby…I-I'll still…save you…"

Kyuubi threw her head back and laughed at him.

.

**"HAHAHAAAAA! You actually believe that the other part of my soul that I devoured cared about you at all! HAHAHAHA! You are a fool without equal!**

**Why do you think it kept asking you to train to get stronger? So you could **_**'Save Her'**_**? HAHAHA NO! You two were linked! That is the reason you could never beat your **_**'Ruby'**_**!**

**Your **_**'Ruby'**_** only grew stronger as you did! You trained like there was no tomorrow and YET YOU ONLY ASSURED THIS WORLDS FATE! You even let her reclaim ME!**

**You stood by and watched it happen without lifting a finger! You are exactly what that prophecy says about you Naruto…**

**A world destroyer because you foolishly wanted her to bring me back out and you even gave me MORE POWER THAN I'VE HAD IN MILLENNIUMS.**

**HAHAHA and now you the 'Great World Destroyer' lays broke at my feet unable to defend himself, oh the irony!" **The demonic fox's voice boomed across the desert.

The great beast turned her head back to the havens and drew in a great breath.

**"KAMI! **

**AFTER I OBLITERATE THIS FAILURE THAT YOU SENT AS A SAVIOR AND THE LAST LIVING MEMBER OF THE UCHIHIA CLAN I'M COMING FOR YOU!**

**I WILL RIP YOU ASUNDER AND TAKE BACK WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY MINE YOU FALSE GUARDIAN OF THIS WORLD!**

**DON'T YOU HEAR ME YOU ARROGANT WHITE CROW!"** Kyuubi screamed to the heavens with such force that the rocks around her where blasted into dust.

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"My…strength it-it's fading…" Naruto thought as his eyes closed.

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* * *

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A cold, dim, stone hallway with brass pipes lined the ceiling. Shallow water covered the floor as the pipes slowly leaked down the bricked stone walls.

Naruto sat up from his back and grabbed his aching head as he winced his eyes shut in pain and confusion.

"Wh-Where am I?" he said and then opened his eyes and looked around.

He looked down at the floor in sad realization.

"I guess it must be a reflex to come here…into my own mind. To come here when I can't handle it alone…When I'm too weak…just like now…"

Naruto whispered and then slammed his fist into the pipes coming out of the wall near him in anger.

The metallic ring echoed down the silent hallway.

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Naruto looked down and sighed. "What's the point? I know nothing is there." He grabbed his elbows in the chill of the dark passage of his mind.

"It's cold…I-I must be dying. My body is growing cold."

"I don't remember training my disciple to be a quitter." A warm familiar and broad man's voice sounded from down the hall.

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"Jiraiya…JIRAIYA! Where are you?" He yelled and then raced down the dark corridor franticly. He searched feverishly down every dark hallway and corner calling his masters name.

After a long moment of searching he slowly lost the will to look. "I…guess I must have just been hearing things. Maybe that's part of dying…You start to lose it...your sanity."

Naruto started aimlessly moving along the dim passageways in bitter sadness and despair.

.

"Yes,…That is how beasts are…But that's not who Naruto is…He's nothing like the Nine Tailed Fox, so you're wrong…He's Naruto Uzumaki of the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

Another familiar voice rang out in the distant corridors.

"Iruka! Hey Iruka sensei!" He said and chased after the sound of the voice with one hand out stretched like he was trying to grab a hold of someone.

His hand only met with empty air though and slowly his pace staggered to a depressed crawl again.

"Everyone…Everyone is going to die because…Because I was too weak. I'm always too weak…No matter how hard I train…"

He said with his shoulders slumped as he looked at the floor and wandered onward.

.

"Do you know why I'm telling you all of this Naruto? It's because I truly believe you are the only Shinobi that can surpass the Fourth Hokage…"

Another voice sounded thought the dark hallways.

"Hmph." Naruto said bitterly. "Kakashi told me that….Well it doesn't really matter if I surpass him if I can't do anything good with my power…"

Naruto mumbled to himself sadly as he kept moving forward down the watery hallways of darkness.

His feet carried him through the last few familiar steps without him real realizing where he was going.

He walked into the expansive room with torches at either side of a massive golden caged door that stood slightly agape.

The seal his father had put on the cage door so many years ago laid on the floor, ripped in two by his own hands.

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"I remember this…" Naruto said as he reached down, hardly aware of what he was doing and ran his hands over the smooth paper surface feeling each sharp line of the letters.

"I remember how scared I was…How I had doubted that The Nine Tailed Fox would keep her word when I tore this down…It seems so long ago now."

Naruto said wistfully as he picked up the half of the seal from the floor and stood up.

.

"I remember how strong my faith was back then…Even though I was scared I set her free…She could have ravaged my mind or could took over my body….but she didn't…

She wandered out of her cage like a frightened kitten. She was timid and shy. I thought it was strange then, but now I understand.

If I was trapped in a cage for eighteen years then it might be a little scary for me to step out into the unknown…into a more free world.

If I knew I was safe in the cage and didn't know what life outside the cage would bring…I-I think I finally understand her…."

He said and then grabbed his head with both hands in thought and realization.

.

"Sh-She didn't try to corrupt my mind at all. She was timid to explore my being…,but when she found my memories…that's all she did. She just sat there watching my old memories.

She was trying to understand me! She was trying to know me! Why did it take me so long to come to the same conclusion?" He swore to himself.

"The question isn't in the past, but why are you here Senju boy?" A noble, deep and powerful voice sounded and then fell silent.

"Wait….that voice…it-it didn't echo and I've never heard it before but it sounds a lot like another voice I've heard…" Naruto said softly in confusion.

The echoing clack of boots on stone boom loudly from the darkness again and again…closer and louder with each passing step again and again from the darkness within the agape cage.

Naruto waited with baited breath as the steps grew closer and closer until a hand reached out of the darkness and grabbed hold of the outer edge of the cage door.

.

A man in white robes that had a symbol of a spire pointing to a full moon over the left breast of the robes stepped forward out of the light.

His hair came down to his shoulders in long black spikes and his face was timeless and passive.

His eyes shined red in the flickering torch light. Seven comas that linked with each other surround his cornea.

Naruto's eyed went wide with stunned shock before he clinched his fist in anger at the man.

"Madara!" He shouted at him and drew his hand back as a whirling blue ball formed in his hands.

The man in the robes tilted his head curiously at Naruto unflinching at his posed attack.

"I'm afraid you have me confused with one of my very distant relatives Senju boy."

He said without emotion as he stepped out of the cage and looked at the giant doors with mild interest.

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"If you're not Madara then you could have fooled me! Who are you then and how the hell are you in my mind!" He yelled skeptically at him, never lowering his readied attack.

The man traced the tops of the caged doors with his eyes and said. "So this is where you come when you need power. A cage huh? What an odd place to store your power…"

Naruto's anger rose as he yelled at him again. "I said who are you! Why do you keep calling me Senju boy?"

The man finally turned his eyes to Naruto and said.

"You already know who I am. You, who have been searching tirelessly for ancient tomes and scrolls about me and my family…"

Naruto gave him a curious look for a long moment and suddenly the Rasengan in his hand faded as he stood up.

.

He carefully and timidly said. "You couldn't be…"

"Takimo Rikudo, at your service." He said with a slight bow as the spread his hands out to his sides before standing and putting his hands into the sleeves of his robes.

Naruto looked at him soullessly. _"The eldest brother…"_

_._

* * *

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After notes: It wasn't me that decided to leave you on a cliffhanger this time, it was my wife.

I, however, have good news for you. By the time to finish this chapter the second part should be up:).

Hope you all enjoyed it and thank you for any reviews.

PS. Please note that I am removing my notice, so if you replied to it the site will not let you review this chapter. Just put that review in with the next chapters.


	38. Ch 38: A Tale of Two Brothers, Part Two

If you couldn't review the last chapter because it was a notice and you replied to it then review it in this chapter.

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Questions/Reviews

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Last chapter

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"I'm afraid you have me confused with one of my very distant relatives Senju boy."

He said without emotion as he stepped out of the cage and looked at the giant doors with mild interest.

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"If you're not Madara then you could have fooled me! Who are you then and how the hell are you in my mind!" He yelled skeptically at him, never lowering his readied attack.

The man traced the tops of the caged doors with his eyes and said. "So this is where you come when you need power. A cage huh? What and odd place to store your power…"

Naruto's anger rose as he yelled at him again. "I said who are you! Why do you keep calling me Senju boy?"

The man finally turned his eyes to Naruto and said.

"You already know who I am. You, who have been searching tirelessly for ancient tomb and scroll about me and my family…"

Naruto gave him a curious look for a long moment and suddenly the Rasengan in his hand faded as he stood up.

He carefully and timidly said. "You couldn't be…"

"Takimo Rikudo, at your service." He said with a slight bow as the spread his hands out to his sides before standing and putting his hands into the sleeves of his robes.

Naruto looked at him soullessly. _"The eldest brother…"_

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Chapter Thirty-Eight: A Tale of Two Brothers, Part Two

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"But-But how?" Naruto asked in utter confusion.

"How you ask? It is simple and you already know the stories, both of them." Takimo looked up in thought for a moment.

"How to put this…Ah I know. In heritage what is the difference between Senju and Uchiha Clans?" He said.

Naruto gave him an odd look and said. "There's the Sharingan and the Rinnegan, but other than that I don't know. I didn't really find any texts stating any difference."

"Exactly, because there isn't one. They both are distantly related to my father Sacki Rikudo, the one you know of as the Moon Sage.

You are related to us as well." He said wisely.

"But how does that explain how or why you are here? Didn't you die thousands of years ago?" Naruto questioned him.

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"That depends greatly on your meaning of death. If your meaning of life and death is whether or not I have a physical body, then yes I died long ago.

As for how I am here, you should be able to piece that together." He said.

Naruto looked down and thought for a look moment before returning his gaze to Takimo.

"You sealed your powers into your bloodline just like your brother didn't you?" He said slowly.

"Correct, otherwise there never would have been an Uchiha Clan.

The power of the Time Still eyes lay dormant in my successor's bloodline until their will and reasons summoned me forth to unlock it." He stated.

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"Wait then you didn't just seal your power in to your children…You sealed yourself?" Naruto asked intently.

"Very good, descendent of my brother. Yes, as the story goes my brother was granted wisdom to understand all things.

I was granted power to affect all things…even to imprint myself in to my heirs bloodlines.

He has moved on from this world, but I, who was granted power, remained.

So as you might have guessed I'm here because you possess the eyes of one of my heirs.

You and I now share some of the same blood, metaphorically speaking as I don't have blood anymore." He said.

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Naruto looked at him in shock and asked. "Do-does that make me one of your heirs?"

Takimo tilted his head at Naruto in thought and then said.

"That is both true and untrue. You are not born of my flesh, but from the descendents of my brother.

Then again the Chosen One from my heirs saw fit to leave you his eyes."

"What's all this about a Chosen One? And no one left me _their_ eyes. Sasuke gave me his brother's eyes!" Naruto loudly stated.

Takimo chuckled slightly before saying. "You're asking about our Chosen Ones…I see, I guess you couldn't have figured out that one on your own.

Well, where should I begin? Yes…I'll begin with the powers of the eyes. The powers of mine and my brother's eyes have been diluted over the generations.

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My eyes were much more powerful than my children. Simply put each of my sons only received half of my powers and had to work to unseal the others.

Vastly powerful were my eyes during my time. So powerful in fact that I could see into the future.

My brother's eyes were different in power, but he could perceive into the future.

We both knew that no matter how powerful we were or became that we couldn't vanquish an eternal, just as you came to the same conclusion.

We knew that one day the beast would be set free on the earth. It was only a matter of time and was inevitable that they would break free.

I saw that it would happen and left certain things for my descendants to find.

Pieces of my wisdom and keys to unlocking the power of the Sharingan is what I left to my Chosen One.

My brother left his ideals, teachings and wisdom in hopes that his Chosen One could face the beasts when the time came.

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We both knew only one of our chosen champions would faces the beasts at the most dire of times.

But time is not so simple. Nothing is truly fixed. I saw many possibilities for our future. Many ended with the world being torn asunder.

A few however lent me some hope."

"But what does that have to do with these eyes?" Naruto asked.

"It has everything to do with those eyes and how to awaken the Rinnegan.

You see when my brother sealed his power into his sons bloodlines he also sealed its power.

His descendants where not given free rein over his powers like mine did with my powers.

.

It seemed rather foolish to me, but the powerful should not question the truly wise. His descendants never did unlock the Rinnegan again.

It was a few of my own that figured out what the key was to unlocking it. It was power…our power, the Sharingan in its most powerful form was the key.

Only then did we understand the way he sealed his powers. His descendants weren't even aware of the power locked within them.

My descendants stole the eyes of his and reawakened the Rinnegan a few times throughout history.

I always thought that he had chosen one of my descendants as his champion and that is why the Sharingan was needed to unlock his power.

My champion was vastly powerful and unlocked the Sharingan's final powers. He often looked into the future and its many possibilities.

I do not know exactly what he saw or didn't see, but he sat on his powers. He had the power to affect change.

There was no one that beat him unless he chose to lose.

Instead of enacting change he chose to prevent it."

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Naruto gave him a curious look and asked. "What change did he prevent?"

"You have already seen some of the changes he chose to prevent. Mainly the annihilation of your people by the Akatsuki.

I believe he didn't trust himself to use such a great power. He was truly wise in understanding his limits." Takimo said in reverence.

"Itachi? Itachi was your champion? Wait if he had such a great power to affect all things like you did, why didn't he use it to bring peace to the lands?" Naruto asked.

"Power corrupts young Senju. Power can only be used for good when a person knows the limit of his willpower.

If you have more power than willpower and keep using it to its full extent, then your eyes will become clouded with power and only hunger for more power.

You have already seen this many times during your life time. Itachi refused to use his power beyond what he could handle because he feared becoming corrupted."

"He still could have done something instead of joining the Akatsuki though. He could have used the power he could handle to effect the right changes." Naruto said.

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"Even if Itachi had both limitless power and wisdom there is no guarantee that he could have affected the right changes. Power and wisdom are still just power and wisdom."

Takimo said wisely.

"But what does that mean? How could you not make the right changes with limitless power and wisdom?" Naruto said in confusion.

"That is a tricky one to explain…" He said as he looked up in thought for a moment. "Well, let us say there is a small fishing village at the bank of a lake.

Its people feed themselves from the fish they catch from that lake. One day the village grows too large and fishes the lake dry of fish.

The people of that village are proud and stubborn. They keep fishing in the empty lake while they slowly starve to death.

A farmer with a bag of seeds comes to the village and sees the state it is in. He tries to share his wisdom of farming with the people of the village, but they refuse to heed his words.

So the farmer finally leaves and goes to the ruler of the lands. He tells him of their stubborn strife and the leader sends out his army.

The army forces the stubborn fisherman off of their boats and out into the fields to grow their food instead of catching it.

.

The people of the village survive, but hold scorn for the ruler for using his power to change their way of life.

One day their scorn grows so great that they rise up against him and take him to war.

You see, sometimes power and wisdom isn't enough young Senju if the people you want to affect do not wish to change.

Power and wisdom alone cannot anyways change a person's heart no matter how much we wish it to change.

Hence the old saying. 'You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.'"

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Naruto thought about his words for a long moment before asking him.

"Then how and why did Itachi leave me his eyes? Sasuke gave them to me, not Itachi."

"It is a question without a true known answer, but I've already told you. Itachi could see into the future.

You already know time is not fixed. At each moment it branches off into countless possibilities and different outcomes.

If the vast majority of those possible futures ended at a single point in time where the world was destroyed what would you look for?" He asked Naruto.

"I-I guess I'd be looking for a way to make sure that didn't happen." He replied unsure of himself.

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"Exactly, that is why Itachi sat on his power.

He was waiting for the right moment in time to present itself and when it did he acted accordingly.

He did what he had already seen to give us the best hope for a bright future.

I believe he found that moment he was waiting for just before disease was going to take him.

He waited for you in the forest in the hopes that that possibility in time would present itself and you would say the right words to him.

It seems you did and he gave you the power of his heritage and wisdom to wield the Sharingan like we do." He stated.

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"If he wanted me to have his eyes why didn't he just come to me and give them to me? I mean then the whole war could have likely been avoided." Naruto asked.

"It is hard to comprehend the actions of those that can see into the future. If Itachi gave you his eyes then you never would have saved his brother from himself."

He stated.

Naruto thought for a long moment before asking. "What exactly do you mean that Itachi gave me the power to wield the Sharingan like you can?

Do you mean the ability to see into the future and stop time?"

Takimo shook his head and then said.

"No, when I say he gave you his heritage and wisdom to use the Sharingan like a member of my bloodline I mean the ability to turn it off.

Our eyes can be transplanted into an person with even a inkling of my father's blood in their veins, but they cannot turn it off.

They have to sacrifice the sight of that eye. They cannot turn off the power of those eyes and if they leave them uncovered they will sap the person's strength until he dies.

You have the power to shun the Sharingan by returning its power to your blood where it will rest dormant. That is what Itachi wanted you to have, a choice."

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Naruto took a moment to process everything before turning his attention back to Takimo.

"Why are you here now telling me all this?"

"The question isn't why I am here, it is why you are here." He stated as he turned and faced the darkness lingering inside the cage.

"You are here for power are you not? Then come, I will show you where you stored our power." He said and waited for him.

Naruto slowly walked up beside him and asked. "What do you mean by the place I stored it?"

Takimo looked over at him and smiled slightly. "Everything here is bound by your will.

That torn piece of paper that you thought was holding back the Kyuubi was only that because you thought it to be that.

It wasn't that seal that held her there. It was your will that held her in this cage. The seal on the outside of you held her in, but it was you that trapped her here."

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He said and looked up at the massive cage doors again and then sighed.

"You truly are like my brother and my champion to cage up your power and only use it when you have to." He said and then turned to Naruto.

"Are you ready Senju Champion?"

Naruto stayed still in deep thought for a long moment before saying. "Hey…" He lifted his head up and looked at him.

"Takimo…Can I ask you a personal question?"

Takimo gave him a curious look and said. "I can't hold back time forever, but what would that question be?"

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Naruto struggled with his thoughts before timidly and carefully he asked. "Do…you regret it?"

He smiled at him and then looked forward into the darkness. "Of all of my descendants not one of them ever asked me that.

Would I have liked to have replied wisdom instead of power when my father asked me?

Yes, I would have. I was very envious of my brother's wisdom. He could away see things so clearly and understand the right path to take almost without fail.

Do I regret my decision and for taking power…No young Senju."

Naruto gave him a intensely curious look and said. "Really, not even for a moment?"

.

He shook his head and said. "No, not even for a moment. My brother and I already knew there were only two answers to his question.

I was given the first chance to answer the question, so I spared my brother from the burden of power and its corruption.

I wanted to say wisdom at the time, but I loved my little brother too much to force the answer of power on him.

In the end both wisdom and power were both heavy burdens to us. Whenever I used my power I mostly did more harm than good.

My brother with his vast wisdom tried to teach it to the masses, but it mostly fell on deaf ears.

His great wisdom let him see things coming and even when he tried to convince others to take the right path they mostly didn't.

In my great time living in the bloodline of my kinsman I've come to the conclusion that in the end we both felt that we were burdened and the other was blessed."

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He started moving into the darkness. Naruto quickly followed him and couldn't see a thing.

The only way he knew he was going the right way was to keep Takimo's voice right beside him.

"If there is one thing I regret it is that me and my brother needlessly killed each other when we had already passed on our powers."

His voice rang out from beside Naruto in-between the sound of their footsteps.

"Then why didn't the two of you work together?" Naruto asked while walking in the darkness.

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"A very excellent question. The answer is that at first we did.

But just because you can give someone both knowledge and power doesn't mean they are ready for it.

Giving someone a sword and showing them how to use it doesn't mean they will use it for good.

There are many that would use their skills for their own selfish ends.

My brother and I had to learn that the hard way many times and it drove a wedge between us.

Each of us blamed the other for our failures until we both went our separate ways." As he spoke his voice seemed to grow brighter.

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Naruto continued to walk and asked.

"If the power was such a burden then why did you pass it on?"

"Hmm while I lived I wouldn't have relinquished my power willingly, but the answer is that we had to pass it on.

The power was the eyes of an eternal demon, it could not die, only be kept or set free." He said.

"If it caused you so much trouble and you had so much power then why didn't you just seal its power away forever?" Naruto asked.

.

"You of all people should know that no seal lasts forever, but in essence we did seal away the power.

My brother used a special seal that his own descendants couldn't seem to break, but mine could.

He always was smarter than me. I sealed myself into my descendants so I could chose who was worthy for me to awaken the power and who wasn't.

Even through time I still made my share of mistakes, for one I awoke that power I couldn't take it away." He said and then stopped.

.

"Why did you stop? Hey are you still there?" Naruto said loudly.

"I am right beside you. I stopped because we are here." Takimo said.

"Where are we? I can't see a thing." Naruto said while feeling at the open air in front of him.

"This is your place young Senju. Everything is bound by your will. If you cannot see, simply turn on the lights."

Takimo said.

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Naruto looked around at the pitch darkness and then shrugged his shoulder in confusion.

"But how?" He asked.

"I do not know for sure…You worry me slightly if you don't even know how to banish the darkness in your own mind.

I would guess you would need to think of something that fills your life with brightness." He said in an unsure tone.

"Alright, I'll give it a shot…" Naruto said and closed his eyes while he concentrated.

After a long moment he timidly cracked open one of his eyes. All was still covered in darkness.

He opened his eyes and sighed. "Nope, that didn't work."

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"What did you think of?" Takimo asked him curiously.

Naruto's eyes glanced back and forth before he said. "Well I thought of the sun of course…Hey…Hey you still there?"

Takimo cleared his throat loudly before awkwardly saying.

"That isn't the kind of brightness I was talking about…Has there ever been someone that has brightened your day?

You know, like if they weren't there it wouldn't have been near as memorable? Can you think of a time like that?"

.

"Hmm." Naruto closed his eyes again and thought.

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Flashback.

* * *

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Naruto wrapped his arms around Hanabi and drew a kunai and then they were gone.

Hanabi was in awe, she was looking down at the whole village just as the lights lit up the streets.

"This is one of my other favorite places to be. It's on top of a depiction of my father's head." Naruto said.

Hanabi took a moment to make sure her feet were stable on the spiky haired head of the monument.

Hanabi smiled never looking down to see which of the Hokage's heads they were standing on.

"I had a feeling you were the fourth Hokage's son Naruto...It all makes sense...Your looks, your jutsu and even your attitude."

She said holding his hands around her so he didn't remove them.

.

"Those hand aren't going any were you know." He stated while pulling her closer to him.

Hanabi smile brightened. "I was just making sure...It is a long way down." She said looking over the edge.

.

* * *

End of Flashback.

.

Naruto opened his eyes and was blushing slightly.

What was once dark was now filled with a warm white light.

They were standing at a gray stone wall at the back of the cage that towered up to a high ceiling.

The wall was flat save for a stone relief that had a stone Sharingan eye carved into it.

"You see, you can banish the darkness in your mind." Takimo said.

"Umm yeah." Naruto looked away shyly before returning his gaze to the stone door.

.

"Okay so how does this work? What's behind the door?" Naruto asked him.

"Power." He replied and it echoed sharply in the vast chambers of the cage.

"I cannot tell you how this works young Senju. This is your mind, not my own."

Naruto thought for a long moment before turning to him before asking.

"Should I take this power?"

.

"That is the question indeed. Itachi was my champion and he wanted to make sure that you have a choice.

All I can do is have faith in his decision and in yours.

Remember my words and stories about power and what it can do to you as well as what it can do for you."

He said and then the floor quaked nearly knocking Naruto off his feet.

"Your time grows short young Senju. I can't hold back the tides of time much longer." He said in a sad wispy voice.

.

Naruto stepped up in front of the stone door.

"I can't do nothing. At this rate Kyuubi will kill me and ravage the world.

Then again this power might turn me into something worst than her.

I'll just have to go take a look at this power and then decide whether or not to use it."

He said and then took in a deep unsteady breath.

.

He reached his hand out and pushed the three coma marks around the stone eye.

The door shook slightly and then slid upwards with the sounds of stone grinding on stone.

A soft red light poured out from the end of a dark hallway.

Naruto turned back and said. "Thanks Takimo."

He only replied with a smile.

Naruto went into the dark hallway and headed towards the light as the door closed behind him.

.

Takimo gazed up at the ceiling and said.

"Oh my dear brother, your sense of irony knows no bounds…

The cage to hold back power, your champion that looks just like our father and that he even has your name.

Naruto did you think I was so stupid that couldn't have figured it out on my own? Must you always baby step things for me like I am blind?

You always did enjoy making me play the part of the fool. I can just see you laughing your head off in the afterlife while watching me now.

And even in the end I still played your childish game of us 'never saying the name of each other's champion', because to do so would be to admit the other was right."

He said with a nostalgic smile as he sighed at the ground and then looked back to the ceiling.

.

"Well, I will end that childish game we started so long ago now. I admit it, even though you need both, but wisdom is the more valuable!

But then again, I always knew that…That is why I left that answer to you my brother." He said and then threw his head back and laughed a joyous laugh.

"Your champion is just as strange as you brother.

He didn't even ask about father's Jutsu…And the strangest thing about him is that he would hide such beautiful feelings and memories in here of all places…

Why lock them up in a cage?"

He said while looking up at the memory of Naruto smiling while holding Hanabi on top of the Hokage monument with the dazzling night sky spread out above them and the streetlights below.

.

Takimo started to glow blue and his form became fuzzy.

"Naruto, I will see you soon, but before that I think I will go check in on father.

I'm sure he must be lonely there and he probably hasn't had a visitor in over two-thousand years…"

His form vanished into glowing blue balls that faded away.

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Hope you all enjoyed and thank you for any review.


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